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| Home | Erica Live! | Erica's Events | Erica Jong | Erica's Works | The Devil in Ms. Jong By Julie Bloom Erica Jong first shocked the literary world in 1973 with "Fear of Flying," a frank novel about the sexual fantasies of a young woman named Isadora Wing. Now, 30 years after she introduced the term "zipless f--k," Jong has writerly wisdom to spare, as evident in her latest work, "Seducing the Demon: Writing for My Life" (Tarcher/Penguin, $22.95). A melding of memoir, practical advice and present-day musings, the book details her experiences as a working writer. What is the demon that in your title? It's the demon that Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote about in "Taibele and Her Demon." The demon is essentially inspiration. It's demonic in that it holds you in its grasp. As a writer, we need permission to avoid being the good girl, to go against societal brainwashing and the inner censorship we impose on ourselves. You have to find a voice that's not self-important, not like James Frey, you know the "I'm the toughest kid on the block" thing. You have to cop to your failures and mistakes. What made you want to write a book about writing? For about 15 years, I've been working on a book of advice to young writers, adding bits between novels and teaching. But, there are too many advice books out there. I've had 30-plus years of experience, both good and bad, so I thought why not tell the story of my life as a writer. From being the happy hooker of the literary world to then suddenly "Fear of Flying" selling so many copies that no one would forgive me. It's been a rocky road, and I have all these stories to tell. At first I thought, I can't publish these, no one would believe them. But they were so funny. I never cut funny. You and your daughter [Molly Jong Fast] both battled addiction, and you talk a lot about it in the book. Why do you think so many writers struggle with this? First of all, there are too damn many addiction memoirs. But, as writers we want to find transcendence. We think we'll find it with wine, with coke, with whatever. Creativity is such a weird thing, you can't control when it comes. "Alice in Wonderland" is such a perfect parable for this. We really want that little bottle that says "Drink me," and as artists we often have to go through that process. It's very hard. Do you regret at all that you became famous so young? It is what it is. Some people publish 12 books and then the 13th explodes, and that's probably better. I was a respected younger poet, and then after "Fear of Flying" the poets absolutely cast me out of the sanctuary. It was both good and bad. I was very lucky to earn a living as a writer. I know how hard it is. One year you make money and the next five, nothing. So, I've always fought for writers. Fame is more inhibiting in a lot of ways because the expectations are very high. People stand in line to make you a target. Is it difficult being the mother of a writer and seeing your life reimagined in print? It's hilarious. I love it. I love the fact that Molly has the guts to take me on. She's reinterpreted me in so many ways, and I've told her I'll laugh with you all the way to the bank. I'm very proud of the fact that she developed her career on her own, and she keeps me plugged in to her generation. What do make of the abortion ban passed recently in South Dakota? I'm very concerned. I've spent a big part of my life fund-raising and working for choice. In an overall sense, I think we're going to have to lose choice to get it back. In college we all lost girlfriends, and our daughters have not had that experience. They don't have the physical, gut experience of knowing what that's like. Obviously, it's easier for your daughter's generation of female writers to get published, but the literary world is still very limiting for women, isn't it? I'm working on a piece actually about women writers in their 20s and 30s who are being herded into the chick-lit ghetto. Publishing is still male-dominated, and so are newspapers. When it comes to fiction, if your name is Jennifer instead of Jonathan, it's difficult to be taken seriously. Finally, do you think Hillary Clinton really has a chance of winning the White House in 2008? I'm hosting a fund-raiser for her in May. I know she has a lot of baggage attached to her, but I am on her team. I want her to be president.
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