an interview with Aimee Bender

We contacted Aimee Bender after reading (and rereading) her book of short stories, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt, and her novel, An Invisible Sign Of My Own, and finding a wonderful, unique voice in her storytelling. There is a charm in the stories that we hope we touched on in our interview, and she was even kind enough to indulge us with a list of her own (dis)likes.

When we initially contacted you, you were about to leave for a writing retreat of some kind in Russia. How did you get invited in that and how did it go?

Russia was great. It's demanding to be there, but it's so grand in scale: In size, in history, in intensity. Russia. The motherland. I got invited first randomly at a reading for Invisible Sign; this woman came up and got her book signed and asked me, sort of questioningly, would I want to ever teach in Russia? I said yes yes yes. And it turned out a couple of the people in the program had recommended me. Josip Novakovich being one, a great short story writer who I'd interviewed in L.A. a year or two before.

The whole vibe of the program is appealingly laid back, too. It doesn't feel rigid and overly focused on publishing, which I hate at conferences.

The idea of going to Russia seems pretty foreign. Aside from the retreat, what was Russia like. On that note, have you traveled much? Would you like to travel with us? Roadtrip!

Okay, a few random Russia facts. Almost every food item has dill in it. And the buildings in St. Petersburg are both delicate and severe. Iron balconies and gray stone walls. So are the people. Beautiful women and men with black eyes. Not black eyeballs, black eyes, bruised from hitting each other. And there are tons of great icons of Christian art and even though I am Jewish and usually Christian art doesn't capture me, these are really compelling, very fairy-tale like, flatly painted. And the gypsies are treated horribly. And Cyrillic is beautiful to look at and hard to read. There are these extra letters, which make sounds like "sh-ch"

I have traveled a decent amount. I spent a year abroad in France during college which definitely wet my appetite.

Who knows re the road trip! Keep me posted. That Lake Shasta drive you guys did is one of my favorites.

The stories in Flammable Skirt are written in a very casual style about fantastical topics. Is this duality something you intentionally work at?

Nope.

Where do the ideas originate for such wackiness?

From the deep dark caves of the mind. The less I think, the better the work seems to be. Thinking is overrated.

How do you feel about the movie JAWS? Thoughts on the sequels?

I get scared easily at scary movies. So it took me awhile to see JAWS. And then I thought it was great. I have this memory of some scene where they're in a glass tunnel underwater with sharks going all around. I'm not even sure that's in the movie but I think it is.

An Invisible Sign Of My Own is very math oriented. Do you find math intriquing, or was it purely a story concept?

I do find it intriguing. I love that it orders the world. I don't really understand it though. Except certain algebra problems, when I solved them right, filled me with joy. Remember those x2 + 2x – 3 =? problems. They stumped me for awhile and then one glorious day I hit them on the nose and that was really satisfying. I love the idea that math is the language underneath all things in the world and it applies to everyone.

The novel begins and ends with a fairy-tale. Did you start with this idea, or did it form as the novel progressed?

Formed as it progressed. I wrote the stories at the same time as I was writing the book, and didn't know how they'd fit. They found their bookend places much later on.

How do you feel about Giovanni Ribisi? What is your favorite Ribisi movie or Tv appearance?

I have really no opinion about him, sadly. I don't think I've seen much. I didn't see Boiler Room. What else is he in? All I know is once a student of mine at USC talked about how he'd been at a party and she was half-impressed.

Where do you enjoy writing? Do you listen to music while writing? What's the average Bender day like?

Currently I am writing in the closet. This is true. It's not a large closet but it's working nicely for me. No music. Average Bender day: get up, check email, write for two hours, if I'm teaching-- which I generally am-- I'll go teach or grade stuff or plan my class, if I'm not I'll meet someone for lunch or go to the gym or walk around or read. I'll make lunch. I'll talk to my boyfriend who I live with. I'll do some dishes which I hate doing. I'll listen to music. Maybe I'll practice guitar which I am not very good at.

Why is Flammable Skirt broken into three sections? Are there common themes that we are simply too stupid to notice?

No. It's just nice to have three sections. You are not too stupid.

One of the themes in An Invisible Sign Of My Own is noticing people on a deeper level, and yet your stories often revolve around chance encounters and other random topics. Is this because of the difference between story structure?

Good question. I'll have to think on it. I think there's something true in that. Maybe a novel has to look deeper in a certain way, or it's harder to get away with chance. But I like chance encounters. There are more chance encounters in the current novel thing I"m writing, and they feel like they make sense to me. Murakami writes with lots of chance encounters, and they're totally believable, they build steam in amazing ways. They seem ordered, without seeming God- or fate-driven.

What exactly is your favorite breakfast entree? Breakfast cereal?

I love Dannon coffee yogurt. Love it. It is absolutely great.

What authors do you enjoy reading? Who inspires your work?

I love Murakami. I am currently appreciating Vonnegut and his mini-paragraph/chapter things. And Anne Sexton. And Grace Paley. And I'm reading Nathanael West for the first time and he's great, though it's getting me a bit down. And W.G. Sebald lives up to his giant reputation. He is a brain-rearranger.

What are you currently working on in terms of writing? Can we expect another book this year or sometime soon? Booktour or readings perhaps?

I'm midway through another novel. And working on more stories. So I think it'll be about two years before the next book arrives in the world. But I appreciate you're asking very much. Keep your eye out in 2004.