Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature showcasing debut, Indie, self-published and authors who specialize in Ebook publishing. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to
JAMES HITT
Author of Carny. Find out more on the~ Web~Goodreads~
Hi Jim and welcome to TBR's....so first question first, how did you come to write CARNY?
Many years ago I wrote a story ‘Hello, Dali.’ It never quite jelled because I had trouble with the relationship between the two lead characters,yet I never let go of the basic idea. A year and a half ago, I reworked it as a carny story. It worked, and I liked the characters. I wrote another carny story and liked it, too.
I wound up writing 19 interconnected stories that make up the book. It opens in spring of 1949 as the carny is going on the road and ends in November with them returning to winter camp.
I understand that CARNY has won some awards.
One of the stories included in the book won the 2009 Best Fantasy Story from oncewritten.com. It is the only fantasy story I have ever written. The book itself won the prestigious Grand Prize for Fiction at the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
Is CARNY your first book?
I had two non-fictions books published: The American West From FictionInto Film (Mcfarland), which has been called the definitive monograph on the subject, and Words and Shadows (Citadel). Both explore literature made into films. In 2001 Adventure Books published The Last Warrior, a historical novel.
Is there a central idea that links the stories other than the carny setting?
The boss articulates when he tells one of the characters- that family is the most important thing in the world, and nobody messes with his family. The carny people are his family.What the boss feels about family and what the other carny people feel about family are, I believe, universal themes.
Do you have any experience dealing with Carny life?
My father’s second wife was a carny person. During two summers when I was a teenager, she took me with her on the circuit. Each time I worked only a couple of weeks, but I saw their lives first hand. It was a different world with a different code of ethics that I found fascinating and enlightening.
Which do you prefer writing—fiction or non-fiction?
Each has its own rewards. Right now I have a proposal for a non-fiction book all set to go.
Any other projects planned?
I am in the middle of writing a screenplay with an actor who already has several producers interested. I am also about a third of the way through anew novel based on carny life. Another novel that is complete is going through a final edit with my read and critique group. In addition, I publish an onlineliterary magazine, Straitjackets Magazine (straitjacketsmagazine.com). Weaccept new and established writers in all fields.
What advice would you give a young writer?
Read, read, read. Everything and anything. Take classes, attend conferences. I really advise any writer, beginning or advanced, to join a good read and critique group.
** Thanks James for stopping by on this Thanksgiving weekend to share those few thoughts. Best of luck on your future projects!!
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GIVEAWAY
Today James is giving away a brand new copy of his book Carny. To enter please just leave a comment. Winner will be drawn Dec 3, 2011.
Carny by James Hitt
In1949, Warbling Brothers Road Show and Circus travels the back roads of Southern California, playing towns from Lompoc to Palm Springs. As it breaks winter camp and heads south from Richmond, THE BOSS hires Sojourn Parker, just released from San Quentin, to work with the gazonie, those potheads or winos or ex-cons who were the part of every such circus / carnival, big or small. But when Parker begins to take advantage of the other gazonie, the Boss deals with him in the carny way, having the ex-con tossed off the train while moving at full speed. Later when Parker reappears, he complains that he was only fleecing the gazonie. In this the Boss sets up a reoccurring theme......The carney is family, and family takes care of its own.......
*please note: Questions and Answers were provided by Mr. Hitt.
** Carny Photo Credit- http://www.myspace.com/armitagephineasshanks
This looks awesome. Count me in please:) Thanks!!
ReplyDeletenatashajennex(at)gmail.com
Sounds like a good read and not a subject that I have seen tackled before.
ReplyDeleteIf the giveaway is open worldwide, please enter me.
Thanks.
Carol T
buddytho {at} gmail DOT com
Carny is one of the best and most beautiful books I've ever read. I read it around the same time I read Stephen King's Joyland, and thought Carny was far better. I really hope he does a sequel.
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