Q&A: Kristin Gore

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KRISTIN GORE, DAUGHTER of ex-Vice President Al Gore, grew up in D.C. Now a writer in Los Angeles, she used her inside info on Secret Service guards, Adams Morgan bars and presidential scandals to write the satirical novel "Sammy's House" ($25, Hyperion). She reads from the tale of a White House staffer's personal and political travails July 20 at 7 p.m. at Politics & Prose (5015 Connecticut Ave. NW).

» EXPRESS: Did you know a lot of young, eager women like Sammy in D.C.?
» GORE: There were so many men and women in their 20s and 30s who were like her — idealistic and passionate. There's a stereotype of D.C. being this old, boring, stuffy town, but, really, it has this energy and vitality and all these young people in powerful positions.

» EXPRESS: You have lots of little details about working in the White House in here. What's true?
» GORE: I wanted to sprinkle in real things, like that they sedate the Thanksgiving turkey. But I also felt liberated to create a cast of characters and then ground them in a world I knew. What happens there can be stranger than fiction.

» EXPRESS: How do you know when enough satire is enough?
» GORE: There are definitely parts of this book I could've made darker, but I really was more interested in giving readers sort of a warm feeling.

» EXPRESS: Any fave D.C. books or movies?
» GORE: I haven't sampled many myself. I never watched "The West Wing," because it seemed too close to home. I read "Thank You for Smoking," and that's very funny.

» EXPRESS: I like how the book really feels like it's set here — it doesn't just rely on scenes in postcard locations.
» GORE: Yeah, I wanted to show what happens beyond the political world at bars and restaurants. But I also wanted things about the basic layout of Capitol Hill and the White House, things like details of a state dinner. I thought of D.C. as a character in and of itself.

» EXPRESS: Do you miss anything about D.C.?
» GORE: I love Rock Creek Park. And I used to spend a lot of time in Dupont Circle at Kramerbooks & Afterwords and at the Uptown Theater.

» EXPRESS: How do you like L.A.?
» GORE: In a lot of ways, L.A. feels like an alien planet. It's such a big city.

» EXPRESS: What's your writing space like in your L.A. place?
» GORE: I've had an exciting recent development at home — I have my own office! Before, I was always in the corner of the bedroom or the kitchen. My office has bright orange walls. I get a visual jolt every time I look up from the computer.

» EXPRESS: Has living in California changed how you dress?
» GORE: The weather is different, and the West Coast is more casual. You don't have to rush around in a dark suit. And as a writer, it's really easy to not leave the house and just write in pajamas.

» EXPRESS: You come from a green family — what's your carbon footprint like?
» GORE: Well, I've known Dad for a good 30 years, so living green is very ingrained for me. I try to find ways to make small differences — change light bulbs, drive a hybrid car. Every little bit helps.

Photo by Tipper Gore