Thursday, January 16, 2025

Q&A with Lisa Cheek

 


 

Lisa Cheek is the author of the new book Sit, Cinderella, Sit: A Mostly True Memoir. She lives in Los Angeles.

 

Q: Why did you decide to write this memoir?

 

A: When I was a film editor, I would entertain my clients in the edit bay while we waited for revisions with stories of my family. They always found them funny and interesting and told me for years, I needed to tell my own stories, to write screenplays, but I’m more of a book girl even though I have written a few screenplays with others.

 

Six years ago, I was working on a novel when I lost my father. I went to see a psychic in hopes to hear how he was. She told me he said, “Heaven had the best library.” My father read a book a day so that made me very happy.

 

She also told me I needed to write this specific story now. So I did. I think it was a great place for me start as I have two more memoirs I’m working on.

 

Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: The book had many working titles, but when we landed on this one, I knew it was perfect. It had Cinderella in it. It had a familiar dog communication, but most of all, it's what I would do all day every day as a film editor. I sat. And sat. And sat.

 

Q: The writer Julie Cantrell said of the book, “With a quick-witted tone and the creative lens of a gifted filmmaker, Lisa Cheek takes us through the mid-life resurrection of a woman who isn’t afraid to make her own way. In the end, she reminds us that we aren’t meant to do life solo and that true surrender requires far more strength than weakness.” What do you think of that assessment?

 

A: I cried when I read it. It’s one of the most extraordinary compliments I’ve ever received. 

 

Julie has been a teacher and mentor and no way could I have done this book solo or life in general. It’s all about connecting with others. Learning from others and in order to do that, one does have to be vulnerable. I love how Julie reflected that back to me in my own book.

 

Q: What impact did it have on you to write the book, and what do you hope readers take away from it?

 

A: It is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Publishing one's first book. Editing a film along the Tibetan boarder about Cinderella, another once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

 

When I edited my first feature film, which was written in the edit bay, it won The Slamdance Audience Award and was bought by Fox Searchlight before we left the festival in Park City.  I remember someone saying, “This is just the beginning.” And I said. “But it will never be like this again.”

 

So, I’m doing my best to live in each moment of putting a book out into the world. Learning how to do it and hopefully connecting with my readers.

 

There are so many takeaways for me. 

 

What others think of me is not always accurate or my business. 

 

Age is a number our society has interpreted and I needed to be me. Just me. 

 

Kindness is a universal language. 

 

And most of all... life is an adventure and I find it best with a dog. 

Rescuing dogs always involves rescuing ourselves.
 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I’m working on my second memoir, about one night of my life.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: Thank you for asking me about Sit, Cinderella, Sit. I hope your readers have half the adventure I had when they read it and I look forward to meeting you IRL one day.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb

1 comment:

  1. Can’t wait for my book to arrive!! Looking forward to sitting and reading!!

    ReplyDelete