Interview with Glenn Kleier, December 7, 1997

Partial Transcript: This is an oral history interview with Glenn Kleier being conducted by Linda Beattie for the Kentucky Writers Oral History Project.

Segment Synopsis: Kleier describes his childhood, which was spent in Louisville, Kentucky.

Keywords: Construction; Farms; Indiana; Library; Louisville (Ky.); Poems; Schools; Siblings; Subjects

Subjects: American authors; Anesthesiologists; Catholic; Childhood; Children; Education; English; Families.; Grandparents; Nuns; Parents; Poetry; Reading

Partial Transcript: Were there teachers who proved particularly influential or inspirational that early, or was that more toward high school?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier talks of his high school years, including sports he participated in, as well as the most influential teachers he had during this time.

Keywords: High schools; Louisville (Ky.); Paper; Satire; St. Xavier High School; Track; Writers

Subjects: Education; Reading; Teachers; Writing

Partial Transcript: Um, did you go directly to college from high school or what?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier's time at the University of Cincinnati is explored. Additionally, Kleier's early career in the advertising industry is also considered. Lastly, the interviewee's establishment of his own advertising agency with his wife is described.

Keywords: Advertising agencies; Cincinnati (Ohio); Clients; Colleges; Employees; Family; Father-in-law; Fathers; Fiction; Financial advertising; Louisville (Ky.); Money; Novels; Philosophy; Publishing companies; Scholarships; Track; University of Cincinnati; Wife; Work; Writer's Digest; Writers

Subjects: Advertising; American authors; Business; Education; Education, Higher; Employment; Higher education; Occupations

Partial Transcript: Uh, your first novel "The Last Day" arrived in bookstores just a couple of weeks ago.

Segment Synopsis: Kleier illustrates how his professional writing career began with his first novel, which recently became published prior to the interview. How Kleier selected a literary agent is also mentioned. The challenges involved with Kelier's writing and maintaining his advertising business at the same time are described as well.

Keywords: Advertising; Agency; Agents; Children; Clients; Connections; Cover letters; Manuscripts; Millennium; New York (N.Y.); Novels; Plot; Publishers; Publishing; Queens (N.Y.); San Francisco (Calif.); Supportive; Synopsis; Themes; Time; Vacations; Wife; Work

Subjects: American authors; Authors and publishers.; Authors.; Books; Business; Christianity; Publishers and publishing.; Travel; Writing

Partial Transcript: Um, will you discuss the theological implications of "The Last Day" and how those implications apply to your own religious and spiritual beliefs?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier compares his own religious beliefs with those of the characters in his novel, "The Last Day." Some of the opinions of reviewers upon the book in relation to the beliefs and messages promoted within the novel are also detailed.

Keywords: "The Last Day"; Abortion; Agents; Birth control; Blessings; Books; Catholicism; Celibacy; Characters; Comparisons; Critic reviews; Critical reception; Debates; Ecumenical; Education; Endorsements; George Magazine; Heretics; Homosexuality; Honesty; Interviews; Islam; Issues; Jesus Christ; Mother Teresa; People; Positions; Priests; Protagonists; Publisher's Weekly; Religious wars; Rome (Italy); San Francisco (Calif.); Sanctimony; Suffering; Value; Women

Subjects: American authors; Authors.; Religion; Reviews; Theologians; Writing

Partial Transcript: Um, anyone reading "The Last Day" can't help but envision the plot being acted out on film. To what extent did you consciously fashion the book to be a best seller?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier explains why his novel "The Last Day" has cinematic elements to it. The possibility of adapting the novel into a mini-series or movie is also commented on.

Keywords: "The Last Day"; Actresses; Advertising; Audiences; Best sellers; Books; Characters; Columbia TriStar Pictures; Film adaptations; Film rights; Imagery; Meticulous; Mini-series; Movie adaptations; Perfection; Screenplays; Scripting; Television adaptations; Warner Press; Winona Ryder

Subjects: American authors; Writing

Partial Transcript: You may have already touched on this, but I wanted to ask you what role do you think advertising has played in your development as a writer?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier describes the impact of his career in advertising upon his writing. Then, Kleier lists his favorite authors and literary genres.

Keywords: "Catch 22"; Characters; Current fiction; Environment; Frankenstein; Fresh; Genres; Herman Melville; Joseph Heller; Journals; Mary Shelley; Original; Pace; Styles; Writers

Subjects: Advertising; American authors; Business; Classic literature; Fiction; Occupations; Reading; Writing

Partial Transcript: Um, I understand you're working on three more novels, is that correct?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier talks about the three novels he is currently writing simultaneously.

Keywords: Agents; Contracts; Ethics; Novels; Politics; Synopsis; Themes; Warner Press

Subjects: American authors; Religion; Writing

Partial Transcript: As what sort of writer would you most like to be known?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier discusses the idea that his book has been an "overnight success," despite the whole process taking much longer than people realize. He talks about learning to deal with publicity.

Keywords: Advances; Agents; Children; Debates; Family; First novels; Lifestyles; Money; Negative; Overnight success; Positive; Publicity; Reactions; Sales; Tributes; Warner Press; Writing process

Subjects: Authors and publishers.; Authors.; Families.; Publishers and publishing.; Writing

Partial Transcript: Um, I understand that you serve on the board of Children First, a local organization to help sexually abused children.

Segment Synopsis: Kleier discusses his involvement with the Children First organization (now called Family & Children’s Place), which is dedicated to helping sexually abused children.

Keywords: Chairman; Children First; Doctors; Family & Children’s Place; Police; Public relations committees; Ross Perot; Sexual abuse; Therapy; Volunteering

Subjects: Child abuse; Children; Volunteers

Partial Transcript: Uh, and speaking of Ross Perot, uh, you were the former state chairman--or you are the former state chairman of his presidential campaign, is that right?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier talks about the work he did for Ross Perot's presidential campaign before meeting Perot and becoming disillusioned with him. He talks about his attempt to set up meetings with each of the presidential candidates.

Keywords: Advertising; Al Gore; Attitudes; Bill Clinton; Campaign organizing; Conventions; Dallas (Tex.); Dan Quayle; George H. W. Bush; Meetings; Personalities; Petitions; Presidential campaigns; Republican Party; Ross Perot; State chairman; United We Stand

Subjects: Bush, George, 1924-; Clinton, Bill, 1946-; Gore, Albert, 1948-; Perot, H. Ross, 1930-; Political campaigns--United States; Politicians; Politics and government; Quayle, Dan, 1947-

Partial Transcript: Uh, have you ever been a part of a community of writers?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier talks about why he has not participated in writing groups. He talks about sense of place in his work and the influence his religion and upbringing have on his writing.

Keywords: Churches; Dialects; Fiction; Friends; Help; Influences; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Midwestern mentality; Sense of place; Upbringing; Writers groups

Subjects: Authors.; Childhood; Religion; Writing

Partial Transcript: Do you have any idea as to what the nature of creativity itself might be?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier talks about his views on the nature of creativity. He talks about how complicated phraseology can impede readers, and how his book was written not as literature but to convey a story.

Keywords: Advertising; Concepts; Driven; Ideas; Innate; Literature; Natural urges; Nature of creativity; Novels; Phraseology; Poetry; Prose; Stories

Subjects: Authors.; Creative ability; Writing

Partial Transcript: Um, where do you hope to be and what do you hope to be doing in ten years?

Segment Synopsis: Kleier talks about his plans for the future and provides some final thoughts about his hopes for his novel.

Keywords: Books; Entertainment; Fiction; Future; Louisville (Ky.); Novels; Ten years; Travel

Subjects: Authors.; Religion; Writing