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David McDonnell says: "Fun chat, Ali Kayn, I've known Lee Goldberg since 1982. His on-spec interview with Jack Sowards ("The Man Who Killed Spock") was on my desk the October Monday I started at STARLOG (as Managing Editor). My first duty was to sift through all the accumulated, unexamined, unsolicited submissions. So, I was actually able, with the then-Editor's approval, to buy Lee's piece, which was (I believe) his first professional magazine sale. He certainly has had a great career ever since."

Lee Goldberg replies: " It was indeed my first magazine sale... a thrill and a big milestone for me. hard to believe it was 30-some years ago."

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Lee Goldberg

answers the Usual Questions

photo, Lee Goldberg, courtesy of the author; 400x500

Lee Goldberg

American Lee Goldberg is well known for his writing for television and for his novels. Among Goldberg's credits are Diagnosis Murder and Monk, although he has written in other genres. He has also worked as a producer and consultant, and has written non-fiction about television.

In 2013 he began co-writing a crime/caper series with Janet Evanovich - The Fox and O'Hare series.

According to his web site bio, "he put himself through UCLA as a freelance journalist, writing for such publications as American Film, Starlog, Newsweek, The Los Angeles Times Syndicate, The Washington Post and The San Francisco Chronicle (he also wrote erotic letters to the editor for Playgirl at $25-a-letter, but he doesn't tell people about that, he just likes to boast about those "tiffany" credits)."

Has your interaction with fans, for example, at conventions, affected your work?

The enthusiasm they have for my work often inspires me... especially when I'm having a rough day at the keyboard. Knowing there are people out there who are looking forward to the next book pushes me on. That... and my mortgage.

Is there any particular incident (a letter, a meeting, a comment that stands out?

Three letters.One came from a child who said one of my MONK novels was the first book she ever read for pleasure and now she loves to read. One came from a man in his fifties who'd been illiterate most of his life...and had only recently learned to read. He read THE WALK and it was the first book he truly got lost in and forgot he was reading...it was the book in which reading went from a task to joy. Those two letters both blew me away. But the letter that brought me to tears came from a terminally ill man who said that reading my books made him laugh during chemotherapy and the other discomforts and indignities he had to suffer... and how thankful he was to me for that.

Do you have a favourite author or book (or writer or film or series) that has influenced you or that you return to?

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
And something about the "beat" in the writing & banter in Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels inspires me.

Who is the person you would most like to be trapped in a lift with? or a spaceship?

Pass

Who is the person you would most DISlike to be trapped in a lift with? Or a spaceship?

I'll pass on that one, too.

What would you pack for space? (Is there a food, beverage, book, teddy bear, etc that you couldn't do without?)

Oxygen would be a good thing.

What is the most important thing you would like to get/achieve from your work?

I just want to entertain people.

What is the special satisfaction of your work?

I pretend for a living. It still amazes me that I get paid to do that.

submitted by Lee Goldberg

12 February, 2016

For other answers to The Usual Questions Click here

Just the facts:
Born: Oakland, CA
Resides: Calabasas, CA
Bibliography/Awards:
See his Wikipedia page

Web site: www.leegoldberg.com

Goldberg on Facebook

@leegoldberg (Twitter)


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