Denise Larson is the author of Anarchy in High Heels. She dreamed of becoming an experimental theater artist in the ’70s counterculture milieu of the Bay Area and founded Les Nickelettes. For thirteen years, she helmed the feminist theater company and assumed the role of actress, playwright, producer, stage director, and administrative/artistic director. Then she gave it all up to become a mother and teacher. After a twenty-year career in early childhood education, she retired and took up writing. Denise lives in San Francisco with her husband and their cat. She has also returned to her first love: theater. She is taking an improv class, and collaborating with other performers to form a new theatre group: Cosmic Elders.
Welcome Author Denise Larson
Thank you for being a part of my meet the author series! Could you tell us a little more about yourself? Your writing is filled with such amazing passion, as a child what memories brought you joy?
I’m of the Boomer generation, and I have all the scars, bells, and whistles to prove it. I’ve lived in San Francisco since my college days. If you’ve read the book, you know I’m a die-hard feminist with a satirical sense of humor.
My family briefly flirted with launching me into a show biz career when I was three and four-years-old. Even though I was very young the experience had a lasting effect on me. That little taste of being onstage led to a lifetime love of theater and performing. I also felt great joy as a child of just sitting and daydreaming.
Where do you find inspiration for creativity to do what you do?
I find taking walks and letting my mind wander inspires ideas to rise up from my creative unconscious. And, I depend on inspiration from friends and family. Presenting thoughts to trusted sources and getting their feedback helps to feed or nix the kernel of my ideas. But there’s nothing like a warm shower to let loose those thunderbolts of inspiration.
Why did you choose to become a writer and author?
I think it chose me. The idea to write a book about Les Nickelettes originated in the group. But then the light bulb went off in my head that I was the logical one to do it (I was the only one who had been with the group for the entire time). I had always been interested in writing and this was such an obvious fit that once I started, I never looked back.
Inspiration for writing Anarchy in High Heels
What was it like to write about my adventures in 1970s San Francisco?
To tell you the truth when I wrote about those times and recounted my adventures, I thought to myself, did I really do all those wild things? I confirmed that I did, indeed, participate in all those antics through a deep dive into my personal archives as well as with interviews of others who were there. It was an amazing time. Anything was possible. And I felt there weren’t a lot of accounts of that period, especially as seen from the female point of view.
How long did you take to complete your memoir?
Almost 30 years. It was on and off, as sometimes life events interrupted the process. I thought when I started that I was writing a non-fiction account of Les Nickelettes but the initial feedback I got from early readers suggested a shift in perspective: “How did you feel about that experience?” “How did it affect your life?” And finally, “Why don’t you make it more like a memoir?” This led me to reassess the manuscript and insert myself, my feelings, and my personal growth into the story.
How hard did you work to get here?
I interviewed most of the people who were involved in the events in the book. Transcribing, coordinating, and combining the stories took a lot of time. And I did research, not only my own extensive archives, but also outside sources. And, of course, along the way I had to learn how to write a memoir.
What scene or memory brought you joy with writing?
Writing about the People’s Nickelodeon and how Les Nickelettes came to be was great fun. It was one of those moments in life where people and events come together at the right time in the right place. It was the epitome of the 1970s San Francisco scene.
What is the takeaway theme you want for readers?
The best casual review I’ve gotten from a reader was, “It made me laugh out loud.” I want readers to come away thinking, feminists are funny; women are funny. And I want women who read it to see that banding together is a powerful tool for change.
What’s Next for Denise Larson
Is there another book in the making? Could you share what you are planning on next .. perhaps give us a hint on a story etc.
I have no definitive plans for another book. Coming from the background of performing and playwriting I tend to visualize ideas as staged pieces. I am interested in doing something about feminist history – a dramatization of the Seneca Falls convention? I’m also interested in female mythology. I’ve read about Baobo, a little known Goddess of Mirth. I think mythology could use a few laughs. But you never know, the ideas could transform into a book instead.
What advice would you give anyone wanting to become a writer?
It may sound like a cliché, but never give up. Hey, it only took me 30 years to get from inspiration to publication!
Connect with Denise Larson
Readers, Denise would love to hear from you. You can connect with her here.
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