BWW Interviews: Author James Spada Discusses New eBook on Barbra Streisand

What prompted you at this point in time to do an e-book on Streisand? Of the three books you wrote on her, which did you choose and why?

Laura Van Wormer, my first editor at Doubleday, who published my second Streisand book "The Woman and the Legend," started an eBook publishing company and approached me about turning my backlist biographies into eBooks. "Streisand Her Life" was the best choice because it's a full, text-only biography rather than photo-driven books like the first two. (Although "Her Life" does have two lengthy picture inserts.)

What was your initial attraction to doing a book about her life? What was and is special about her as far as you are concerned?

I've found Barbra fascinating since I was fifteen (in 1965).I love her looks as well as her talent and her on-screen presence. My very first book was "Barbra: The First Decade," an illustrated career study, published in 1974. It was truly a labor of love. As her life and career unfolded, and got more and more interesting and controversial, I felt the need to write two more books about her.

Does an e-book have greater, more far-reaching effects than regular books?

E-books have the potential to reach a much wider audience because anyone can download one at any time and read it on a computer, an iPod, or a Kindle. And my books are priced reasonably at $9.99

What audience do you hope to reach this time that you maybe did not reach the first time?

I'd like to reach new fans who may have come to like Barbra from the Fockers movies or her recent tour and new album. Also, I've updated the book to cover her life from 1995 (when the hardcover was published) to the present day, so fans who have the first edition may want to download the updated version as well.

How do you think she has managed to keep such a large fan base all these 50 years?

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Don Grigware is an Ovation nominated actor and writer whose contributions to theatre through the years have included 6 years as theatre editor of NoHoLA, a contributor to LA Stage magazine and currently on his own website: www.grigwaretalkstheatre.com