About the author

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 15^th 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 Singer/Songwriter - Lana Del Rey

Favorite Soundtrack - “Total Recall” by Jerry Goldsmith

Favorite Sword - Crusader Bastard 

Favorite Guilty Pleasure  – "Supergirl"

Favorite Television Show – "Revolution"

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.