The RV Book Fair 2026: Interview with Lyle Greenfield

Your career has taken you from advertising and music production to winemaking and authorship. Looking back, how have these different experiences shaped the storyteller you've become?

I think in some ways they must have. My imagination has always taken me places where I didn’t always belong. Meaning, to an objective observer it might seem counterintuitive that someone who doesn’t play a musical instrument would start a music production company. Or someone who had never grown grapes or made wine would plant a vineyard and build a winery. But these thoughts, which became obsessions, for me they had to be brought to life. If something you’ve imagined or dreamed of stays inside your brain, there is no experience to be had, good or bad. There’s safety in inaction! But take those dreams out of your head and make them a reality, for me that’s when life is lived.

Your 2024 book, "Uniting the States of America: A Self-Care Plan for a Wounded Nation," explores one of today’s most challenging topics—divisions in our society and how those divisions can be healed. Such an important idea! And now you’ve just released your first novel, “My Meeting With Putin.” Tell us about it and what inspired you to write this very unusual story.

Well another unlikely idea became an obsession of mine and I simply had to pursue it in a story. It began about a year ago, reading about President Trump’s meeting with President Putin at the airport in Anchorage, Alaska. This so-called summit was going to be a discussion about ending the war in Ukraine. Instead it felt more like a photo opportunity for the two presidents, and I think it’s safe to say that nothing concrete came out of that meeting. The war has only intensified since then, with massive destruction and death on both sides. At that time I thought, What would I say if I could meet with Putin? And that became the core of the story. But first, I had to imagine a plausible way that I might actually get a meeting. It was fun putting that puzzle piece together!

And what was it you would say–or did say–to President Putin? And did he listen?

Without revealing the whole story here, I will give you the crux of my message. I suggested negotiations that had taken place always involved terms that were unacceptable to both sides. Ukraine being asked to give up its land, Russia being asked to stop the war and withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Thus, the war continues with no end in sight. I asked President Putin to consider the possibility that the embattled territories in Ukraine be turned into a completely new, neutral country, much like Switzerland. A country where both Russian and Ukrainian languages and cultures are preserved. Where borders are opened, sanctions lifted, tensions between East and West are relaxed. In the novel he seems both combative yet curious about the possibility of what I’ve suggested.

The very idea of creating a new country that is peacefully tied to both Russia and Ukraine is a fascinating concept. And Putin said “Maybe I will consider this”?

All I’ll say is that he was unwilling to appear weak, or that he had given up his quest to bring Ukraine back to Mother Russia. First he required an agreement in principle from NATO, and then from President Zelensky. Things don’t happen quickly in the geopolitical realm!

You’ve written fiction, nonfiction, short stories, and memoirs, including "What Vienna Saw" and "1000 Days in St. Barth." How does writing nonfiction differ from creating fictional worlds? 

I think the main difference is that nonfiction requires more research. A firm grasp of the subject matter and its backstory and history, if you will. For me, the similarity between the two is that each requires a clear idea of what is to be conveyed, whether an idea for the story in the case of fiction, or the reasoning that inspired the nonfiction. In my case the writing style is similar no matter the subject matter. People have told me they know my “voice” when they read something I’ve written. Well I have no choice–there is no other voice at this point!

Your background includes founding the first winery on the South Fork of Long Island and building a successful music production company. What have entrepreneurship and creativity taught you about resilience?

I leveraged everything I owned and earned to plant the vineyard and build a winery. In the end, after 15 years, we had to close the doors. The business could not support the expenses. In spite of the financial pain and sleepless nights, that period gave me some of the most memorable experiences and deep friendships of my life. And it made other things I’ve ventured into, from music production to writing, seem so much easier. Like, just get out of bed and do it! So, yeah, resilience comes from realizing that experience, and risk, are part of what being alive is about.

Many readers feel overwhelmed by today's social and political climate. What practical advice from your “Uniting the States” book can people begin applying in their own lives today?

I wish I could say that “Nine out of ten clinical psychologists, teachers and elected officials recommend Greenfield’s book!” But alas… Yes, these are overwhelming times in the social and political worlds. But here are a few thoughts: 1) Don’t get all of your news from just one source. Make an effort to understand what others with whom you may disagree are hearing and reading. 2) Vote. Do not “sit out” an election. Participate in the great gift that our democracy gives us: the right to vote. 3) Don’t accept the name-calling and labeling that many elected officials fall back on. Know where they stand on the issues that matter most to you. 4) Be proud of our founding documents, and that they’ve kept us together as a nation for 250 years. And think about where you’d like to see our country by the time of our tricentennial!

What projects are you currently working on, and what message would you like readers to carry with them after reading your work? 

I’m exploring the possibility of creating a story around the approach of America’s Tricentennial. So far, it’s quite a challenge because I’d need to incorporate projections of what might come to be fifty years from now, from technology to renewable energy, the state of our Union and the world order. Not an easy topic! Regarding my “message” to readers? Don’t let these divisive times darken your spirit. Keep the light on in your heart and do what you might to make sure there’s a good home waiting for the ones who come after us.

Lyle Greenfield is an author, advertising creative, music producer, and former winemaker whose varied career has often taken him “off script.” He founded Bang Music and served as president of the Association of Music Producers. His books include *The Soul Mate Expeditions*, *1000 Days in St. Barth*, and *Uniting the States of America*. His latest novel, *My Meeting with Putin*, imagines a radical approach to ending the war in Ukraine.

Find out more at www.lylejgreenfield.com.

Interview published in The Relatable Voice Magazine - The RV Book Fair 2026 - Special. Download the full magazine for free at The RV Book Fair | Relatable Media.