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
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."
Buy Links
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DEQA0W0
Barnes
& Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fallen-star-jim-cangany/1115662744?ean=2940016420240
Oh, yes, Johnny Fever! Good interview, Jim.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz! Yeah, the good doctor was a blast. :-)
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ReplyDeleteThanks co much for having me today, Rachel. I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteI can see the resemblance to Johnny Fever! ;) Great interview.
ReplyDeleteThanks, 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.
DeleteThanks so much for having me today, Rachel. Appreciate it!
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