Gina Noelle Daggett is an award-winning writer, director, producer, speaker, and columnist in Curve Magazine. Daggett is best known under the pen name “Lipstick” in the popular national advice column Lipstick & Dipstick featured in Curve. Her debut novel, Jukebox, was published by Bella Books (Nov 2010).
- 1. Gina, we first heard about you as one half of the lesbian advice duo Lipstick & Dipstick in Curve magazine. How did you get your start as an advice columnist?
It all started with a piece of pizza. Pepperoni. I was writing for the Portland, Oregon LGBT paper Just Out and had attended their annual writer appreciation pizza party. And wouldn’t you know, I sat down next to a butch woman named Kathy. She immediately made fun of my sweater, which was fuzzy and bright. I made sure to let her know her jeans—which I could tell had been her favorite pair since she was in high school—were so 1981.
The rest is history. Or rather, herstory. We became allies first (our jabs were in jest) and then friends, and decided to collaborate together on a butch/femme column. Gay papers picked it up, and so did our beloved Curve Magazine, to whom we will forever be devoted. We love being a part of the Curve family.
- 2. In your opinion, what are some of the biggest dating mistakes lesbians make?
It’s three things: 1) Moving too fast into something serious, 2) Making assumptions, 3) Having Mexican food on their first date. Beans + Garlic = trouble.
- 3. What kind of lesbian dating questions do you typically get from lesbians?
Hands down, it’s “How can I meet women?” Also, questions like “Is it a date or just bubble tea?”
When it comes to dating, the biggest lesson lesbians need to learn is that we must be a different kind of women when we’re dating each other. Growing up, we’re told the boy will ask the girl out, he’ll ask us to dance, and he’ll get on one knee to propose marriage. He’ll call, he’ll pay, he’ll open your door, and he’ll make the moves. Based on those norms, when you put two women together, sometimes we just stare at each other waiting for the other to take the lead, be the aggressor, be the “man.” When we first come out of the closet, it’s a role we’ve never had to play.
We must recalibrate the way we think and behave. If there’s a woman we really like, we need to take the initiative and be assertive. So what if we get turned down. So what if it feels awkward. We must push ourselves because that’s the only way we grow. Being forward with women is like French kissing; you’ll eventually get better, build your confidence and become a master. Put yourself out there and stop being passive.
- 4. In addition to being an advice columnist and relationship expert, you’ve penned a lesbian romance novel Jukebox. Give us synopsis of Jukebox.
Jukebox is a sexy, gut-wrenching love story. It’s a feast for the senses, an erotic, melodic, lushly-detailed coming-of-age about two privileged debutantes, Harper and Grace, who fall in love.
Writing Jukebox has been a true labor of love. I wrote the story that I was searching for when I was in the closet many years ago. A former debutante myself, there are some notes of truth within the story from my own life. Beyond it being a deeply-stirring romance, Jukebox takes you on a journey, one which examines the control that shame and fear have over our lives, both potent forces that will challenge their love to its very limits.
The project website has a host of goodies, including author interviews and the Jukebox playlist, which is the spine of the story. http://jukeboxnovel.com/
- 5. How different is it to write a novel versus writing a lesbian advice column?
It’s like comparing a hamster to a porcupine. They’re both living and breathing animals, but you have to approach them differently.
When you write a novel, you have to have some sense of where you’re going. Not all writers write this way, but I find it helpful because I’m a Sagittarius and tend to go on and on and on and on and on if there is no road map. In fiction, you’re telling a story, too, so character development, scene setting, and manipulating tension are critical. These are all premeditated. Occasionally, you’ll get a cathartic surprise and the story/character will take you in an unexpected direction, but usually you have to work hard to get there.
Giving advice in Curve is more of a dance between Dipstick and I. We have fun, we play off each other, and usually don’t know where it’s headed. It depends on the music (which is the question) and what mood I’m in. Sometimes I’m serious, but usually I’m trying to infuse humor because I think it’s important to find the funny in life. Even when I’m being flip, however, I try to lace it with genuine advice. I care a lot about our readers and their genuine problems, despite my kneejerk humor. That is evidenced in the fact we write every single person back who reaches out to us. Unlike how I respond in Curve as Lipstick, it’s Gina who women hear from via email and that’s always sincere. It’s become a wonderfully gratifying element of what we do—the authentic connections and touch points we have with our readers off the page. I hope our schedule allow us to do that for a long time.
- 6. Now you’re making films. What is it about film making that interests you?
Cultivating creative seeds really turns me on, so development is one of the best parts. I really love the form, too—a script (be it tv, film, stage) is such a specific craft and I’ve enjoyed learning the language and studying the great scripts of our time.
When I write fiction, I see scenes very clearly in my mind, like their being acted in a film, so that bodes well when I sit down to work on a script, and also when directing. Other things I love: Being on set and saying the words “action.” It’s deeply invigorating.
Filmmaking also runs at the same speed I do—fast! The fast rhythm of pre-production and production has the same measure as the beat of my heart. Making a film is the art of multi-tasking, problem solving, regrouping, refocusing, and acting on the fly.
Lastly, it’s magic to see ideas and words you’ve written manifest in physical form. Seriously, magic.
- 7. Tell us about adapting your novel into a screenplay and making a movie from Jukebox.
I’m hell bent on turning Jukebox into a film. I won’t stop until it happens.
I’ve adapted the novel into a screenplay two separate times from scratch on my own—just me, a stack of Post-it-Notes, and Final Draft. Maybe some red wine, too.
What I’ve realized throughout this adaptation process is that I’m too close to the story to be able to pull it off alone. I need another writer at the table who can come in, see things I don’t, tear the work to shreds and help make it a successful script. What works on the page doesn’t necessarily work on the screen, and I’m certain I need to kill more babies and birth some new ones.
Who is that writer? That’s the important question for 2012. I have some ideas, but I haven’t made any moves yet. For the last few months, I’ve taken some time away from the story and plan on tackling it again after the New Year. I’m stoked about the upcoming months and want to make sure I make the right choice about co-writer, who I collaborate with creatively. It’s an important relationship.
- 8. You’re also involved with a reality TV cooking show in Canada. Tell us about that.
Oh we’re cooking up something sexy here in Vancouver! I have an incredible relationship with OUTtv (Canada’s gay network) and we’re collaborating on a killer cooking show. It’s called Forking Delicious and it features the recipes of an amazing chef, who is forking delicious herself. (She also just so happens to be my sexy girlfriend in real life, so lucky me.) I’m the show’s host and her silly partner/sidekick in the kitchen. We’ve already shot a pilot and are hoping to shoot the series in the spring/summer 2012.
- 9. What more can one woman accomplish? What else do you have planned?
I wish there were more hours in the day!
Lipstick & Dipstick have some cool things in the oven.
Beyond Forking Delicious, my production company, Chateau Entertainment, has some projects in the early stages of development. A web series with hints of Reno 911, a sitcom and a couple book projects (including a Jukebox sequel).
Aside from the above, there’s also something really exciting I hope to be able to announce in the spring. Right now, it’s top secret.
You can always follow that latest on my blog, which can be found on my website: http://www.ginadaggett.com
