Ivy Pochoda

Ivy Pochoda graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Classical Greek and English. She was a champion squash player and a six-time member of the United States Women's National Squash Team.

Her latest novel is Visitation Street.

From Pochoda's Q & A with Margy Rocklin at Squid Ink:

SI: "Bulletproof Chinese" is a term that is used throughout the book. Explain this term to the uninitiated.

IP: In bad neighborhoods in New York, after a certain hour at night, Chinese is [served through] bulletproof glass. You slide your cash through a slot and then they slide you really greasy ribs or whatever back to you.

SI: On a culinary scale of one to ten, how does bulletproof Chinese rate?

IP: Two. [pause] No, I'll give it a three. It's fine when you're hung over. [pause] It's not that bad. It's exactly what you think it's going to be like. Let's be nice: Let's give it a three. [pause] It seemed okay then. But I recently ate something from there and I thought, "I can't believe I just ate that. I'm going to be sick."

SI: What do you eat when you're writing?

IP: It changes. I eat a lot of avocado sandwiches, but I don't know why. Now that I live in L.A., I eat a lot of tacos and burritos. When I was living in Echo Park, I liked this place called Maya's, which is very under-rated. They have great, great, great chicken tacos with avocado and pickled red onion. But I live in the Arts District now. I go to Guisado's a lot.

SI: And there is nothing wrong with that!

IP: No, there is...[read on]

Learn more about the book and author at Ivy Pochoda's website.

Writers Read: Ivy Pochoda.

--Marshal Zeringue