Author interview, Jim Cronin

Today we have an interview with the author of Aeon Rises,

1. Tell us about your book.

Aeon Rises is my first attempt at a Young Adult science fiction novel. I have written scifi before, but not for this age group. This is the story of a teenager, Justin Madrid. He has always believed himself to be an average, nerdy outcast kid, living in Aurora, Colorado. The only problem is his extreme migraines ever time he tries to look at any sort of electronic video screen. That is until the day the aliens tried to kill him. That was the day everything changed everything. Now, the fate of all humanity rests in his hands.

2. When did you realize that you were a writer?

Being a writer came as a complete shock to me. After I retired from 35 years as a science teacher, I started helping my brother with a book he was writing. To pass the time, we started brainstorming ideas for a book I could write. After many false starts and re-writes, The Brin Archives trilogy became a thing.

3. Do you have any books coming out this year?

Just this week, September 10, my newest book, Aeon Rises is being released on Amazon. If I can get my act together I may have another short story ready for publication in a couple of months. Time will tell.

4. If readers are looking to connect with you, what’s the best way to do it?

Any of the following social media links will work just fine to connect with me. I would love to hear from some of my readers.

My Webpage: http://jimcroninscienceedutainer.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JimCroninScienceEdutainer/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorjimcronin

 

5. What are you working on right now?

My current project is a series of short stories. In this collection, I hope to use science fiction and fantasy stories to teach actual science concepts. I believe this would be a much more interesting approach to introducing science to kids than to have them read a textbook, at least at first.

6. Tell us about submitting your book. What was that like for you?

Submitting my books is always a bit of mixed emotions. I am happy and proud of completing another novel and looking forward to seeing how it is received out in the world, but it is also a bit sad. I do miss talking with all the characters in my head when I have to move on to a new story. It actually was difficult to start something completely new after ending The Brin Archives trilogy. Those characters did not want to leave my head to make room for the new folks coming in.

7. What author would you say inspires you the most? 

Any of the old science fiction classic authors were my inspiration. I love Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, etc… Maybe someday I will develop some small fraction of their ability to weave a great tale. Don’t get me wrong, I think my work is good… those geniuses are simply several magnitudes above most everyone else.

8. Who is your current favorite author?

I currently don’t have anyone I would consider a real favorite. I read so many different genres and authors it is hard to say. I enjoy Jeff Shaara’s work tremendously, but I am mostly trying out a number of new authors, and finding some gems out there.

9. What was your first favorite book as a child?

As a very young child, anything Dr. Seuss were great, and there ws Mr. Pine’s Purple House. Then I found The Hardy Boys. During college, though, I fell in love with The Hobbit, and LOTR books. I have read each of tehm at least five times over the years.

10. What advice would you give yourself if you could go back to when you first started writing?

Get a good editor ASAP. Don’t wait until you get several dozen rejections before deciding to have a professional look over your work. My editors have been invaluable for making my good stories great.

11. What would you consider the best thing you’ve ever done for your writing career.

I am not sure there is any one thing. I am still writing only part-time since I work three days a week at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and spend a lot of time with my grandkids. If anything, I would say I have always kept it fun. I don’t try to force the writing, I simply let it come when the muses strike.

12. What would you consider the most fulfilling moment you’ve experienced as a writer?

I guess that would be the first time I saw a review from someone I did not know. It suddenly hit me that there were others out there, complete strangers, who liked my work enough to let the world know how much they enjoyed it. That was special.

13. What book would you suggest to anyone who wants to write?

I don’t have books that work for me. Instead, I would recommend joining local author groups, or attend conferences and find authors willing to talk with you. There are many. Picking the brains of established writers helped me understand my own process better and gave me tons of new ideas.

I am a retired middle school science teacher, working part-time as an educator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. I have been married for forty years to the love of my life. We raised two incredible sons, and now have four amazing grandchildren to spoil rotten.

I was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in Arlington, Virginia before moving to Denver where I attended High School and eventually college at Colorado State University, graduating with a degree in Zoology and a teacher certification. My wife and I currently live near Denver in the small town of Parker.

After writing The Brin Archives trilogy, I wanted to try my hand at reaching a new audience. The idea of a nerdy teenager with few friends suddenly learning the fate of all earth depends on him struck me as a fun scifi adventure.

Social Media Links:

My Webpage: http://jimcroninscienceedutainer.weebly.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JimCroninScienceEdutainer/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorjimcronin