Special Guest Post by Johnny Kregar
James J. Caterino is the author of the exciting, new, epic, dystopian action-adventure novel, “Caitlin Star”.
Caterino never reveals anything in all of
those “about the author” sections on Goodreads, Amazon etc., claiming he is
“far too intimidated to try and compete with the charmed lives, idyllic families, and trophy cases of
accolades” often listed by other
authors. So as a cheap substitute we hijacked his blog for this column to bring
you a few mundane morsels of information about the notoriously elusive musclebound
writer.
Screenplays
Both “Gunner Star” (2004) and “She” (2005) were written as
screenplays. The screenplay version of “She” was much more of a
horror/supernatural story and was written under the title “Steel Phantom”. The
screenplay was runner-up in the Cosgrove-Meurer Productions People’s Picture
Show Best Screenplay Contest of 2002.
Action Writing
Caterino is best known for the colorful writing of his
riveting action sequences. He has said the biggest influences on his
action-oriented pros and breathless pacing are comic books, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, James
Cameron films—especially “T2” and “Aliens”—and the little known and underrated
1985 William Friedkin action film noir “To Live and Die in LA”.
Barbarian Bastards
There was an explosion of barbarian themed sword & sorcery
books in the 1970’s after the re-discovery of Robert E. Howard by way of the
Lancer reprints and the magnificent Frank Frazetta paintings that seared across
the covers. The influence of this sub-genre of action fantasy literature hangs
over Caterino’s work like a primal mist of savage desire.
Let’s Get Physical
One thing you can be sure of when entering a James J.
Caterino creation it will be physical. There will be lots of muscle, encounters
of the flesh, and often straight-up training sequences described in reverential
pros. Below is a picture the obsessed author posted on his Instagram—taken
shortly after his 15th birthday and one from when he was 19.
The Beastmaster
The author is a staunch supporter of animal welfare. His
Twitter and Facebook feeds often have retweets and reposts from the causes he
supports, including Great Ape sanctuaries such as Save the Chimps, ChimpanzeeSanctuary Northwest, and Center for Great Apes.
Favorite Things
Judging by this blog, his Examiner columns and YouTube
Channel, Caterino digs his pop culture and embraces several self-indulgent geeky
pursuits including movie and television soundtracks. Some of these favorites are taken right of personal "Best" lists posted by the hirsute scribe. In others we used are own subjective criteria based on the Supergirl obsessed author's writings.
Favorite Movie – Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Favorite Actor – Michael Douglas
Favorite Director - Steven Spielberg
Favorite Actress – Mia Kirshner
Favorite Band – Garbage
Favorite Soundtrack - “Total Recall” by Jerry Goldsmith
Favorite Sword - Crusader Bastard
Favorite Guilty Pleasure – "Supergirl"
Favorite Book – Before the Dawn by Nicholas Wade.
Among those placed on Caterino’s “all-time favorites” Goodreads shelf are “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley, “Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors” by Nicholas Wade, “Crash” by J.G. Ballard, “Brak the Barbarian” by John Jakes, "Logans Run" by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson, and "The Fury" by John Farris.
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