Interview: David Lamb, author of 'On Top of the World (Until the Bell Chimes)



David Lamb is a native New Yorker, born and raised, bitten with the writing bug since he was in elementary school and had handwriting nobody could decipher. Like Charles Dickens, David grew up a poor boy in the big city who found that the pen really is mightier than the sword. In middle school Lamb's hero was David Lampel whose velvet voice could be heard reporting the news over David's grandmother's radio. Whenever he heard him on the radio, David would substitute Lamb for Lampel and pretend he was delivering the news. Sure that he was destined to be a famous reporter David was happy to go to a high school with a journalism program. Like most kids, by the time he finished high school he had a whole new career in mind. After high school he went to Hunter College and majored in Economics because he wanted to be cool like that college kid who came to speak at his last year of high school. He was an Economics major, he was dressed sharp and above-all the girls thought he was the man! So like any unreasonable high school boy fueled by overactive hormones David figured if he majored in Economics they'd think he was cool. After finishing college David went on to law school at NYU, but all the time writing was still his heart. While working as a lawyer by day, at night he transformed into a writer and eventually wrote and produced the award-winning hit off-Broadway romantic comedy Platanos Y Collard Greens. Being a writer and having the chance make people laugh out loud while challenging them to think about the world around them, and inspire each of us to believe in the power of love and our own ability to overcome life's challenges is a great gift that David truly enjoys and thanks you for allowing him to share with you in On Top Of The World (Until The Bell Chimes).

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About the Book:

2016 BEST FICTION-Pacific Book Awards. FROM THE FUNNY AND NATURALLY BRILLIANT DAVID LAMB, award-winning playwright of the New York Times celebrated play, Platanos Y Collard Greens, comes a modern spin on Dickens' classic tale that perfectly combines
humor and romance in a story re-imagined for our digital, consumerist age.  This version of Scrooge and Belle is familiar, yet unlike any you've come across before. Scrooge, or rather Scrooje, is music's biggest superstar, with one hundred million albums sold, fifteen million devoted YouTube subscribers, two and a half million Facebook likes, and twenty-five million fanatical Twitter followers known as Scroojites. Belle, is a legal shark who gulps down her opposition voraciously and whose beauty and stunning figure causes traffic accidents as she zips through the sidewalks of Manhattan stylishly adorned and taking no prisoners.   They never imagined being music's most powerful couple, but that's exactly what happened when Belle fell head over heels and gave the Coke-bottle glasses wearing, plaid and stripe attired, scrawny, biggest nerd on her college campus the ultimate makeover, turning him into a fashion impresario whose style sets trends from Milan to NY Fashion Week and who can be seen courtside at the NBA Finals sporting a perfectly-fitted cashmere suit.   Then it happens. Belle realizes too late that she's created a chart-topping monster as Scrooje's ego explodes and he starts acting a fool.   Now, it's been three years since they ve spoken. But tonight at Hollywood s biggest red carpet event, with the whole world watching, they'll be given a second chance.   Will Scrooje listen to the ghostly-advice of Marley, his best friend since the fourth grade, who at the time of his untimely drowning at his Brazilian poolside birthday bash was as big a star as Scrooje? Will Scrooje finally do right by his number one artist, Cratchit, a genius comedian, who Scrooje invariably rip offs every chance he gets?   And with twenty-five million viewers tuned in will Scrooje finally shed his ego, jeopardize his image and declare his love for Belle, the one he betrayed and let slip away?   Second chances don't often come around. Will Belle even give him a chance?   Mixing heart, soul, bling and romance in a fresh, original satire about race, class and celebrity worship Lamb establishes himself as one of the most talented and amazing writers today. And leaves no doubt that the Pacific Book Awards chose wisely when they selected On Top Of The World as the year's Best Fiction.

Purchase Information:

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It’s a pleasure to have you here today, David. Can you tell us what your new book is about?

A fast and fun spin on Dickens that combines laughs and love in a story re-imagined for our digital age. This version of Scrooge and Belle is familiar, yet unlike any you've come across before. Scrooge, or rather Scrooʝe, is music's biggest star, with one hundred million albums sold and twenty-five million fanatical Twitter followers known as Scroojites. Belle, is a legal shark whose beauty and stunning figure causes traffic accidents as she stylishly zips through the sidewalks of Manhattan.

Together, with his best friends Marley (the hyper-talented music producer) and Cratchit (the hottest comic in the country) they rise to the top. Belle becomes the brains behind the scenes and Scrooʝe becomes the sexy superstar, until he betrays Belle’s most intimate trust and she leaves him. 
But at Hollywood's biggest event, Scrooʝe will take the journey of a lifetime to heal from his feelings of being unworthy of love, find a way to melt the ice that's turned his heart cold, and hope for a chance to make things right.

What's a girl to do when the nerdy guy she fell for in college becomes music's biggest superstar and biggest jerk? Give him a second chance or walk away and start over?


Can you tell us a little about your main and supporting characters?

The main characters are Scrooge and Belle is familiar, yet unlike any you've come across before. Scrooge, or rather Scrooje, is music's biggest superstar, with one hundred million albums sold, fifteen million devoted YouTube subscribers, two and a half million Facebook likes, and twenty-five million fanatical Twitter followers known as Scroojites. Belle, is a legal shark who gulps down her opposition voraciously and whose beauty and stunning figure causes traffic accidents as she zips through the sidewalks of Manhattan stylishly adorned and taking no prisoners.   They never imagined being music's most powerful couple, but that's exactly what happened when they met in college and fell head over heels and Belle gave the Coke-bottle glasses wearing Scrooje the ultimate makeover, turning him into a top-charting fashion impresario whose style sets trends from Milan to NY Fashion Week

The supporting characters are Marley, Cratchit & Camille. Marley is Scrooje’s best friend since grade school. Although he started out as Scrooje’s biggest bully, that all turned around when Scrooje discovered Marley’s secret dyslexia and began helping him learn to read. Marley grows up to be a great athlete and along with Scrooje become a music start. He dies a ridiculous superstar death falling into his pool at his Brazilian mansion on his birthday after having it filled with the world’s most expensive wine. He returns as a ghost to give Scrooje advice to save his life and love. Cratchit met Scrooje in Marley in college he was the campus clown and goes on to become a famous comedian exploited by one of Scrooje’s notoriously crooked contracts. Camille is Scrooje’s love interest, Belle’s, best friend since college. She has her own successful event planning business and has to stop Cratchit’s romantic fantasies.

Your book is set in New York.  Can you tell us why you chose this city in particular?

Because New York is part of the music and fashion scene and Scrooje is a music superstar who is a fashion mogul. Also the vibrancy of the city and the different cultures and neighborhoods gave a lot for me to play with.

Open the book to page 69.  What is happening?

Scrooje is in the 4th grade, the smallest boy in class and the picked on teachers pet. His lead tormentor at that time is Marley (this is long before they become best friends and music stars together). On that day Scrooje wins a contest in class that wins him two new comic books and Marley threatens him if he doesn’t hand them over.

What has been the most pivotal point of your writing life?

Several, but the one that comes to mind is getting applause after reading my first short story to my 6th grade class. After that I was hooked J

What kind of advice would you give other fiction authors?

WRITE! By that I mean don’t wait until you feel the story is complete resolved in your mind to get your ideas down on paper. Just get your ideas down and then let the story lead you where it wants to go.