LO: Thank you very much for sitting down with me to talk about your new website.
I know we've been meaning to do this for a while...

M: Yes, I've been having some technical issues with the site and I figured, I have to be true to my public and make sure what they see at least is reasonable before I worry about jazzing up the extras.

LO: How did you come up with the idea of having a website to give advice... Where did you get the idea?

M: Well having the name Malice lends itself to a few different cliches: "Go Ask Malice", "Malice in Wonderland," "Malice Aforethought", its not really your everyday average name. So, as a result I've been dogged throughout my life by people with "brilliant" suggestions of how I could translate my name into more of a brand. People have suggested me writing books, starting bands, all of them revolving around some cute play on the name Malice. So that was really the beginning... In fact, I believe it was my friend Lindsay Sullivan from New York who initially introduced me to the idea of "Go Ask Malice", although she wanted it to be the name of my first novel as opposed to this current incarnation.

But I think that what we're doing here is great. I've always been someone that everyone came to for advice, I've always been the "listener", whether I wanted to be in that position or not... I wouldn't necessarily seek out people who needed advice, they would more come to me and for some reason felt that I was some sort of a  kindred spirit and that I would, for one thing, hear them out and then in addition give some sound advice. So, that started fairly early and then as I got more into it and actually enjoyed the role of advice giver, I started working on my advice skills and making sure that I was true to myself in the opinions that I distributed to others. And I feel that the website is the next step in that direction.

LO: What qualifies you to give advice? I mean, what is it that makes people come to you?

M: That's actually 2 very different questions: What qualifies me to give advice isn't that much. I'm certainly not a medical doctor, or degreed in any way toward this end. But I feel that I do have a lot of experience, you know, "playing shrink" to all my friends and family. And I see the website as a chance to branch out to the public and test myself to find out if I really am good at giving advice or just good at being a know-it-all, which could also be the case...

As for why people come to me for advice, that is something that always confused me. I wasn't the most popular girl in high school, I was a bit of a rebel without a cause type. And being not that popular it wasn't that everyone was constantly striking up a conversation with me but for some reason when they had something on their mind they would seek me out. Nowadays I think its because I have had so much experience giving advice, I think my friends know that about me, so when they need to make a large decision or they need to weigh options then they choose to ask me about it.

LO: Because of how approachable you were?

M: Well that, and also my tenacity... you know, I kept giving out the advice whether they asked for it or not and eventually they started to want it. It's like a drug.

LO: Oh I see, you'd give them the first taste for free until they're hooked.

LO: Who do you turn to for advice?

M: I'm constantly worrying about my career path and if its right for me and if what I'm doing is ethical and correct. I kinda do have a lot of problems that I often turn to others for advice on. The problem that I run into is that I ask for advice already anticipating what I think the answer should be, so when people tell me something I don't want to hear, or give me the opposite advice of what I would recommend in that case, I tend to think that they're wrong or just trying to fuck with me.

In particular I would say my two closest confidantes that I would turn to for advice are my friends Jessica and Lindsay (Bench) because they are both very practical, they don't really give in to the emotional or abstract side of things. If you ask them a question about baked bread, you know you won't get an answer about seahorses.

I try to go to someone who I consider an expert on the particular subject. For example if I have a question on car insurance or medical insurance or taxes I would ask my dad because he knows a lot about logistics, finances. Or on the other hand if its about following my dream or doing something that will really pay off emotionally, then I would go to my mom because she's the one who's always fostered my creative side.

LO: What's the subject matter that you often need advice on?

M: Moving (cities or apartments) and career path,  especially when it comes to quitting a job or ask for a raise.

LO: Can you put a Rubix Cube back together to it's original design?

M: Absolutely not.

LO: Can you give an example of advice you gave that backfired?

M: Well I remember the first time I actually gave advice along these lines... where someone was coming to me because they genuinely thought I could help them. I was a senior in high school and one of my classmates had developed a crush on an underclassman and the underclassman was the younger sister of this guy's friend.  So as you can imagine it was a difficult situation because this guy had a crush on a younger girl, and in high school the age discrepancy can really make a difference. And then on top of that there were friendship issues as well... And my first thought on the subject was "why the hell is this person coming to me for advice??", I certainly didn't have any special knowledge or connection to any of the people involved, but I think the advice seeker was just feeling lost and unqualified to deal with the situation and was just reaching out to someone who he thought could help. I think that in that situation, it probably didn't work out since high school romances rarely do...

LO: Do you identify with Lucy from Peanuts?

M: Yes, definitely, in more ways than one... but remember, her advice costs 5 cents, whereas mine is free, so I feel that I have one up on her.

LO: Do you believe in free will?

M: I am the only creature in the universe with free will... everyone else was sent here to test me.

LO: I heard a rumor that you're truly outrageous? Any truth to it?

M: Truly, truly, truly outrageous

LO: What advice would you give to someone starting an advice website?

M: DON'T! There's already too much competition!