An Interview with Maggie Estep

Gracie: It is rumored that Zoe is really 'you,' and that 'Diary of an Emotional Idiot' is biography not really fiction, is that true?

Maggie: Who is spreading such filthy rumors. I'll have their head in my oven tomorrow. No. DIARY is just a semi autobiographical first novel, as many first novels tend to be. My own life is infinitely spicier.

Gracie: Was there an Idiots Anonymous? If so, do you still have meetings?

Maggie: I'm not aware of their being an actual Idiots Anonymous, I'm sorry to say. Though perhaps the book (which originally came out in 97 I think) engendered such a thing.

Gracie: How old were you when you wrote 'Diary of an Emotional Idiot?'

Maggie: I was probably 31 or 32. I'm not very mature for my years. And I have a terrible memory.

Gracie: You write about sex in a rather matter-of-fact manner, as if it's not such a big deal, including same-sex actions, some rather promiscuous settings etc. What were your thoughts on sexuality when you wrote this book?

Maggie: Sex is only a big deal in that it's a great thing. The actual acts of sex really shouldn't be shocking or titillating. They're just a glorious part of life. Most countries other than the USA, which seems to be suffering its worst bout of Victorianism since the actual Victorian era, are aware of this. That sex is simply part of life.

Gracie: What are your thoughts on sexuality now?

Maggie: Same as it ever was. I LOVE sex. I love all kinds of sex. Even if I don't partake in ALL kinds of sex. As long as it doesn't involve children or animals, I'm for it.

Gracie: Who do you credit (blame? *wink*) for your views on sexuality?

Maggie: I don't really know. My mom is very matter of fact and cool, but not really about sex. I don’t know why how I became that way come to think of it. My dad always had (after her and my mom divorced) these cool tough-girl foul-mouthed girlfriends. A long string of them. Maybe they're to blame/thank. But also my mom. My mom is cool.

Gracie: I had suspected while reading the book that the author was a twenty-something girl. For even Zoe being in her 20's, well, the attitude was too spot on to just be looking back... this had to be a 'now' for the author as well. Lord knows the mistakes I made dating in my 20's ~ and the break-ups were part of the drama of it all. I call it the Typical 20s Syndrome. So I guess I am supposed to have a question... Oh, yes, have you outgrown such relationship dramas? Or is this just a 'gift' you have?

Maggie: I didn't THINK I'd personally outgrow Big Relationship Dramas but then, I was just minding my business one day four years ago when I met John, my partner. From day one we got along so splendidly it was shocking. There was never any drama as a result. So my new thesis is that if it's the right person, it'll just work without any forcing, dramatics, etc...

Gracie: How would you categorize women in their 20s, in respect to dating, sex & relationships?

Maggie: Geez, I have no idea. I don't think the women I know in their 20's are a standard core sampling of American women. Most of them can't figure out if they prefer men or women, want to have kids, etc... though conversely, I do know a few who settled down with one person really early on and it seems to be working. So kind of all over the place. Though ALL of them seem to have done a good amount of sexual sampling.

Gracie: How about women in their 30's? Typical 40's?

Maggie: I don't really differentiate with that stuff. I mean, I have friends from like 22 to 57 and obviously the youngsters are at a more experimental stage, like either screwing everything in sight or maybe dipping their toes in a first stab at long-term-ness. The older women are for the most part settled in some way. Like one friend who is in her 40's is still single and dating but has a seven year old daughter so that means she's a little more restrained than she might be if she didn't have a kid. I think the fact is that, toward the mid 30's, even if a girl has NO desire to settle down, she nonetheless takes the dating pace down a notch because by that time, she's racked up a lot of lovers, kind of seen it all, and doesn't need to go QUITE so wild trying on boyfriends/lovers for size.

Gracie: Have/would you consider doing a follow up novel or story about yourself, err, Zoe, as she matures? Would she end up a 'Horse Lady?'

Maggie: No, no interest in re-visiting the turf of EMOTIONAL IDIOT. Though to some extent, Ruby Murphy, the narrator of my series of crime novels, is a natural extension of Zoe a little more grown up and has a lot of ME in her. And yes, by the end of book two in the series, someone gives her a retired racehorse that she keeps in a run down stable in the worst neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Gracie: On a similar line of thought, most little girls go through a horse stage ~ *everything* is horses! I hear that some of us grow out of it... So naturally I am curious about your ‘horse noir’ crime novels... What is that?

Maggie: I didn't really go through a HORSE STAGE, I mean, I literally grew up in a barn as my parents were trainers. So it was my life, not a stage. But I didn't ride much. I did all the grunt work of mucking out stalls etc... with few of the rewards, like riding. They were other people's horses that we were caring for. But I always have and always will love horses. I mean, I am probably genetically part Horse. But it's not a "Girls and Horses" thing at all. I find that kind of thing offensive and degrading to horses. As for "Horse Noir", my crime novels are set at the New York racetracks, where I myself spend quite a bit of time.

Gracie: What's next for Maggie, the writer? The woman?

Maggie: I'm finishing FLAMETHROWER, the third crime novel. Then I am contracted to write "BANGTAILS: Ten Dazzling Horses and the American Rogues Who Raced Them" an overview of the juicy and insane history of American horse racing -for Miramax books. Then a new crime series starring Harry Sparrow, a sexy burglar. On a personal level, I am obsessed with endurance bicycle riding, which I do a lot of. I am also quite taken with my boyfriend, John, and my dog, Spike.

Gracie: What do you propose happened to Eye Guy?

Maggie: Funny you should ask, having NOT thought of poor Eye Guy in many years, I suddenly thought of the him TODAY and now you ask about him. I don't really know. If I wanted to get wild about it, I'd say he's a chef at an institution for the criminally insane and lives with an older woman. A MUCH older woman. Like 90. Like Harold and Maude style. Like Eye Guy and Maude. But to be honest, he's probably somewhere like Florida, working as a fast food chain store manager and wind surfing with a succession of biker chicks.

You can find out more about Maggie & her other books at her website, MaggieEstep.com.