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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Perhaps you know her best as the author of "Fried Green Tomatoes." She's Fannie Flagg and she has a new book out, "Standing In The Rainbow." It's set in a small town in Missouri, starting in 1945. Fannie Flagg joins us now from New York. Thanks very much for being with us this morning.
FANNIE FLAGG, AUTHOR: Well, my pleasure.
COOPER: Now, I heard a rumor and I don't know if this is true, that you just got a computer? You've written like you know at least two books and you haven't been writing on a computer?
FLAGG: No, I just caved in to the 21st century.
COOPER: Well, welcome. How do you like it?
FLAGG: Thanks, I love it. You know what I love most? Is spell check. I love the -- you know -- that's what I like the best.
COOPER: Now, can you move documents -- things around -- I mean, are you computer savvy now?
FLAGG: No, I can't move things around and I -- you know, unfortunately I'm still so terrified that as soon as I print a page I print it out and hang it on a clothesline because I'm scared that they'll -- lightning will hit and I'll lose everything. But I'm catching on.
COOPER: Well, wait until you discover e-mail, it's a whole new world out there.
FLAGG: Uh-oh, well, I'm waiting to go on line. I want to go and buy things next.
COOPER: Well, you're in the right place. You know, AOL is like the parent company here, so maybe there's got to be some computer nerds sitting behind you that could help you out.
FLAGG: Oh, good, good.
COOPER: So the new book, tell me about it. What's interesting about this book really is the town that this is set in really is a character in this book.
FLAGG: Yes, it is, thank you. It is -- the town of Elmwood Springs, Missouri really represents a small town everywhere. I just set it in the middle of the country because that's -- it's sort of like every little town. And, it's a typical small town America and the book starts in, as you said, in '45 and it's the story of the Smith family of Elmwood Springs and what happens to them, and Neighbor Dorothy is the mother in the family and she's a radio personality and she has a radio show in her living room.
And, so, she raises her family almost on the radio because everybody that listens to Neighbor Dorothy hears her 10-year-old son Bobby running in and out and shooting cap pistols and everything...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: I actually once did a story about a woman in Muleshoe (ph), Texas who runs a TV show out of her bedroom.
FLAGG: Really?
COOPER: Yeah, so this is -- this hits close to home, I'll definitely -- you write a lot in your books about the human condition. For you, is writing an escape book for you as an author and is that what you want for the reader?
FLAGG: Yes, what I would want for the reader most of all is to bring them into a world and give them some laughs and maybe make them say, oh, I -- that happened to me -- I understand that, oh yes, I've done that. And, basically just sort of have a laugh at the human condition, which is pretty funny, you know. We're all in it together and the characters in Elmwood Springs are pretty funny themselves.
COOPER: Well, especially nowadays with all that's going on in the world, I imagine you feel that readers need an escape.
FLAGG: Yes, and I have to say when I was writing it it as kind of lovely to go to Elmwood springs every day.
COOPER: Do you think much about a motion picture when you're writing the book? I mean, your book Fried Green Tomatoes was made into film -- actually I went to high school with Mary Stuart Masterson who was in the film.
FLAGG: Did you?
COOPER: Yes, I did, she's an old friend of mine. But, do you think much about a possible film as you're writing a book?
FLAGG: You know, Anderson, I don't. I probably should, but I think of it as a book and I'm thinking of my relationship to the reader because if I thought of it as a movie, I -- it would be a different thought process and I put about sometimes 75 to 100 people in my books, so I -- I'm obviously not thinking of a movie.
COOPER: How do you keep all those characters straight in your head -- I mean, you've got a lot of people running around in that head of yours?
FLAGG: I do. They just start talking to me, you know? They keep -- one day I'll sit down to write, and Neighbor Dorothy will decide she wants to say something, and the next day Bobbie decides he wants to say something, but...
COOPER: This isn't like a Sybil thing going on?
FLAGG: No, no. I hope not.
COOPER: All right. Well, the book is "Standing in the Rainbow." I have it right here, and I will read it, and I appreciate you joining us this morning.
FLAGG: Thank you for having me.
COOPER: All right, take care.
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