An Alternative Author Interview:

TCL’s Countdown Questions.

This week I’m featuring writer and producer
Dan Greenberger!

When a friend of yours from High School publishes their first novel, and doesn’t know that you have a book review blog, you’re of two minds. On the one hand, you want to help a friend. On the other hand, what if the book isn’t any good? I decided the former was more important, so I asked for a copy. Thankfully, in Dan’s case, the latter wasn’t a problem, because I truly enjoyed his debut novel, “The Boys Next Door: A Novel about the Beatles.” To be honest, that shouldn’t have been a surprise, because before he turned his pen to writing this novel, he’s was already an award-winning writer and producer, known for A Day in The Life of Your Cats (2012), The Making of ‘City Slickers’ (1991) and Swallow (2014) (according to IMDb). When I saw he had a new publicity photo made (see below), I asked if he’d answer my five, fast, and fun questions. He agreed and here are his answers.

If you could visit five (5) places you’ve never been, where would you go and why?

My wife and I are both passionate travelers – and stuck at home for the past year, so I’ve been thinking about this a lot!

A cruise down the amazon (the river, not the website.) I love river cruises because they put you so deep inside a country.
The Amalfi Coast (I’ve seen a lot of Italy, but never this part)
Tanzania for the Great Migration (I love Africa!)
New Zealand (I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love it.)
Norway (way up North, to see the lights.)

Name four (4) foods or dishes that you enjoy so much that they’ve practically become part of your personality.

Sushi, pizza, lobster, BBQ ribs, and Circus Peanuts. Not kidding about the last one. There is a whole subculture of Circus Peanut fanatics and I’m proud to count myself among them. The Circus Peanut is a scientific miracle, a technological marvel, as far from being a “natural food” as it’s possible to be. Have you ever seen a homemade Circus Peanut? No! And you never will!

There is the past, the present, and the future – if you could choose, which of these three (3) would you prefer to live in, and why?

The present. Any other way is just asking for trouble.

Best and/or worst – you choose which – name two (2) of either your best moments of your life, worst moments of your life, or one of each.

Best moment: the birth of my daughter. Worst moment: Realizing I would never play shortstop for the Chicago Cubs.

Name one (1) book you’ve read in the past year (or so) that you wish you had written, and why.

I loved “Nothing To See Here” by Kevin Wilson. I tend not to like genres, but prefer the wildly original instead. And that’s what this is: a novel about children who spontaneously burst into flame; it’s both funny and moving, and, most remarkably of all, completely believable.

Thanks Dan! I have been to Italy with my husband a few times, but never to the Amalfi Coast. It looks wonderful! (Sorry about the Cubs, but I’m not sure I’m with you on those Circus Peanuts!)

Dan Greenberger:

Dan is a three-time Writers Guild Award-winning writer of television and film.

He has written for the TV shows “Public Morals” on CBS and “Total Security” on ABC, both produced by Steven Bochco. He also wrote for E’s “Talk Soup” as well as “Beyond Chance” on Lifetime, “The Cramp Twins” on Fox, and has created the pilots “Captain Alpha Male” and “Swallow” for YouTube. He wrote and co-produced the award-winning short films “A Day in the Life of Your Cats” and “Man Up, Little Boy,” which have played at film festivals around the country.

He is currently a Writer/Producer of on-air promotion for CBS Television, where his credits include “How I Met Your Mother,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Two and a Half Men,” and many others.

He is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Columbia University’s School of the Arts (and a graduate of Evanston Township High School, class of 1975 – together with ME!).