Meet the Author: Zoe FitzGerald Carter, Now in Paperback

Name: Zoe FitzGerald Carter, author, Imperfect Endings

What have you written and who is your publisher?

My book, Imperfect Endings: A Daughter’s Story of Love, Loss, and Letting Go, was published by Simon and Schuster in March of 2010. The paperback was just released in March of 2011. I also write for magazines and have written for the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Salon, Slate, and AOL.com. I just had a piece in the March issue of Vogue with Lady Gaga on the cover.

What is your book about?

Imperfect Endings is about my mother’s decision to end her life after living with Parkinson’s disease for many years, and the struggle my two older sisters and I had coming to terms with that choice. It is also a memoir about growing up in my “imperfect” family. While the book deals with a serious topic—assisted suicide and the right to die—it is also a book about family relationships, and there is a large dose of humor sprinkled throughout. The book is fast-paced and novelistic and is not depressing despite the subject matter.

How long have you lived in Albany?

My husband Joe, daughter Anna, and I moved here from New York City in 1996. I was pregnant with my younger daughter, Mira, who is now 14 years old.

What led you to become a writer?

I simply never found anything more compelling to pursue, although I also love music and sometimes wish I had taken that road instead. I do play with a couple of local bands but have never tried to make a career out of it. One career in the arts is plenty. In fact, there are days that I wish I had a “real job” to go to instead of having to recreate my life every morning.

Is Albany featured in your writing, and how do you think living in Albany might affect or inspire your work?

When I moved out here, I felt I had escaped the intense atmosphere of striving and competition in New York. Although I love NYC, I feel there is more psychic space to be creative out here. It helps that here the living is a little easier and that creativity—not just self-promotion and ambition—is given more room to flourish. There is also an incredible community of talented, brilliant writers in the Bay Area.

Where are you usually when you write?

I’m pretty restless and like to change things up. Some days I write in my kitchen, other days out at cafes. I also share a cottage out in Point Reyes Station with some other local artists, and I spend anywhere from two to five nights out there writing in seclusion. But pretty much anywhere except my office works for me.

Are you able to find your book in the ?

Yes, it’s there.

How do you think reading and publishing are changing? Are you hopeful about the future?

I feel hopeful about people’s love of reading, despite all the dire prognostications. But I think the publishing industry is going through a major transition as more people switch to reading e-books. Just recently, some very big authors have chosen to bypass the big publishing houses and self-publish online. The question is: Can the publishers adapt to the new technology and the fact that so many readers prefer to read on Kindles and Nooks and iPads? It’s a whole new business model, one they have yet to figure out.

Where can people obtain your book, in stores and online? Is there an e-book edition?

Amazon has my book in hardcover, paperback and e-book, as does Barnes and Noble. Many independent bookstores carry my book as well.

What are you doing to promote or publicize your book?

I have done a TON to promote my book—something all authors are expected to do these days. This has included readings, radio interviews, talks and speeches, television and online interviews, etc., as well as reaching out to organizations like Compassion and Choices, a national right-to-die advocacy group, and various author’s groups. I also write a blog, which can be found on my website.

How can people connect with you locally?

If anyone thinks that Imperfect Endings would be a good fit for his or her book group, please let me know—I love talking to book groups! I can be reached through the book group page of my website.