Interview with Terron James

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1: Would you rather listen to the Beatles or LMFAO?
LMFAO for sure, although I’ll readily admit that I only know Party Rock Anthem. I’m no DJ, that’s for sure. I grew up listening to the Beatles because my brother was obsessed with the oldies music, but they never snagged my interest. That being said, I still use the phrase, “Bang, bang, Maxwell’s silver hammer came down on…” in everyday conversation. Maxwell smashes whatever is irritating me at that moment. If he can’t accomplish it, then I pass the smashing on to Hulk.

2: How long did it take you to write your book?
2 years to write, 3 years to edit.

3: Who is your favorite character in your book and why?
Hands down, Tarek Ascennor. I grow so tired of conforming to social faux pas all the time. Tarek couldn’t care less what people think of him. In his own words, “If I was hungry, I ate. If I was thirsty, I drank. When I had to pee, I found a tree. If someone made me angry, I pummeled them.”

4: Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks?
Usually salty, especially in the form of chips and popcorn. However, if the mood catches me right, you’ll find me sneaking handfuls of gummy bears.

5: What authors do you look up to and why?
This is going to sound so cliché, but it’s true. I look up to all of them! Before starting my own novel, I never understood the commitment and sacrifices necessary to write a full book. I give a standing ovation to everyone who has accomplished it!

6: Which author do you think you write like the most?
My wife says I’m most like Shannon Hales, and I know better than to disagree with her.

7: What’s your favorite food?
Hrm… lately, nothing. Eating and sleeping use up so much valuable time that could be invested into more important tasks. But, I’d probably choose my wife’s homemade salsa.

8: What’s your favorite movie?
I love, Love, LOVE movies, all different kinds for all different reasons. I especially love well done series. So, my favorite is The Lord of the Rings (you probably saw this coming).

9: If your book was turned into a movie, who would you cast for the main characters?
Good actors/actresses. *snicker* I’m more concerned about the writing and directing. I’ve seen too many books ruined by bad scripts. No amateur directors for INSIGHT! The music is pretty important to me, too. I’d for sure snag Harry Gregson-Williams for the soundtrack.

10: Describe your book in one sentence.
Wow. I’ve never been asked to do this before, and I hate this question! I wanna talk about INSIGHT for pages! *grumble* Alright, let me give this a shot, without creating a massive run-on sentence…
“When Lon’s uncontrollable magic begins to kill him, he is forced to make countless impossible decisions, one of which is whether or not to join the sworn enemies of his kingdom.”

11: What kind of interaction do you hope to see from your fans?
Viral! (Did you hear that, Crystal? Let me say it again. VIRAL!) My wife hates that word because I’ve been obsessed with it lately, but can you blame me? Every author dreams of their book become viral, where the readers love it so much that they share it with their friends. It eases our marketing burden, frees up our writing time, and pours money into our empty pockets!

12: Would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?
I seriously laughed out loud at this one. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m a total extrovert. In fact, I don’t even know if introvert is a real word. *wink*

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James is an English teacher and a member and recent president of the
Tooele Chapter of the League of Utah Writers. He currently lives in
Tooele, Utah, with his wife and four kids.

13: If you could meet anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
My wife asked me this question last week, putting aside typical religious answers and the obvious answer of my brother who died in 1995. I had to think for a long time, but my first non-fiction choice was my 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Peterson. My passion for literature stems from him. Maybe the stars are trying to talk to me. I should try to look him up.