Bookpleasures.comwelcomes as our guest Sandi Marx. Sandi is a popular Moth slamwinner, she’s also been featured on PBS for Stories From TheStage, Women of Letters as well as her sold out solo show atJoe’s Pub at the Public Theater.

Sandihas been a guest on dozens of podcasts on just about every topic,running the gamut of ghost encounters to being an awkward teen.

Thispast year, her award winning documentary, The Fabulist wasscreened at festivals all over the world, including Cannes,chronicling her late life career as a performer and her healthchallenges with Lupus. 

Sandiis also retired talent agent and the mother of three grown childrenand a very proud grandmother.

Goodday Sandi and thanks for taking part in our interview.

Norm:What is the one thing other people always seem to get wrong aboutyou?

Norm:What has been your greatest challengeprofessionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’reat today? 

Sandi: Probably, my biggest challenge is getting in my own way. I havea nasty habit of assuming I’m too old, not a good enough writer,speaker, performer “waaaay” before anyone has a chance to makethat assessment. 

Norm:What pet peeve do you have about other people?

Sandi: I cannot stand general black cloud negativity. I’m also not afan of lateness. Showing up, on time, with a good attitude is halfthe battle. Don’t walk around with a dark storm cloud overhead.

Norm:If you could relive a moment in your life, which moment would youchoose and why?

Sandi:This is a tough one, I’ll exclude the obvious, weddings, birthdaysand new births since, obviously, they are very high on my list.

Myfavorite moment, outside of all those would have to be my show atJoe’s Pub at the Public Theater in New York City. One nightonly, sold out, all of my family and friends in attendance, magic.

Itwas particularly exciting because Joe Papp, the force behind thattheater also produced the original Chorus Line which I hadauditioned for, and did not get.

Itmight have taken over 45 years to get on one of his stages, but, Idid it. Patience and lots of good luck

Norm:How did you become involved with story telling and what do youbelieve makes a good story teller?

Sandi:About ten years ago I started taking humor writing classes and lovedit. We were asked to read our stories out loud and that was always myfavorite part of the class.

Itseemed I had a certain knack to tell a story probably more than justwriting one at the time.

Agood storyteller most importantly, needs a strong beginning, middleand an end and the work must have lots of relevant details so thelistener can be in the moment with the teller.

Justlike I was taught at the Neighborhood Playhouse, “if it’s notpersonal, it’s no good.”

Norm:What did you find most useful in learning tobecome a story teller?

Sandi:I find it’s most useful to write every day. No self editing, justwriting. Somehow, if I keep doing that I can see a story start totake shape. I try to avoid cliches or writing for a particularaudience. I just write, write some more and then, after it feels likea story, I start to edit.

Norm:Why do you tell stories? Do you have a theme,message, or goal for your stories?  

Sandi:Usually, my stories reflect the theme of Fish Out Of Water. I’vehad some tremendous challenges including a catastrophic loss as ateenager when my sister died.

I’vebeen pulling myself up by the bootstraps ever since. I like to takethe listener on a journey, usually a comical one, where I manage todig myself out of a multitude of disasters, to victory or some kindof redemption.

I’myour basic little red engine chugging uphill 

Norm:What motivated you to create the documentary The Fabulist?

Sandi:The Fabulist happened because this lovely documentary filmmaker sawme perform and decided I would be his next project. He was verypersuasive.

Norm:Could you tell us a little about The Fabulist?

Sandi:The movie is a very personal look at my journey as a woman over sixtywho has discovered a new passion and career.

Inspite of health challenges due to a twenty year fight with Lupus, Ihave not been defined by limitations or ageism instead I found a wayto create an exciting and creative outlet that has transformed mylife.

Ittakes the viewer on a tour of the New York club scene and all thesefabulous comedians and storytellers giving it their all every night.It’s a movie about resilience, acceptance and finding joy

Norm:What were your goals and intentions in this documentary, and how welldo you feel you achieved them? 

Sandi:I think Frank, the director, nailed it. The goal was to keep ithonest, no manipulating the narrative, camera angles, lighting.

Whilewe were wrapping the first version, I got extremely ill and neededemergency surgery. Frank took the opportunity to re-shoot certainscenes and add my hospital debacle to the film.

Itcertainly was challenging for me to leave my vanity at the door andlet Frank do his thing. I hated the way I looked in many of thescenes, but I trusted my director to do what was necessary to servethe story

Norm:What was the most difficult part of creating thisdocumentary?

Sandi:This is a movie about a women who starts a very youth drivencareer at 59 years old. It’s a snap shot of gritty New York and howI navigate my way from stage to stage while often battling poorhealth. 

It’sa guide for anyone dealing with chronic illness and still being theirbest creative happy selve

Norm:Where can our readers find out more about you and The Fabulist?

Sandi:Hopefully, the movie will be released this year. Frank is re-cuttingit now for television. We don’t have a dedicated website for thefilm but I can be found on my WEBSITE 

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Norm:  What projects are you working on at thepresent?  

Sandi: I’m currently preparing for a show I’ll be hosting called,Generation Women whichhighlights women’s stories from teens to storytellers in their80’s. It’s fantastic. I’m also starting to write my memoir.Slow road.

Norm:As this interview comes to an end, if you could goback twenty years and give yourself one piece of advice what wouldthat advice be?

Sandi:Trust yourself and you abilities!! I used to think I needed a fancyeducation and a better handle on syntax and grammar. The mostvaluable skill is keeping an open heart and mind and look for thestories. I’m much more gentle with myself.

That’smy best advice… and write every day. 

Norm:Thanks again and good luck with all of your future endeavors