Hello friends, please forgive the periods of silence. We are busy, busy preparing everything for ALA midwinter next week and getting super excited! Speaking of…Erin Duffy, author of Bond Girl, will be signing at the conference on Monday, January 23rd. Her book is an entertaining insight into Wall Street, in the vein of The Devil Wears Prada. Here are some excerpts from her Booklist interview, but check out the whole thing on their site.
Booklist: What inspired you to write a novel?
Duffy: It was always what I dreamed of doing. But, then, like I said, I decided to accept the job in finance so I could enjoy my senior year without stressing over having to move home to my parents’ basement after graduation. All of a sudden, the writing dream was gone. Plus, I wasn’t someone who thought, “Of course I can write a book, and one day I will end up speaking to the American Library Association!” So, I let it go and focused on the real career I had. In a strange twist of fate, I lost my job in 2008 and figured if I didn’t try to write a novel then, I never would. So, I started writing, and Bond Girl was the result. It’s still hard to believe I did it!
Booklist: How similar is Alex’s experience to yours—and how similar is Alex to you?
Duffy: Alex is a compilation of a lot of different people. The Street is full of young, fun girls with drive, humor, and more than a few flaws. The ones who seem normal are just better at faking it. Alex and I definitely share some qualities, but she is a lot more vocal and, in some ways, a lot more fearless than I am. My experience of life on a trading floor mirrors Alex’s, but mine was a bit more subdued.
– Annie