1980 My Literary Era.

Chapter 521 Busy before returning home
The author interviews of The Paris Review are different from ordinary reporter interviews. They are not one-time interviews, nor are they done to coincide with the publication of a new book of the author, but an interview that may last for several months or even across the year.

During the period, editors and reporters of The Paris Review visited the interviewees several times.

Long-term and frequent interviews will deepen the familiarity between the writer and the interviewer, and they will naturally extend the depth of discussion and communication during the communication process.

Everyone exchanged writing habits, methods, confusion faced when writing, and various secrets of the literary world...

The selected content naturally becomes full of wit and wit, also has important literature value, and even has a certain legendary color.

The Paris Review's first visit came three days after Roger Strauss called with Christian Salmon, the Paris Review's senior editor and reporter.

After meeting for a few chats, Christian Salmon was not in a hurry to conduct an interview, but chatted with Lin Weimin about life in the United States.

"You're not like most writers."

When Christian Salmon said this, he looked at the decoration in the apartment.

Lin Weimin smiled and said, "It seems that writers shouldn't be too rich. But don't get me wrong, this is just a rented apartment."

"But I looked it up, and the sales of your works in the United States, this part of the income alone is enough for you to live the life that most people dream of."

Lin Weimin nodded, "To be precise, I have never been short of money since I started writing. Even when I was in China, my works were very popular. Of course, publishing works in China is definitely not as profitable as in the United States!"

Listening to Lin Weimin's words, Christian Salmon couldn't help laughing, "You seem to be very proud of the fact that your works are selling well?"

"Shouldn't you be proud? The best-selling works, and more people reading them, should be the dream of every writer." Lin Weimin said generously.

"Probably because everyone has become accustomed to the dismal sales of serious literature over the years, so a special case like yours suddenly appeared, and I am not used to it."

The two were chatting casually. Christian Salmon noticed a half-turned book on the coffee table. He glanced at the cover, "Eleven Kinds of Loneliness".

"I found this at a second-hand bookstore some time ago."

"Richard Yates, you like him?"

Lin Weimin nodded, "It's hard not to like an excellent writer like him."

"Speaking of which, the sales of your works seem to be two extremes."

"My style is more flattering, like Joseph Heller."

Hearing what Lin Weimin said, Christian Salmon laughed. He sensed the careful thinking behind Lin Weimin's words. This is a person who knows humor and laughs at himself.

Joseph Heller's "Catch-22" and Richard Yates' "Revolutionary Road" happened to be rivals for the awards.

"I saw your interview in The New Yorker, and in that interview you also mentioned Richard Yates, and it seems that you do like him."

"I just hope that some readers can discover the value of Richard Yates, and it is best to buy a few more of his books. Such an excellent writer should not be treated like this." Lin Weimin said with some regret.

"Is this an editor's instinct?" Christian Salmon knew that Lin Weimin was also an editor.

"You can say that." Lin Weimin nodded.

"I was surprised when I saw your profile. You are not only a writer, but also the editor-in-chief of the largest literary magazine in China. How did you do that?"

……

There is no sense of ceremony in the interview, just like chatting with friends. The atmosphere is very comfortable, and I said a lot without knowing it.

Almost the whole day passed in such a smooth talk.

When night fell, Christian Salmon asked Lin Weimin if he had any manuscripts with him. Taking pictures of writers' manuscripts is a tradition of "Interview with Writers".

Lin Weimin took out the English version of "Hunting" he was writing, and Christian Salmon looked surprised.

"You write in English?"

"Not often, after all, English is not my mother tongue. This novel actually has a Chinese version. Mr. Roger Strauss' FSG Publishing House is going to publish this work. I plan to write it out and let them see it first. , the translation should be polished in the future.”

Christian Salmon glanced at the contents of the manuscript and praised: "I wouldn't be surprised if English is your mother tongue. It seems that I still don't know you well enough. I will read all of your novels during this time." .”

"Thank you, you contributed another sales volume for me."

Christian Salmon smiled at Lin Weimin, took a few photos of the manuscript, and said with some regret: "The English version of the manuscript is almost meaningless. It seems that I should apply to go to China to see your Chinese manuscript. Especially your lost manuscript, it was collected in Xiangjiang, right?"

"Yes."

"It's really interesting! By the way, there is also the editorial department where you work. I like the atmosphere there. I must go and see it."

"welcome!"

The time span of the writer's interview is very long, and the interview location is not limited. Christian Salmon is going to China to visit Lin Weimin, which is really not an exaggeration.

"Looking forward to your arrival. But the key is that I have to go back to China first." Lin Weimin joked.

Christian Salmon laughed.

At the end of the interview, Christian Salmon confirmed his itinerary with Lin Weimin.

It is now the end of June, and in the next half month, Lin Weimin will accept two interviews, one speech, and more than ten book signings and reader meetings arranged by Random House in several major cities in the United States. will return to China.

Christian Salmon plans to conduct an interview with Lin Weimin on his way to the autograph session, and then go to China to conduct another interview. After three exchanges, this interview with the writer is considered to be over.

After seeing off Christian Salmon, Lin Weimin officially started the itinerary arranged by Random House.

Compared with the "Paris Review" writer interview arranged by Roger Strauss, the interview arranged by Random House has a much more commercial atmosphere. The interview media is "New York Times", which also highlights the difference between the two. style.

After the interview, Lin Weimin was invited to give a speech at Columbia University, and then participated in a book signing held in two New York bookstores.

