QUESTION:
Who was the man that inspired you to become a great novelist and screenwriter?
ANSWER:
I'm not sure my inspiration came from any single person, but my interest in writing came out of a love for reading that I discovered in my adolescence. Some of the writers who meant the most to me at that time were J.R.R. Tolkien, Kurt Vonnegut, Thomas Mann, and Raymond Chandler.

QUESTION:
Did you ever come to Greece?
ANSWER:
I am embarrassed to say that I have never visited Greece. I plan to visit the first chance I get.

QUESTION:
Do you know any Greek screenwriter or novelist?
ANSWER:
I have read Cavafy and Kazantzakis in translation, but I don't think very many contemporary Greek novelists have been translated into English. As for Greek-American writers, I enjoy the work of David Sedaris and Jeffrey Eugenides, among others.

QUESTION:
When was your debut?
ANSWER:
My first book, "Bad Haircut," came out in 1994. It was published by a very small press, but got a fair amount of attention because it was exploring America in the 1970s, an era in which people had a great deal of interest at the time.

QUESTION:
What was the best and the worst moment of your career?
ANSWER:
The most difficult time professionally came after I finished writing "Election" and couldn't find a publisher for it. It was the third book I'd written, and all of them had been rejected. Soon after that, though, "Bad Haircut" was picked up and I began to find readers. And six years after "Election" was written, it was made into a wonderful film by the Greek-American director, Alexander Payne. There have been several high points my career, including the film adaptations of "Little Children" and "Election," and the front page reviews in the New York Times Book Review of "Little Children" and "The Abstinence Teacher." I was also thrilled to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Adapated Screenplay for my work on "Little Children" with director Todd Field.

QUESTION:
Are you married?
ANSWER:
Yes, I've been married for eighteen years. My wife is a journalist named Mary Granfield.

QUESTION:
Do you have any children?
ANSWER:
I have two children--Nina is 15, Luke is 12.

QUESTION:
What is your advice for the new screenwriters?
ANSWER:
My advice to young screenwriters is similar to my advice to young novelists--study older films, devote yourself to your craft, and don't get too caught up too early in trying to meet the commercial demands of the film industry. Film in America is bound up with commerce, but it's also an art, and should be treated as such.

QUESTION:
What are you hobbies?
ANSWER:
I am an avid road cyclist and enjoy playing electric guitar.

QUESTION:
Do you like our site?
ANSWER:
I do. It looks very informative.