My friends in college (I went to Barnard in Manhattan) often said that I was a magnet for getting approached by strangers. People approached me on the street, in restaurants, and even bathrooms to say random things or ask me questions.
Nubia DuVall Wilson – 9 September 2013
The Back Flap
Encounters with Strangers is a compilation of wild, real-life interactions that happened between strangers and Nubia DuVall Wilson from 2004 to 2012. Starting as an obsession with compiling comical episodes on the New York City subway, Nubia’s collection of vignettes expanded over time to include situations while traveling, and when she lived abroad in Taipei, Taiwan. From morning commute catfights to verbal attacks on the streets and bumping into celebrities, Encounters with Strangers is for anyone who would rather laugh than rage at the human condition.
About the book
What is the book about?
Encounters with Strangers is a compilation of almost 100 comical interactions that happened between strangers and me over a span of eight years in New York City’s subways and streets, as well as in other cities around the world.
When did you start writing the book?
Most of the stories are extended versions of vignettes from my blog EncounterswithStrangers.com, which I launched in 2007. In 2012, I decided to compile these stories, as well as travel stories from my personal and business trips I never shared before, to make a book.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took me four months to put the book together and write a handful of new travel stories.
Where did you get the idea from?
My friends in college (I went to Barnard in Manhattan) often said that I was a magnet for getting approached by strangers. People approached me on the street, in restaurants, and even bathrooms to say random things or ask me questions. It’s hard to explain, but I quite often have a funny story to tell after leaving my house no matter where I live. Maybe it’s because I am a nosey person and often make eye contact with people! Some say I have an inviting face. Who knows? When I lived and worked in Taipei, Taiwan (from 2004-2006), I experienced numerous comical clashes with the Taiwanese locals and ex-pats. I enjoyed writing short stories about these encounters in my spare time and at one point thought I would write a book about my entire experience in Taiwan. Upon my return to NYC to launch my journalism career, I realized that every day there is a crazy episode on the subway. I wanted to document these interactions. That is how I decided to launch my blog EncounterswithStrangers.com.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
It took me a while to figure out the structure of the book. At first I organized it in chronological order (even though I had removed the dates). Then I realized that the timing of the stories weren’t that important, so I divided the book by location. There are four sections: subway encounters (Mind the Gap), public spaces in the city (Above Ground in Crazy Town), living in Taiwan (Taiwan Bound: Hao bu Hao?), and general travel (Strangers in a New Land).
What came easily?
I love photography and wanted my book to have pictures throughout. Choosing images to match various stories was fun and fairly easy. Also, I love wordplay. Coming up with ironic, catchy titles for my stories was one of my favorite parts of the writing process.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Every person described in my book is real and was given a nickname that characterized the stranger’s actions/personality since I never knew his/her real name. My goal was to depict the scene well enough so that the reader could picture himself or herself going through the situation with me.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I love William Faulkner’s writing style. I think he was (and still is) the master of creating strong, unforgettable characters who jump off the page. Popeye in Sanctuary, Quentin and Benjy in Sound and the Fury…I could go on! I quoted Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway on the title page of each new section because I’ve always admired Twain’s wit, and Hemingway’s raw descriptions of ex-pat life in A Moveable Feast and The Sun Also Rises.
Do you have a target reader?
In addition to current and ex-New Yorkers who can relate to the NYC-based stories, target readers include lovers of NYC, avid travelers, those who aspire to live in NYC or abroad and anyone who can appreciate laughing at the absurdity of life in a big city.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I don’t like to be isolated when I write. Isolation helps me think of a topic or story I want to write about, but when it’s time to turn on my computer (or open my journal) I like to be in a public space. Music or loud activity in coffee shops keep me focused and inspire my work since I mostly write about real life experiences and people. I enjoy writing fiction and many of my fictional short stories were inspired by my dreams. When I get up in the morning, I will immediately think about my dreams and if something interesting happened I will write it down. Sometimes it’s not until weeks later that I will actually go back to the dream and begin an outline of a story. I have a short attention span, which means I like writing short stories versus novels. I am trying to break that habit with my next project.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
For the vignettes in the book, I edited each one after I wrote it and edited them many times before publishing the book (before and after getting them professionally edited). For longer writing projects, I like to edit as I go.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I used Create Space’s editing services a few times. I also called on my mother for help as she is a professional editor for the government and used to be an English teacher.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
I have to have background noise when I write—especially if I am at home and not in a public space. I love all types of music but specific artists that often get my in the mood include: Passion Pit, M83, Daft Punk, Samantha James, Vampire Weekend, Phoenix, and Kylie Minogue
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No. I actually did do some preliminary agent research, but in the end I decided to self-publish. I was too eager to get my book in the hands of readers and I wanted to do it my way.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I know this will sound cliché, but it’s the truth: turning 30 made me decide to go Indie. For months I had been griping about not being inspired to write or rather finish writing a sci-fi story I had started and I was eager to work on a project that would be published sooner than later. It was the week of my 30th birthday in March and I was walking to work–crossing 7th Avenue and 32nd street–when I had an epiphany. I was going to publish my Encounters with Strangers stories from my blog and other unpublished works from my travels. I already had years’ worth of content! Also, my husband and I were going to start trying to have a baby soon, so I wanted my book published before the baby arrived (my book came out June 19 and my daughter, Ella, was born July 7!).
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
My husband moonlights as a painter and he is a great graphic designer. He would have killed me if I had asked someone else to create my cover! I immediately knew what image I wanted on the front, but I had no idea about anything else. We collaborated on the cover and I’m very happy with the finished product. Many people have asked who the wild looking man is on the cover…but I won’t tell!
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I wrote a marketing plan that constantly changed throughout the writing/editing process. I am a public relations and marketing professional by day, so creating a marketing plan is something I do for work all of the time, but it is hard to be your own client. My colleagues gave me advice and I received some great insight from a college friend who works at Random House.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
I used Create Space to publish my book, which was great, but I found some of their marketing/PR tools to be outdated. Some of my most impactful marketing efforts and successes were from my own research, such as getting my book into independent bookstores via Indiebound.org or doing a book giveaway through GoodReads.com to gain more exposure.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Clinton, MD
Where do you live now?
In November 2011, my husband and I were hungry for more space so we moved from the Upper East Side in Manhattan to a house in South Orange, New Jersey. We miss the city at times but do not regret moving. Plus, I get to enjoy the city Monday through Friday when I go to work.
What would you like readers to know about you?
Since elementary school, I loved writing and wrote poetry constantly. In college I interned at magazines and newspapers to gain experience for a career in journalism. I started my writing career at Real Simple magazine after returning to New York City from a two-year stint in Taipei, Taiwan. Fast forward seven years and now I combine my travel addiction and writing skills by working as a publicist at a luxury travel/hospitality PR agency. A fun fact about me is that I was on a show called Chit Chat Corner that aired on MTV Asia in Taipei for my teaching job—it was quite an experience!
What are you working on now?
Although I am spending most of my time publicizing and marketing my new book, in the back of my mind I have an idea for my next one. A change from non-fiction, this time it will be a humorous novel that will most likely tap into my experiences in the public relations industry—that’s all I can say for now!
End of Interview:
For more, visit Nubia’s website, blog, or follow her on twitter.
Get your copy of Encounters with Strangers from Amazon US (paper or ebook) or Amazon UK (paper or ebook). Nubia also wants members of Amazon Prime to know that Encounters with Strangers will be available to borrow for free until October.