Peeve
Hi Everyone,
I’m in the process of ‘freshening up’ my website, putting some new things on it, bringing it up to date, changing some of the photos, and trying to keep it interesting for you. It takes a little time to do it, but we’re working on it.
In the process, I read some of the articles we have on the website to make sure that they’re still of interest and relevant to what I’m doing, and something struck me as I read them. As I read one after the other, I kept thinking “Who are they talking about?” Some of them seemed so unrelated to who I am. I’ve never been a big fan of doing interviews, and I am a very private person. When my kids were younger, I gave none at all, in order to maintain our privacy, and theirs. But the world has changed since then, and with the Internet and social media, there is so much more information out there, and people expect to know more about you. It no longer seems appropriate to be quite so retiring in today’s world, so I don’t do a lot of interviews, but I do some. But as I read through the articles today, it struck me, as it has before, that in so many cases, interviewers come to an interview with a fully formed idea about you, without ever having met you and talked to you before. Some are able to adjust their preconceived ideas once they meet you, but many can’t. And there is so much information ‘out there’ now, that it all seems to be more about volume than accuracy. People don’t seem to care what’s true or not. And as I read about myself in the articles, I was startled to read again impressions about me that aren’t who I really am, and ‘facts’ that simply aren’t. In some cases, they later retracted what they said and corrected it. But how do some interviewers get it so wrong? How closely do they listen? And what do they hear when I talk? It makes you wonder what kind of impression you make. Inevitably, as a publicly known person, people have preconceived ideas about you, but few people/interviewers seem willing to admit it when they’re wrong.
In reading about myself tonight, among the many things said, it referred several times to my liking to drink wine, and quoting me as saying that I do. When the truth is that I come from a family of non-drinkers, who just never liked to drink. My grandparents and father didn’t drink (although they owned a brewery in Germany), they just didn’t like the taste. And for some reason, I never have either. Alcohol always made me feel sick, so at about 17, I decided that it wasn’t for me. I don’t care if others drink, but I just don’t like the taste or the effect, so I never drink alcohol, and two of my children don’t either. It’s just a personal preference, not a philosophy. But it makes it all the more surprising when an interviewer says I like to drink wine. Nope. Another interviewer says I love to buy old books, wine, and garden furniture. It’s not important, but again inaccurate. I don’t buy old books, wine, and I can’t remember the last time I bought garden furniture, I think about 25 years ago, when I bought my house, and it’s still rusting quietly in the backyard (I guess I should buy garden furniture!!! Maybe that was a hint!!!). And another article says I’ve sold my couture clothes, also not true. I’m lucky in that because I know some of the designers, I have at times been able to buy samples, and I’m a sample size (except that I’m about a foot shorter than most of the models!!), but I save them all for my daughters, in case they want them one day, and have sold none of them. They’re unimportant details, but warning flags of bigger inaccuracies and false impressions. And each suggestion is to form a picture of who I am. And how accurate is that image going to be, if some of the basic facts are wrong? I always find it discouraging.
There was one very wonderful article written last year, by Catherine Bigelow, in the San Francisco Chronicle, about my work with the homeless for eleven years, and the book I wrote about it, “A Gift of Hope”. The article was an amazingly generous piece and touched me greatly, and it was impressively accurate. But articles like that are rare. So I guess if you deal with the press and give interviews, you have to be a good sport about it, live with what they say about you, and hope that they get it right, or not too wrong!!!
love, danielle
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Hi Danielle,
I’m doing a creative writing course,
and we have two people each week have their work reviewed by the class. Constructive criticism towards others work and my own work is hard for me.
I was just wondering how you manage to deal with criticism towards your work and the thought of having it out there?
Thanks
Ms Steel-
In 1982,I read my first Danielle Steel book. My beloved Aunt Dorris gave them to me and I haven’t stopped since. I think I have read every one at least twice now.
Reading your books sparked my interest in reading and I became so thankful to her for sharing her passion of your books.
My same Aunt Dorris was moved to a hospice center today and is not expected to be with us much longer.
I am asking a huge favor of you. Could you please send a message, a fax or an email to her? Perhaps at the care facility or through my email? She is still lucid and I would love to give her some joy in knowing how much she influenced my life.
Ever your faithful fan,
Cari
Danielle,
Hi are you in Paris this time of the year?
I wouldn’t worry too much of what people write about you unless it causes you or your family serious harm. Communication between humans is so difficult. People are gonna say things.
I have been the target of a total character assassination that has destroyed my life. I actually have become so numb to it, but it makes me mad my good name has been smeared.The persons doing this live with their ignorance, I don’t. When one person says something bad and others believe the false information it becomes bigger and bigger UGLY. I now just stay true to myself no matter what happens or what anyone says and I know only God can judge me.
Can’t wait to see the new site!
HA-the deal with the wine drinking and buying old books makes me wonder if you are an avid car collector (I have read that somewhere….)