After the signing event in New York, Lin Weimin boarded the plane. In the next few days, Lin Weimin will go to Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and other cities to participate in the signing event and reader meeting.

In Chicago, Lin Weimin was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune.

The next stop after Chicago is Kansas. There is only one book signing event in this stop. It stands to reason that Kansas is not the city that will hold the signing event. This itinerary was specially requested by Lin Weimin and Random House.

On the day of the book signing event, there were not many readers who came to the bookstore. It looked like 50 to [-] people. The reader meeting and book signing were all completed in less than two hours.

"Old horse!" Lin Weimin embraced Mark Meng who had been waiting for a long time with open arms.

Ma Kemeng was a little emotional. The two met at the signing meeting just now, but they didn't speak. He kept waiting.

"Lin, I finally see you again, my friend!"

"meet again!"

The two patted each other to calm down the excitement of reuniting after a long absence, and chatted about the changes in the past few years.

Lin Weimin pulled Tao Huimin over and introduced him to Ma Kemeng. Ma Kemeng said, "It's a pity I couldn't attend your wedding!"

"Isn't it great to meet now, we are on our honeymoon." Lin Weimin said with a smile.

Mark Meng now lives in Kansas City and works as a teacher in a university. When Lin Weimin came to the United States last time, he drove all the way to New York to meet him.

This time, Lin Weimin asked Random House to hold the signing in Kansas, just to meet his old friends, so he called Mark Meng in advance.

After chatting for a while, Ma Kemeng invited Lin Weimin and his wife back to his home.

Mark Meng got married the year before last, and his home was not far from the University of Kansas. Lin Weimin and his wife came to visit and met Mark Meng's wife Julie and their children.

"Julie, did you see what I said, this is my friend, Lin Weimin!"

Ma Kemeng introduced Lin Weimin to his wife with a somewhat showy tone.

In the past few years, Lin Weimin's name in the United States has become more and more famous. Ma Kemeng often tells his wife about the deep friendship he formed with Lin Weimin when he was studying abroad, but every time his wife Julie always thinks that he is bragging.

Now that she saw Lin Weimin's real person, she finally believed what Mark Meng said was true.

My husband really knows Lin Weimin, a great writer, and he is also a very good friend!
Ma Kemeng and Zhu Li prepared a lunch for Lin Weimin. They sat and ate and chatted together, as if they had returned to the days in Yanjing.

When talking about the few friends who studied abroad together, Ma Kemeng was full of regrets. Over the past few years, we have less and less contact with each other, and we have not contacted for a long time.

Lin Weimin talked about Yin Geli's current situation. Dayang girl not only became his niece and daughter-in-law, but also gave birth to a mixed-race child, which made Ma Kemeng sound like a dream.

"I really didn't expect that the last one of us to stay in China would be Geli." Ma Kemeng sighed.

"Yes, the fate is wonderful!"

Staying at Ma Kemeng's house until the evening, Lin Weimin had to say goodbye because he had to catch a plane.

Mark Meng took Lin Weimin and his wife to the airport. After getting off the car, there was no Yiyiliqing like last time, because Mark Meng told a good news.

He is now applying to be a visiting scholar in China. If all goes well, he will be able to meet Lin Weimin again in Yanjing next year or the year after.

After finishing his trip to Kansas, Lin Weimin set off again.

A few days later, after the last signing session in Los Angeles, Lin Weimin met Christian Salmon again to continue the unfinished interview.

For this trip, Lin Weimin even packed his luggage and had no plan to return to New York. After the interview with the writer of "Paris Review", his itinerary and tasks in the United States were all over.

Lin Weimin called Arthur Miller to say goodbye, and then called Roger Strauss.

During this period of time, his schedule was so full that he didn't even have time to write. The English version of "Hunting" only wrote the beginning, and he had to wait until he returned to Yanjing to calm down and finish writing before mailing it to FSG Publishing House.

Before I knew it, it was already mid-July, and it had been more than three months in a flash.

For the past half month, Cheng Zaochun has been calling Lin Weimin to urge him to go back.

The job in the editorial department lasted for more than three months, and if he didn't go back, the colleagues almost forgot that there was such a director as him.

After packing his luggage, Lin Weimin took Tao Huimin to the airport early the next morning.

The car to the airport was arranged by Random House. In the car, Lin Weimin took Tao Huimin's hand and said with some guilt, "It was agreed that we are here for our honeymoon. I didn't expect that the time would be spent on my work."

Tao Huimin's smile is gentle and charming. After marriage, she is a bit more mature as a woman.

"How could it be? During this period of time, I have lived a very fulfilling life in the United States, and you have seen so many things we brought back, the time to play is long enough."

Tao Huimin nestled next to Lin Weimin. She only knew that she was married to a great writer before, but she was only in China at that time, and she had long been used to Lin Weimin's fame and the love of the public for him.

This trip abroad, Tao Huimin finally saw the content of her husband's "writer" status in the United States, and enjoyed the preferential treatment brought by the halo of "Mrs. Lin Weimin". Tao Huimin's heart was full of love and admiration for her husband.

With a smile on her lips, she joked, "My English has improved after this trip, and I'm no longer dumb English!"

Lin Weimin couldn't help laughing, "If you practice a little spoken English when you go abroad, you will be at a loss!"

While the two were talking and laughing, the car arrived at the airport.

Two hours later, the couple boarded the plane back to Yanjing.

(End of this chapter)