Nova: Bad Taste in Men by Lana Cooper #characterinterview #humor #PUYB

We’re thrilled to be talking to Nova from Lana Cooper's new humorous fiction, BAD TASTE IN MEN.  It is a pleasure to have her with us today at Pimp That Character!

Thank you for your interview, Nova.  Can you tell us your story?

Sure. My story, Bad Taste In Men, follows me from my pre-teen years all the way to college and chronicles my attempts at getting dudes to dig me. I have a habit of falling for some of my male friends who don't reciprocate my feelings. When I'm not busy being the Mayor of the Friend Zone or attempting to throw myself at such stellar dating candidates as the guy with one eye or the guy that lives in his car, I'm hanging out with my slightly kooky family, my friends, working part time, and getting straight A's.

What would I love the most about you?

My sarcastic, self-deprecating humor and that I'm intensely loyal to my family, friends, and the object of my affections.

What would I hate the most about you?

Probably the same exact qualities that you might love most about me. I mean well, but sometimes come on too strong. I don't always realize that there are times when I should dial it back a bit and be a little less blunt.

Where do you go when you are angry?

My room. Usually to listen to an angry-in-a-totally-unironic-way mix tape.

What makes you laugh out loud?

Fart jokes. Poop jokes. Barf jokes. I have a truly refined sense of humor.

What is in your refrigerator right now?

Well, my mom is a pretty terrible cook. So, I'm hoping that there are some Cheezer Puffs and Razberry Rollz in the fridge so I'm not subjected to the horror of her leftovers.

What is your greatest fear?

It's a toss-up: That I'll die alone and without ever having a date. Or that I wind up stuck in my small, backwards hometown of Fletcher, PA forever.

What is the trait you most not like about yourself?

I have a strong sense of self – I know who I am, where I want to go, and who I want to become -- but I wish I had a higher sense of self-esteem when it comes to guys. I feel like I always have to have a crush on a guy. Some crushes are a little more intense than others, but I'm not fond of the fact that I view the whole experience as one-part challenge to get a guy to like me and one-part deep-seeded need to have someone feel something for me in return.

Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

Yes. When you crack open Bad Taste In Men, there I am. Flaws and all. I'm a pretty funny, likeable chick. But I'm not perfect. I have a very human, very vulnerable side, too.

Who is your best friend?

I have a few really good girlfriends – Sammi, Cora, Jenn and Claire – although Claire can be kind of a bitch. However, my brother, Orion, is probably my best friend – as much as he or I would be loath to admit it. He's a good kid, though. He makes fun of me constantly, but he's always there for me when it counts. 

What is your idea of a perfect day?

Heading to the mall with friends, running into a guy I dig. He asks me out on a date and we seal the deal by splitting order of chicken nuggets off the Dollar Menu in the food court before heading to the record store and debating whether or not AC/DC ever wrote a ballad or if their seminal 1980 classic,"You Shook Me All Night Long," constitutes as one. 

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About the Author:

Lana Cooper was born and raised in Scranton, PA and currently resides in Philadelphia. A graduate of Temple University, she doesn't usually talk about herself in the first person, but makes an exception when writing an author bio. Cooper has written extensively on a variety of pop culture topics and has been a critic for such sites as PopMatters and Ghouls On Film. She's also written news stories for EDGE Media, a leading nationwide network devoted to LGBT news and issues. Cooper enjoys spending time with her family, reading comic books, books with lots of words and no pictures, and avoiding eye-contact with strangers on public transportation. "Bad Taste In Men" is her first full-length novel.

Her latest book is the humorous nonfiction, Bad Taste in Men.

For More Information

• Visit Lana Cooper’s website.
• Connect with Lana on Facebook and Twitter.
• Visit Lana’s blog.
• More books by Lana Cooper.
• Contact Lana.

About the Book: 

Title: Bad Taste in Men
Author: Lana Cooper
Publisher: Delightfully Dysfunctional Books
Pages: 352
Genre: Humorous Nonfiction
Format: Paperback/Kindle

Purchase at AMAZON

Have you ever felt like even Mother Theresa has got more game than you?

If you have, you'd be in the same boat as geeky, awkward metalhead Nova Porter.
Bad Taste In Men follows Nova from her prepubescent years through young adulthood and her attempts at getting dudes to dig her. 

Juggling self-esteem issues, small town outsider status, and questionable taste in guys, Nova is looking for love in all the wrong places - like the food court at the mall. Nova's circle of friends and her strange(ly) endearing family more than make up for what her love life lacks. 

Along the way, Nova alternately plays the roles of hero and villain, mastermind and stooge; picking up far more valuable life lessons than numbers for her little black book.
One part chick lit for tomboys and one part Freaks and Geeks for kids who came of age in the mid-'90s, Bad Taste In Men is loaded (like a freight train) with pop cultural references and crude humor. 

From getting laughed at by your crush to being stood up (twice!) by a guy with one eye, Bad Taste In Men showcases the humor and humiliation that accompanies the search for love (or at least "like") as a small-town teenage outcast, managing to wring heart-warming sweetness from angsty adolescent memories - and jokes about barf and poop.