Although most of Andrew Vachss’ bookstore appearances are billed as “readings,” what usually happens is that Vachss polls the audience to determine if folks would prefer a dialogue to a reading, and the dialogue invariably wins out. However, sometimes a reading has been specifically promised. We recorded one of those rare (and very recent events), and present it here, so you can make your own decision:
Recorded live March 10, 2003 at Barnes & Noble, 86th Street in New York City. Audio is in MP3 format.
Q: Did you make up Burke, or is he someone you know?
A: Burke was a deliberately created name …
Q: How long do you think you can continue writing the Burke novels?
A: I thought I was done with the first book …
Q: Have you ever thought about letting some of the other characters in the Burke novels tell their own stories?
A: I have, but the problem is …
Q: How come Burke has such bad luck with women?
A: This is people’s lives …
Q: Did you create Max to be your alter ego?
A: Nobody’s created as anything …
Q: What about the doctor in False Allegations?
A: I wrote False Allegations, because …
Q: Is it true that you’ve written a screenplay of your Batman novel?
A: No, No, No, that’s the comingling of two bad rumors …
Q: What happened to the screenplays you did write?
A: Oh they were total disasters …
Q: How much casting and creative control do you maintain with your work?
A: You know what? I never participate in those discussions …
Q: What crime movie rings true to you?
A: I haven’t seen one …
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Q: Do you perform any of the songs you’ve written?
A: Oh god, no …
Q: What do you like to read, and who do you like to read?
A: Mostly I read non-fiction … but I like a lot of writers …
Q: What changes have you seen in New York City since 9/11?
A: The West Side Highway is gone …
Q: How do you get your clients?
A: The way my clients come to me is very simple …
Q: Do all states have a law guardian system like New York’s?
A: Go to Florida …
Q: Did the Lisa Steinberg case change anything in child protective services?
A: No! You know it didn’t …
Q: What is the Incest Exception?
A: Let me tell you what the law is in your state [New York] …
Q: Why haven’t there been any changes?
A: You know why it hasn’t changed any? …
Q: Why don’t politicians care about child protection?
A: Politicians are like …
Q: So what can be done?
A: If any of you are interested …
Q: Are child protection laws really that lax?
A: You ought to go to the Protect.org website …
Q: Why hasn’t anyone in the hierarcy of the Catholic church been charged for covering up for abusive priests?
A: [the Bishops said] the law does not require us to report …
Q: What about the Suffolk County [NY] Grand Jury?
A: They came back with this report, that said …
Q: Is there anything unique about the Catholic church that caused its priests to rape children?
A: What distinguished the Catholic church … was the recycling …
Thanks to: Mike Maimone, for sound engineering and editing, and providing the recording equipment; Alan Talman for the photos; Frances, Janica, and the staff at Barnes and Noble; James, Shirley, Frank, Vince, David, Jill, and the entire large and enthusiastic audience that showed up that night.