Question of the Month with Michael D'Agostino

This month Michael asks:

“Have you ever met an idol/influence/someone you really admire? How did it go?”

Yes I did, actually. A couple of years ago, RIT hosted a lecture series featuring Margaret Atwood. When I was in high school, The Handmaid's Tale was required reading and I loved it. When I read the book years later as a writer, I loved it even more. The voice of the protagonist is masterful. If you are a fan of The Hunger Games or The Divergent Series, this is quite a different type of dystopian tale, but I highly recommend it.

One thing that really stuck with me about Atwood's talk was her advice to writers trying to break into the publishing business: "Don't whine about it." That got a big laugh. 

After the talk, there was a reception and book signing. I picked up a few books including The Year of the Flood and The Blind Assassin. When I got up to the front of the line, she asked me my name and said, "Tamara? A romantic name."

So that's it. I'd say it went pretty well. 

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