Cafe Chit Chat: John Ford

John is the awesome author of The Morgue and Me [Click HERE for review]. John is also a law school graduee, by attending both Standford and the University of Michigan Law School.

Now onto the interview...

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Wdebo: Can you describe a typical day?

John Ford: The typical day, as it’s supposed to happen, is this: work out at the gym, work the “day job,” write for three hours, have dinner or meet up with friends, bed. This happens about 3% of the time. I’m taking a month-long break between “day jobs,” and here’s how today went. Write for two hours Put together that IKEA entertainment center that I’ve been meaning to get to for three months now Get a gift for my friends one-year old baby Try to writeGet distracted by reading a friend’s screenplayDeal with reservations for fall travelEmail friend with comments on screenplayTonight: pub trivia with friends

W: How did you come up with your idea for The Morgue and Me?

J: I wanted to write a traditional-feeling detective novel with a young main character. All of the usual occupations you might see—cop, private investigator, etc.--were out of bounds to an 18 year-old, so I just started thinking about how a kid might stumble across a serious crime. A part-time job at the morgue seemed perfect. I really built the mystery around that setting and character.

W: Are any of the characters based on someone you know?

J: Can I plead the fifth? Actually, seriously, none of the characters are based on real people. Though, I suppose, there’s a little bit of me in all of them—which is a very scary thought.

W: What is your favorite thing to do (apart from writing)?

J: I love to go running. It’s a bit like writing—a solitary activity that can sometimes feel like torture, and often takes the wind out of you. But when you’re in the groove, there’s nothing like it.

W: What's your favorite color?

J: Blue. Light blue. (Imagine me saying this like “Bond, James Bond.”)

W: If you were stranded on an island and could only bring five things what would they be?

J: I suppose it’d be cheating to bring a power-boat, map, and plentiful supplies of food and gasoline?

Okay . . . running shoes, a good falafel sandwich, a fountain pen, a bathrobe from the Ritz-Carlton, and a copy of The Great Gatsby.

W: Who is your favorite superhero and why?

J: Either Aquaman, because I used to be a swimmer, or The Green Lantern, because the name is so cool. (Though, actually, the Green Lantern is a whole group of superheroes, so Aquaman it is.)

W: Who are some authors you look up to?

J: Nancy Werlin and Ned Vizinni are two YA authors I admire greatly.

W: Do you have a new project you are working on? And if so, can you tell us a bit about it?

J: Yes, and no. Not to be all mysterious or anything, but it’s not quite finished enough for me to go off blabbing about it. I’ll say this: it’s a thriller-type book that, at the moment, I feel very good about.

W: I know a lot of my blog readers are writers. Do you have any tips to share to aspiring authors?

J: Read, read, and read—you soak up so much about writing that way, without even knowing it. The other thing I would say is to be careful about drawing from your own life too much. Make sure what you’re writing about is just as interesting to other people as it is to you.

W: What is your FAVORITE book in the world, the one that you think everyone should read before they die?

J: Too hard! I said that I’d take The Great Gatsby with me to the island, so I guess I’m going with that. I read Stephen King’s The Stand when I was in high school and it floored me. Back then, I would have picked that one.

W: What is one thing that not many people know about you?

J: I hardly ever return my library books on time. Sorry, Cleveland Park Library! For the record, though, I do pay all my late fees.

W: Do you enjoy watching movies if so, do you have a movie you absolutely cannot stop watching?

J: I absolutely love movies. I have a thing for movies that take you on a head trip, like Memento or Being John Malcovich, but those aren’t to everyone’s taste so don’t necessarily take that as a recommendation.

W: Finally, do you have anything else you want to say?

J: I think you know all my secrets now, so I’m good. Thanks so much for having me!

W: Thanks for letting me interview you!

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Check out John's Goodreads page HERE

Remember, if you comment on this post you recieve TWO extra entrees for the GIANT blogoversery bash contest HERE. Where one of the prizes you can win is a signed hardback copy of The Morgue and Me. Check it out!!

Wdebo :)