And that is one of the reasons I wanted to leave you a comment…regarding your love for elegant cars (and hopefully this fact is not fiction!) I do volunteer work at a hospital in northern Haiti called Hôpital Sacré Coeur. Someone donated JFK’s Mark 1 Jaguar to the hospital, and they are auctioning it off on eBay beginning on July 4th. Proceeds from the auction will go to help fund humanitarian projects in Milot, Haiti.
From what I have read about you (and now I am wondering if I am totally wrong lol!) I think you would be interested in this lovely car.
You can find more info about it here: http://www.crudem.org/CRUDEM-JaguarMark1/index.html
And on the hospital’s website: http://www.crudem.org/2013/05/31/own-a-piece-of-american-history/
And please forgive me if you actually hate cars! 🙂
Danielle, perhaps these interviewer characters would form the basis of another story?
Having been involved in things that show up in the press as you have, I am much more skeptical about what I read and am told. Even with the best of intentions it is so hard to get it right (and in my own writing I always am in fear that I will unwittingly really blow it at someone else’s expense). And as we know, many people do not have quite the same talent as we would wish for them, and occasionally not even the best of intentions. So I just think it is inevitable. Manageable, but not changeable.
The craft of news writing turns the subject into a puzzle piece that is put together to create “the story” — a goal to strive for with all the ego and effort a human brings. It’s rare to find a writer who can keep their humanity and maintain both objective observational powers AND human compassion AND just plain get the details right. And at the rates that writers are paid? (other than yourself) We’re lucky we’ve got any like that.
I KNOW YOUR PAIN. I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS AS WELL AND I HAVE FOUND THAT I SIMPLY GIVE INTERVIEWS ONLY TO PROVEN PEOPLE. I SET THE LIMITS. FOR EXAMPLE, KATIE….. MATT……AND ALL THE LATE NIGHT INTERVIEWERS AS WELL AS HODA, KATHY LEE. I AM SURE THAT THEY ARE GOOD PEOPLE BUT DON’T TRUST THEM WITH THE “MEAN GENE.” I HAVE HAD SUCESS WITH ELLEN, RACHEL RAY, ARRON BROWN AND SEVERAL OTHERS.
NOW HAVING SAID THAT, DANIELLE, WE ALL WANT OT HEAR THE REALLY TRUTHS BUT MOST PEOPLE WANT SOMETHING FROM YOU OR MAKE MORE OUT OF WHAT YOU SAID. YES IT WILL HURT EVERY TIME BUT CHOOSE THE INTERVIEWS BUT DO GIVE THEM. PERHAPS PICK JUST A COUPLE AND GET A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP AND KEEP THEM IN YOUR COURT. IT IS SUCH A SHAME THAT YOU ARE SO GIFTED AND CAN’T GET AN HONEST INTERVIEW. ANY LOCAL PRESS YOU CAN COUNT ON?
I AM GLAD YOU HAVE YOUR KIDS AND I HOPE YOU HAVE SOME VERY TRUSTED FRIENDS TO CALL. I HAVE HAD TO WEED A FEW OF THOSE AS WELL. I JUST AM SO SHOCKED TO KNOW SOMEONE SOLD A PERSONAL PIECE. GIVE THE INTERVIEWS AND BE CAREFUL TO WHO, AND IT WILL STOP THE ONES GOING AFTER THAT ONE AND GETTING IT WRONG. THEY WILL LOOK FOOLISH IF THEY ARE KNOWN AND GET IT WRONG.
BE CAREFUL AND CHOOSE WISELY.
I KNOW YOR PAIN AND IT IS SAD. I GET IT WITH FRIENDS AS WELL AS YOU I DON’T DRINK EITHER…….SAME REASONS……DON’T LIKE IT AND IN COLLEGE MADE THAT CHOICE. IF SOMEONE DESTROYS ME IN THE PRESS I CALL A FRIEND AND TALK. IF I GO TO A HAPPY HOUR, THEY SAY WE REALLY HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT TEA YOU DRINK. SOME THINGS ARE JUST A PAIN AND IT CAN GET VERY LONELY.
I WISH YOU ALL THE VERY BEST AND MORE! YOU ARE GREAT. TRY TO JUST GRAB THOSE FRIENDS YOU CAN TRUST…….I KNOW THEY TOO ARE RARE…….AND GIVE A CALL.
I WISH YOU SAFE, HONEST FRIENDS TO RELATE TO!
JANICE
Hi Danielle – its been awhile – I’ve been in LasVegas and its great to hear from you. Isn’t it amazing the way reporters or fans seem to write stories. One that caught my attention was how Alex Baldwin blew his fuse & showed his True Colors to the World. I hope Capital One – his Sponsor see’s the Light & sends him his Sick Leave. But you never know about the Liberal Media. They’ve ruined our country by their dishonesty & corruption. Sincerely mike