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Interview – Jim Cronin

– When did you start writing stories/novels, what moved you to start writing?

I began writing after I retired, about five years ago. My brother was writing a book and I was helping critiques some of his ideas. After a while, he challenged me to write something, so we brainstormed some ideas, and Hegira was the result.

– In what genres do you write? Do you plan writing in other genres?

Science fiction is my genre. I taught science for thirty-five years and read a lot of scifi, so it was only natural for me to start off writing something I had familiarity with.

– Tell us about your novels. Why should everyone buy them?

The Brin Archives trilogy is a unique universe, inhabited by beings I have never encountered in other science fiction novels. In fact, my concept of the Brin is something I cannot find anywhere, despite years of looking. While the plots may be somewhat familiar to many readers, my reviewers confirm that my approach is different from others and takes many unexpected twists. The worlds I have created are fully fleshed out yet leave room for the reader to use his or her imagination. The characters are flawed and believable, even those who have powerful abilities. There is enough high tech to satisfy hard-core scifi fans, but the focus of the story is always on the characters. Looking back at this paragraph, it seems to be a bit of bragging on my part, but these are not really my words. This is what many of those who have reviewed my books have to say. Who am I to argue?

– What is your all-time favorite novel? What makes it special?

My all time favorite novel is not actually science fiction. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and The Hobbit are books I must have read at least ten times since I was a teenager. In the scifi genre, anything Isaac Asimov, especially the Foundation series, or Orson Scott Card, Enders Game, are at the top of my list.

– Tell us a bit about your writing process.

I have tried to categorize my writing style by listening to what other authors say are typical, but I am just a mash-up of many different styles. I do a little outlining, and some seat-of-the-pants, but mostly I just listen to the voices in my head and write down what they tell me they are doing and how they are feeling. This may sound strange, but I have actually heard some other authors say similar things about how they write. Any time I have tried to write what I think should happen, I run into blocks and stall out, but when I let my mind wander and let the characters in, the story flows. I am frequently amazed about where the plot goes when this happens, almost never anything I planned to write about.

– What author would you love to have dinner with?

I think I might want to sit down with John Scalzi. I love his wit and humor in the books I have read. He seems like someone who would be a lot of fun.

– Tell us about your hobbies and passions other than writing.

I enjoy bike riding, and fly fishing, but mostly, I love talking about science with others. I enjoy teaching science to kids and adults, which is why I now work part-time at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. As an educator/performer there, I get to teach about science in totally fun and imaginative ways. If you want to see what I look like as an astronaut on Mars, or a Galileo groupie recreating one of the great scientist’s experiments, take a look at my website.

– We have many followers who would like to start writing a book or are already writing their first novel, any advice for these brave people?

Share your thoughts and writing with others and listen to their feedback. You don’t have to change everything they say, but others out there are gold mines of new ideas. Also, be persistent. I received over a hundred rejections and spent two years revising and improving my first book as I learned how to write a good story that others would enjoy reading before being accepted by my current publisher. If I can do this, so can you.

– How often do you write, daily, every other day or?

Since I still work part-time, and have grandchildren I spend time with, my writing schedule is somewhat erratic. I have been known to go two weeks without writing anything, but then spend three days straight, eight to ten hours a day in front of my computer typing away.

– Do you keep a notebook with ideas for your novels? If so do you carry the notebook with you so you won’t forget any ideas?

Not really. I do brainstorm ideas with my brother and will take a few notes of some of the better ideas we come up with, but I have never been a note taker type.

– How important is research when writing your books?

I do research some of the more technically involved science concepts I use in my books. I don’t actually use the technology as is, but I will learn enough, then modify it to what could be and then adapt that to my universe. I always try to base the technology in my books on something real enough to be believable in my books, even if I do a lot of stretching the concepts, or take a not very common theory and make it something standard. For example, Cosmic Strings are a real thing, and, theoretically at least, have been suggested as a possibility for time travel. I just took that and made them as the best possible time-travel device and even turned them into something more as the books grew.

– What are you reading at the moment?

I am always reading at least two books. Currently, I am listening to Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson, and reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein.

– Certainly, you have had some interesting episodes as an author, fans related or others, share one of them with us.

I recently attended the Denver ComicCon to sell some of my books. Amid all of the negativity in the world right now, it was a breath of fresh air to see tens of thousands of people just enjoying themselves, dressing p in such creative interpretations of scifi and fantasy characters and having such a good time. Sharing our love of science fiction stories as I talked to many who stopped buy to ask about my books was so much fun!. I came away feeling completely refreshed and enjoyed my time completely.

– A final message for our circleofbooks.com readers.

It is always tempting to stay with authors you know. Books are not so cheap anymore and I know you want at least some faith that you will enjoy something you spend your hard-earned dollars on. All I ask is that, from time-to-time, you take a chance on a new author. There are so many great stories out there that you will be pleasantly surprised.

Thank you Jim Cronin. We at circleofbooks.com wish you much success!

Click here to visit the author’s page here on circleofbooks.com

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