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Virginia DeBerry
Bob Gore

Virginia DeBerry

Virginia DeBerry was a successful plus-size model, former Vice President of BB/LW modeling agency and served as editor-in-chief of Maxima magazine before becoming a novelist. DeBerry is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo. She... Read full bio

Author Revealed:
Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
A. Fortunate, Happy, Unconventional, Uncommon, Surprising, Complex, Evolving, Full
Learn more about Virginia DeBerry
Virginia DeBerry Revealed
About Virginia DeBerry
  • Previous occupations:
    In chronological order: Secretary, English Teacher, Secretary, Model, Agent, Spokesperson, Magazien Editor, Admin. Asst (fancy word for Secretary), Writer, Adm. Asst., Writer
  • Favorite job:
    Duh! Writer
  • High school and/or college:
    Buffalo-Nashville-Buffalo
  • Name of your favorite composer or music artist?:
    Composers:Mozart, Duke Ellington, Elton John. Artists: Whitney, Celine, Ella and Nat
  • Favorite movie:
    An Affair to Remember (Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant not the new one with Mr & Mrs. Beatty)
  • Favorite television show:
    I won't stay home for any of them--but today House wins.
Revealing Questions
Q. How would you describe your life in only 8 words?
A. Fortunate, Happy, Unconventional, Uncommon, Surprising, Complex, Evolving, Full
Q. What is your motto or maxim?
A. Why not?
Q. How would you describe perfect happiness?
A. Good friends. Good conversation. Good food. Good wine. All at the same time of course.
Q. What’s your greatest fear?
A. Jail and crawly things. Crawly things in jail--I'd probably go stark raving mad.
Q. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to be?
A. Cliche, but Paris.
Q. With whom in history do you most identify?
A. Hmmm...Maybe Cleopatra--except for that suicide by snake thing. Glad there's no "why" part to this one.
Q. Which living person do you most admire?
A. Also cliche, but my mom.
Q. What are your most overused words or phrases?
A. I, me, my--too much talking about myself!
Q. What do you regret most?
A. Je ne regrette rien. It's my other motto.
Q. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be?
A. Playing the piano.
Q. What is your greatest achievement?
A. I hope I haven't accomplished it yet.
Q. What’s your greatest flaw?
A. Speaking while thinking.
Q. What’s your best quality?
A. Confidence
Q. If you could be any person or thing, who or what would it be?
A. I'm quite happy being me.
Q. What trait is most noticeable about you?
A. Have to ask someone else--I don't notice myself.
Q. Who is your favorite fictional hero?
A. It's a tossup between Gargantua and Pantagruel & Garp--I like my heroes flawed and funny.
Q. Who is your favorite fictional villain?
A. Voldemort
Q. If you could meet any historical character, who would it be and what would you say to him or her?
A. Historical character is kind of an oxymoron. But I'm going to take the question as it is and respond with a real person(s) who was a character-- larger than life. I would like to meet Bessie Coleman and Josephine Baker, congratulate each on having the courage to be who they were, break rules, defy convention,define themselves--and say "thank you."
Q. What is your biggest pet peeve?
A. I'm a language geek and it really gets to me when people (especially those who are supposed to know better-like newscasters) misuse "bring" and "take" and "less" and "fewer." Petty but I can't help it.
Q. What is your favorite occupation, when you’re not writing?
A. Cooking or talking--separately or together.
Q. What’s your fantasy profession?
A. Empress--just kidding! (sort of)
Q. What 3 personal qualities are most important to you?
A. Mine or someone else's? Humor, optimism and curiosity work for me in both cases.
Q. If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your days, what would it be?
A. Steak or ice cream. Hmmm..steak flavored ice cream? Maybe not.
Q. What are your 5 favorite songs?
A. Again--on a another day the choices might be different but: Believe in Yourself (The Wiz), Lift Every Voice and Sing, Because You Loved Me, The Hallelujah Chorus, Respect
On Books and Writing
Q. Who are your favorite authors?
A. My list is long and I'm all over the place--but John Irving, Amy Tan, Bernice McFadden, Tom Wolfe, JK Rowling, Jennifer Weiner, Anne Tyler, Robert Ludlum, Toni Morrison, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Gloria Naylor are all contenders.
Q. What are your 5 favorite books of all time?
A. I always hate this question because the answer might be different on a different day--but if I must: Shogun, Song of Solomon, The Thorn Birds, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Memoirs of a Geisha.
Q. Is there a book you love to reread?
A. I'm not a big re-reader--sorry!
Q. Do you have one sentence of advice for new writers?
A. Storytelling is work, real work--and there is no substitute for craft.
Q. What comment do you hear most often from your readers?
A. How do two people write a book together?
Q. How did you come to write What Doesn't Kill You?
A. Writing this book was a catharsis of sorts. Several years ago Donna and I had our own financial meltdown--that like Tee's arrived quite unexpectedly. All of our friends thought we should write about it. So we gave ourselves enough time to have a bit of perspective and then came up with a story that was "inspired by" our experiences rather than one that was completly autobiographical. Time also allowed us to give Tee a sense of humor about her predicament--because you can't really see the funny until after you have gone through your trials and come out the other side.