Blog Tour – So Shelly: Interview with Gordon
Happy Wednesday all! Today I’m so happy to welcome Gordon Byron, one of the main characters of Ty Roth’s So Shelly, to my blog for an interview. To say that Gordon’s life is interesting is a massive understatement, but I’ll go ahead and let you get to know him a little bit through his answers. Enjoy!
Q: Hello Gordon. If you were to die soon, what would your obituary headline be?
A: Literary Prodigy to Mingle with the Universe
Q: What is your best childhood memory of Shelly?
A: Let’s see. I don’t think anyone else knows this, but Shelly was very good with origami – you know, folding paper into shapes, and although she never did a useful chore in her life, her old man used to leave a twenty dollar bill on her dresser each week as an allowance. But, Shelly, she couldn’t have cared less about money if she tried. One day, I’m out back of our houses swimming in the bay when Shelly walks out her back door holding a stack of twenty dollar bills as thick as a brick. She sits down, Indian style, on the dock and folds each bill into the shape of a boat. One by one, she set those bills adrift until there were none left and a flotilla of twenties were scattered on the surface. Craziest thing I ever saw that girl do, and trust me, that’s saying something.
Q: What was your initial impression of Keats?
A: Well, to be honest, I don’t remember having one. I’m not easily impressed and Keats is rather unimposing from a physical standpoint. Even after three years of being in school with him, I’d never really paid much attention to Keats. It wasn’t until he really stepped up during all the drama with Shelly and her old man that I realized the kid was all right. He’s still a little delicate and too much of a worrier for my tastes, but like I said, he’s all right.
Q: When you found out that Shelly had died, what were your first thoughts?
A: “So, she really did it.”
Q: Given your love for women, which of your conquests mean the most to you?
A: Believe it or not, I don’t consider the women with whom I’ve had relations “conquests.” I know that I have a reputation for taking advantage of women, but who’s to say that I wasn’t equally the victim? It’s not like I’m some average-looking nobody after whom they threw themselves out of the kindness of their hearts. They wanted/needed/used me as much as, if not more than, I did them.
I’ve never forced myself on anybody in my life. If anything, I’ve merely given them the piece of me that they’ve wanted, what they’ve been missing in their otherwise hum-drum and anonymous lives. If that’s such a bad thing, well, I can carry that.
Q: What do you want to say to people before they read your story?
A: First off, it’s not “my” story. Keats wrote the damn thing despite my disapproval. I think it has been therapeutic for the kid, which is why I didn’t put up more of a protest, but for me, it’s turning out to be a pain in the ass. As for how “people” may judge me based upon the events of the story, I only ask them to consider honestly what they would have done if they were me.
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Well put all around Gordon!
To those of you who have not yet had the chance to read So Shelly check back next week for my review.
