Pink Dandelion Quarterly_Winter 2019

15. | AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Sue Rose Levy

by Shelley Burbank

In this virtual interview, Shelley Burbank interviews WATTPAD LETTERS author, Sue Rose Levy, whose story about an online Wattpad relationship between an intense young poet and an older woman writer touched on several themes including age differences, online romance, and sexual harassment. Over delicious steaming bowls of tomato soup and mugs of hot cocoa, Shelley and Sue talk about living abroad, stay-home mothering, writing online, community forum interactions, and fighting like a girl, all interspersed with bursts of laughter and good cheer. 

It's a chilly, snowy day in Jerusalem when I set off (virtually; in reality we are emailing back and forth and Sue provided the setting details) to meet Wattpad author Sue Rose Levy. We've flown in separately--Sue from Colombia and I from California--and the sparkling, fresh whiteness of the snow against the ancient stones, the gold dome rising plump and majestic over the city, and frosted trees lining the hills in the background take my breath away. People laugh and run through the snow, throw a few snowballs at each other, catch flakes on their tongues. The roads are a mess, but no one seems to care.

I'm glad I brought boots, the decision based on fashion rather than practicality, but still a happy decision since the snow is several inches deep and heavy. Creeping my way along the sidewalks, I stop to watch a man in black wool pants, a long black coat, and a wide-brimmed Borsolino fedora decorating a family of snowmen in front of his shop. The tallest snowman looks disturbingly like Howard Stern. I laugh, and the man touches the brim of his hat and grins back.

Studying the street, I finally locate the sign for the tiny cafe. Once inside, I stomp my feet and spot Sue, bemused expression on her face, typing at one of the little wooden tables crowded into the space which is decorated with antiques and many vintage posters hanging on the walls. A cheerful blend of voices speaking Hebrew and various European languages warms the room.

Sue's bohemian ensemble fits perfectly with the Middle Eastern vibe of the cafe. Leather boots peek out from beneath a long, flowy skirt embroidered with purple and silver thread in intricate designs. Her leather coat is draped over the back of her chair as she taps away on her laptop, totally engaged in her writing. When I interrupt, greeting her in English, she smiles and slips the computer into her bag. I admire the beanie holding back her hair and ask about her interest in Jerusalem.