Interview with Lisa Kogan

Life never seems to unfold as planned. From unexpected roadblocks to joyful celebrations, each day harbors new beginnings. Yet with all of the uncertainty life brings, one thing is constant. There are never enough hours in the day. From dawn to dusk, it seems as if each moment is accounted for, and the demands on our time are endless. Wouldn’t it be nice if for just once you could simply say...someone will be with you shortly?

This month’s Jen’s Jewels Lisa Kogan has done just that! You may recognize her name as the witty columnist from O Magazine. Each month, she shares with readers her unique take on the idiosyncrasies of life. Her latest project sums up her hilarious account of living in our crazy world aptly titled, SOMEONE WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY. If you’re in the mood for a good laugh, this book is for you.

As part of this interview, HarperStudio has generously donated five copies for you, my lucky readers to win. So, don’t forget to look for the trivia question at the end. And as always, thanks for making Jen’s Jewels a part of your reading adventure.

Jen: As a journalist, you have written for a wide variety of publications throughout your career. This broad personal knowledge coupled with the hysterical everyday occurrences in your life contributes to your unique voice. So that my readers may have a better understanding of the spectacular woman behind the words, please give us a glimpse into your educational and professional background.

Lisa: There’s nothing particularly spectacular about my background, I’m a product of the Detroit public school system. I was in advertising for a while and I sold Real Estate for a few years. But I kept squirreling money away, so I could afford to take a job as an assistant at a tiny magazine that soon folded. After that I went to Egg (folded), Mirabella (folded), ELLE, and O. Somewhere in there I stopped being an assistant and started being a writer.

Jen: Let’s go ahead and jump right in with the Oprah question! How did your position as “writer-at-large” at O Magazine come to fruition?

Lisa: When my former boss at ELLE became Editor-in-Chief of O the Oprah Magazine, she invited me to come along for the ride. That was nearly 10 years ago.

Jen: Describe for us what a typical day might look like for you at O Magazine. And, what has been the most challenging part of working for one of the most powerful women in the world?

Lisa: The nice thing is that I don’t have many “typical days.” I start to write, and from there, anything can happen. Now, the second half of your question is a little tricky, because there’s virtually no way to answer without sounding like I drank the Kool-Aid. But the truth is, Oprah Winfrey is everything you’d hope she’d be: a straight shooter— generous, funny, always aiming for excellence. See…I was right, it sounds like I’m sucking up.

Jen: Your column appeals to a wide range of audiences due to your innate ability to take a normal situation and turn it into something quite extraordinarily funny. In my opinion, you are a female version of Jerry Seinfeld! Have there been any instances when a somewhat ordinary topic in your column has inadvertently caused you to take a step back and evaluate your own life in a different light? If so, please tell us about it.

Lisa: Actually, the column has turned me into a bit of a cannibal. Friends have taken to prefacing every conversation with, “Please don’t write about this but…” The thing is when you have to fill a 1,500 word space each month, nothing—and I mean NOTHING—is off limits. I saw a woman trip in front of Bloomingdales last winter and instead of rushing to help her, I stood there wondering what she was doing in such ridiculously high heels and whether or not I could get a piece out of it. That gave me pause.

Jen: Not only do you contribute to O Magazine, but also you are on Oprah Radio as part of the O, The Oprah Magazine Show. (I am an Oprah Radio fan!) What challenges have you faced in participating on a live radio show? And, which is more your comfort zone… radio or writing? And, why?

Lisa: I love that you think I have a comfort zone! I envy writers who find deep pleasure in writing or people who are natural born broadcasters. None of this comes easy for me.

Jen: Your latest endeavor entitled SOMEONE WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY is your take on living your best life. Plain and simple. You tell exactly how it is being a forty-something woman in the crazy world in which we live. How did the book idea come about?

Lisa: I’m not sure you choose what to write—I think it chooses you. You’re absolutely right, the world’s gone off its rocker, and I didn’t see a way not to write about it.

Jen: The words “ideal weight” when used in any sentence makes the average woman cringe. In the book, you openly discuss your need for a fashion intervention by Adam Glassman, creative director and fashion expert for O. (By the way, I loved your purple jersey dress from Old Navy!!) Describe for us what was going on your life at that time that led you down this path. And, what was the most exciting part of the makeover?

Lisa: You know that moment when you feel like you just want to do a swan dive into a burlap sack because you can’t bare to go another minute looking like such a mess? Well, I went another 2 years in mess mode! That’s where your friends come in. And let’s face it; a stern talking to from Adam Glassman is a small price to pay for a flatter looking tummy. The guy knows his Spanx. Finally finding the right underwear was pretty thrilling.

Jen: Tacking onto that last question, how can we as women move ourselves to the top of our own priority list without feeling the guilt associated with putting ourselves first?

Lisa: Oh Jen, if I only knew! I mean, I know that’s what we’re supposed to be doing but the reality is that I put myself first for 42 years. Now my priority is a sticky little six-year-old with a Barbie lunch box. Like every working mom, I wrestle with major guilt when I have to be at the office instead of the class trip. But some days you just can’t be “the good mother,” you have to give yourself permission to be “the good enough mother.”

Jen: Motherhood is truly a gift from God. There’s no doubt about it. However, as you know all too well, single parenthood can be a difficult road to travel. How do you find that unique balance between being both parents to your daughter (when her father is not around) while still being true to yourself?

Lisa: I can’t be both parents…unless of course I stop waxing my upper lip, in which case I could probably swing the dad part.

Jen: I was interested in your mention of diabetes in the book. How has this disease affected your overall pursuit of good health? What is the hardest part of living with a chronic disease? And, how has it changed your outlook on life?

Lisa: Here’s the bottom line: It really stinks when your body doesn’t behave the way it’s supposed to. But what does not kill me makes me funnier. It also makes me more vulnerable, more anxious, more compassionate and more keenly aware of mortality.

Jen: Chapter 24 wittily deals with the lack of etiquette today. I wholeheartedly agree with you! Do we even know what the word means anymore? How can we do our part to help whip society back into shape?

Lisa: There’s a definite lack of civility out there and if I remember my 7th grade history correctly, the death of civility leads to the death of civilization. At the risk of sounding way too gooey, I think it’s imperative that we practice good manners on a daily basis. I’m not talking about drinking tea with your pinky up. I’m talking about going out of your way to make people feel like they’ve been heard.

Jen: After completing SOMEONE WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY, what did you surprisingly learn about yourself?

Lisa: I learned that the writing system I employ—finish a paragraph, eat a potato chip—might not be doing me any favors.

Jen: Let’s switch gears and talk about your promotional plans. Do you have a website? Will you be participating in author phone chats? And if so, how would my readers go about arranging one?

Lisa: As the song says, I Ain’t Too Proud to Beg! Really, I’ll do whatever anybody wants. I can be reached at [email protected] and I can be followed at http://twitter.com/lisakogan

Jen: What’s next for Lisa Kogan?

Lisa: Well, I’ve penciled in a nap for the fall of 2011. Aside from that, I’m just going to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Jen: Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with my readers. It was an absolute pleasure being able to speak with you! I look forward to the next issue of O Magazine! Best of luck with the book!

Lisa: Anytime, Jen. Thank you.

I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Lisa Kogan. Please stop by your favorite bookstore or local library branch and pick up a copy of SOMEONE WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY today. Better yet, how would you like to win one instead? Answer the following trivia question and you could be 1 of 5 winners!

Who is the creative director and fashion expert for O Magazine?

Later this month, I will be bringing to you my interview with Kate White, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine! You won’t want to miss it!

Until next time...Jen