Friday, April 23, 2010

First TV Interview

Yet another new thing I never would have experienced if not for writing a book - I had my first TV interview with the multicultural station here in Toronto, OMNI 1! It was a bit nerve wracking but the reporter made me feel very comfortable and, even though the interview was conducted in both English and Portuguese the interview segment only showed my Portuguese responses. I was a bit concerned about speaking in Portuguese to a Portuguese language station but it turned out okay. I've never heard myself (or watched myself) on tape speaking Portuguese and I was surprised to find I could actually be understood! My daughter said I sounded like my Aunt Olimpia so I guess that means I sounded sort of authentic.

Anyway, not that many of you who read the blog can understand the language, I'm still linking the piece. They started it off really nicely with clips from the 2006 deportation of Portuguese workers in Toronto to Portugal (the catalyst for Illegally Blonde's story) and ended it with the info on my book launch at the Bloor-Gladstone Library on Sunday. All good stuff. Here's the link to the interview. Click on the tab just above the female news anchor called Web Stories and then click on the item called Livro Sobro Deportados(Be kind!)

http://ontario.omninews.ca/?language=5

8 comments:

  1. Nelsa, how exciting! I couldn't understand a word, but I can still tell you did great! You were so calm and collected. I was impressed. :-)

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  2. So cool! I'm like Anna ... you were way more calm and collected than I ever could be!

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  3. Thanks, Anna - all this strange stuff has been exciting. And thanks as well for sitting through a totally incomprehensible interview. I definitely think I need to smile more (nerves, I think) and stop using my hands when I talk (unfortunately a by-product of my very expressive family method of communication. Is it a European thing?)

    Hey, Cynthia! Thanks for watching - I definitely wasn't calm and collected inside. I kept thinking "Did I understand his question correctly? Am I going to forget the next word in Portuguese and look like a doofus?"

    But, like any new thing, the fear of anticipation is work than the actuality. Luckily, he was a very nice interviewer who made me feel very comfortable (well, as much as I could feel with a camera staring me in the face!)

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  4. WOO HOO! How awesome! Way to go, you! You should be very proud of yourself. Can you tell if that interview results in more book sales?

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  5. Wow! You seem so calm and eloquent.

    Congrats on being on tv!

    -- Barb (Owl on Verla's)

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  6. Hi TerryLynn: More sales? who knows. Can't hurt I guess. The good thing was that the interviewer gave the book to the News Channel host who seems to really like it - and maybe there'll be an opportunity to introduce the book to more of the Portuguese community through more events. Whatever happens, I'm so grateful that the call for the interview even happened.

    Hi Barb! Thanks so much - I was anything but calm. I think when I get nervous I tend to shut down a bit (I hope I don't seem so very serious in person cuz I'm not!)

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  7. I still think that would be nerve racking. But pretty cool!

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  8. Your first TV interview--how exciting. I'm glad it went well.

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