About Evan


Evan Marc Katz is one of America's leading dating and relationship experts. Prior to writing “Why You're Still Single: Things Your Friends Would Tell You If You Promised Not to Get Mad” he was the founder of online dating profile writing service E-Cyrano.com and author of bestseller, “I Can't Believe I'm Buying this Book: A Commonsense Guide to Successful Internet Dating”.

He has been featured in publications including The New York Times Magazine, Time, Newsweek, and USA Today and has been seen on television programs including The Today Show, Extra, CNN Showbiz Tonight, The Greg Behrendt Show, and MSNBC's Wall St. Journal Report.

Evan lives in Los Angeles and currently divides his time writing, working as a private dating coach, and consulting with various online dating companies.

For more information, visit his web site at www.evanmarckatz.com.

About Linda


Linda Holmes is a writer from the frozen tundra of Bloomington, Minnesota, where she writes for Television Without Pity and MSNBC.com, in addition to holding down a day job and making frequent trips out for overpriced coffee. She also is the maveness of Frolic and Detour, where you can read about her friends and, if you look through the archives, the night she met Evan.

Interview with Evan for the MySpace Book Club

What inspired you to write this book?
I was in love with a woman who broke my heart and started getting introspective. What had I done wrong? What could I do differently? That kinda stuff. At a certain point, it occurred to me that all of my ex's would benefit from the same type of introspection – looking in the mirror, taking responsibility for the things within their control. I had a basic outline for Why You're Still Single 24 hours later.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Since this is a non-fiction book and I've never done a shred of research, yes, everything in this book is based on reality. I've always said that anyone could have written a book called “Why You're Still Single”; I just was the one who did. If you're single for long enough, you're bound to see these patterns of behavior repeat in your partners. I just thought it was useful to attempt to answer this very important question in a logical and constructive way.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
The message of our book is certainly NOT that there's anything wrong with being single. I've very much enjoyed my single life and I expect that most of our readers would say the same. Rather, it's that if your goal is to fall in love and get married, and the only reason you think you haven't is because you just haven't met the right person, there's a lot more to consider. We open the book with Benjamin Franklin's definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. That, to a degree, describes most people's dating patterns. My writing partner and I just wanted to call attention to some negative patterns of behavior in a friendly, and hopefully, funny, way.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?
I'm a comedy writer, first and foremost. It's what brought me to Los Angeles ten years ago and it's what makes me happiest. I have produced credits for VH1 and Nickelodeon and have had multiple screenplays optioned, including one that finished in the Top 3 in the first Project Greenlight contest and another that has Jaime Pressly attached to star. So while I've had some success with my two non-fiction dating books, narrative storytelling and getting laughs has always been the most fun.

Do you see writing as a career?
I define myself as a writer, but I also understand that writing can't always be a full-time job. It's the money thing. Selling books has been a lot easier than selling screenplays, but it doesn't pay nearly as well. That said, it's given me a lot of media exposure on places like the Today Show, Extra, and CNN, which allows both my consulting company, E-Cyrano.com and my online dating coaching business to thrive.

What are your current projects?
I'm working on an hour-long TV pilot – sort of a Moonlighting meets Ally McBeal type show. I'm plotting an outline for an eBook. And I'm always open to intelligent, driven people who have innovative business ideas. I'm a firm believer that two heads are better than one.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
The only thing that any writer wants is for people to listen. So thanks for listening. And if you smiled, nodded or laughed out loud at any point in time, I'm thrilled.