Please welcome fellow agency author, Jim Cangany...




1.)            What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was little, I wanted what so many boys wanted--to be a professional ball player. When I reached my teen years, I fell in love with rock 'n roll and wanted to be a disc jockey. The thought of spinning records and getting paid to do it was the most exciting thing imaginable. If you've ever seen WKRP in Cincinnati, the sitcom from the '80s, I totally wanted to be Doctor Johnny Fever.

2.)            Coffee, tea or hot chocolate?

I'm a tea person. I like an Earl Gray or English Breakfast tea to get me moving in the morning. Green tea is fabulous on a warm, sunny afternoon. You can't be a nice chamomile or herbal tea in the evening to wind down.

3.)            What genre do you typically read? Why?

I read a little bit of everything. Growing up, I was a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy, and I still love those stories today. My sons are eighteen and thirteen, so I enjoy young adult, especially John Green, who lives in the same city, Indianapolis, as me! I couldn't call myself a romance author if I didn't read in the genre, so I read my fair share of contemporary and romantic suspense.

4.)            Share a favourite childhood memory.

Oh, wow. It's hard to pick one, but if I had to choose, I'll never forget visiting Disney World when I was thirteen. I got to bring my best friend along and the two of us had the best time ever.

5.)            Do you have any shameless addictions? ie. Tea, Books, Shoes, Clothes?

Without a doubt, my guilty pleasure is Reese's Pieces. You simply cannot beat that thin layer of chocolate surrounding the morsel of peanut butter. I could eat them all day, non-stop.

6.)            What do you think is the biggest challenge of writing a new book?

I write contemporary romance, so for me the biggest challenge is getting my facts correct. For example, in the story I'm currently working on, the heroine is a triathlete. Starting off, I knew a little about triathlons, but not nearly enough to be convincing, so I spent hours researching everything about triathlons, from where the events are held to what kind of shoes triathletes wear. But you know what? If I don't do my research and end up getting something wrong, I guarantee you I'll be called out on it. So yeah, research is a challenge, and I am so thankful for the internet!  


7.)            Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages a day?

I have a full-time day job, so my goal is 500 words per work day and 1,000 words per weekend day. It's not a lot, but over the course of a year, those words really add up.

8.)            What are your thoughts on writing a book series?

For me, it's very natural. The first three books I wrote make up the North Star Trilogy. I'm currently working on a new series that, if all goes as planned, will include four books. While I certainly have nothing against standalone books, I think there is a comfort level writing, and reading, books in a series that you simply can't get from individual stories. With a series, you have the opportunity to develop characters and a world in such a way that simply isn't possible in a single book.

Author Bio

Jim Cangany started writing when he could no longer ignore the persistent voices in his head who demanded to be let out. He was a hundred pages into his first manuscript when he realized he was writing was a love story. He went with it, and has found his niche writing contemporary romance novels.

He lives in Indianapolis with his saint of a wife, Nancy, sons Seamus and Aidan, and the princess of the house, kitty-cat Maria. You can find him on the web at http://jimcangany.com 

Social Media Links
Twitter - @JimCangany




Fallen Star Blurb           
When ordinary guy, E.J. McCarty, crosses paths with not-so-ordinary Annie Wilson, extraordinary things happen. For E.J., it’s the start of a great adventure. For Annie, it’s an escape from colossal failure. But thanks to fate--and Amtrak--they’re thrust together on the cross-country ride of their lives.
E.J. and Annie like each other, so what’s the problem? Rock star/actress Cassandra Lawrence is the problem. Despite their obvious attraction to each other, Cassandra’s history in show biz and distrustful nature conspire to keep them apart.
Can E.J. break down the walls Cassandra has built around Annie? Can Annie learn to trust E.J. enough to let him even try? And what’s with E.J.’s bizarre dreams about the North Star? From Chicago, through the heartland and all the way to the Malibu Pier, they struggle to accept that while faith, hope and love are important, trust is the key to the future.
Excerpt
"And here we are," Annie said as she dropped her purse in a window seat. Our seats were in business class, about two-thirds of the way down the train car on the right. She pointed above us to the baggage storage area. "Would you mind?"
"Not at all, least I can do." I lifted her luggage over my head and placed it in the storage compartment. I gave the train car a once over, taking it all in, and okay I admit it, stalling. For some reason, it seemed that sitting down next to Annie was going to create some kind of commitment or bond or I don't know what, between us. Or maybe I was just chicken. Here I was, a grown man and I was scared to sit down next to a pretty girl. How weak was that?
Fortunately, Annie came to my rescue.
"Here, come join me." She patted the empty seat cushion next to her.
I may be chicken, but I'm not stupid. When a pretty girl asks you to sit next to her, you do it. I sat down and dropped my backpack between my legs. Looking around, I continued to study our train car and the other passengers that were finding their seats. The car seemed like a cross between a charter bus that you might take on a big group trip and an airplane, with an aisle down the middle and two roomy seats on one side, a single seat on the other. The windows were large to provide for great views once we got out of the station.
"Not bad. This business class is nice. I've never taken a train before, so this is all new to me."
"Really." Sarcasm dripped off each letter of the word. "The way your head won't stop turning this way and that, it's a wonder you haven't gotten motion sick or something."
"And I take it you're an experienced train traveler?"
She nodded. "I've done train travel from time to time. It can be a nice alternative to flying or driving."
The train lurched forward and we began our trip to St. Louis. "Wow, good to know I'm in such experienced hands. So where are you headed?"
Annie looked out the window. "Home."
The way she said that single word, so wistfully, almost sorrowfully, told me I shouldn't intrude, but I couldn't help myself. She’d told me that she lived on the West Coast, but that was an awfully big area. "And where might that be?"
She started playing with a lock of hair by her ear. "Southern California, L.A. area."
"Nice. So what do you do there?"
"Oh, I run my own business. It's similar to a consulting thing."
She sounded tired, as if whatever she did, she didn't truly enjoy it. I was going to ask her more, but she leaned her seat back and closed her eyes.
"Please don't take offense, E.J., but I'm kind of tired. I think I'm going to try to catch a little nap. Do me a favor. If I'm still asleep, wake me before we get to Bloomington please. I'd like to… Oh, you'll do that for me, yes?"
"No problem." I reached down, unzipped by backpack, and pulled out a red sweatshirt emblazoned with the yellow and blue logo of Cycles Forever, the bike shop back in Indy where I'd gotten my start. "Here, use this for a pillow."
She stuck out her hand, took it without opening her eyes and placed her under her head. "Thanks." She turned toward the window. "You're a nice guy. Wish more people were like you."
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7 comments

  1. Oh, yes, Johnny Fever! Good interview, Jim.

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    1. Thanks, Liz! Yeah, the good doctor was a blast. :-)

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  3. Thanks co much for having me today, Rachel. I appreciate it!

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  4. I can see the resemblance to Johnny Fever! ;) Great interview.

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer! :-) Believe it or not, I spent a half dozen or so years as a DJ, doing wedding receptions, birthday parties, things like that. It was a lot of fun.

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  5. Thanks so much for having me today, Rachel. Appreciate it!

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