Introductory Interview (Pt. 1)

I think I’m all written out.

Obviously, that’s not the case, but after 1.5 years’ worth of writing my second novel, several months of edits and rewrites, and a week spent learning how to create and launch a personal website . . . I need to hit PAUSE. But I’m a writer, so I can’t just stop the continuous and public flow of my precious thoughts and yearnings, can I? No, I can’t. I shan’t.

I’m gearing up to start the marketing machine for TEEN JUSTICE: Justice Has a Curfew—Book Two (release date to be revealed later this week), so what better way for me to kick things off and take a quick break from the keyboard than to post something old and pass it off as new?

Some jokes aside, I’m thrilled to present the first part of a sample interview I conducted with . . . myself! Using a set of questions pooled from various book review websites, this interview from last year was designed to introduce readers to C.A. Gordon the author and to the world of TEEN JUSTICE. The second part of the interview will be included in a future blog. I hope you enjoy it, and please be on the lookout for more info about the release of Curfew—Book Two!

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Sample Q & A with C.A. Gordon

Author of TEEN JUSTICE: Justice Has a Curfew—Book One

1. Tell us about yourself.

I love to express myself, both in print and in person. I started doing both at the age of two and

never stopped. I also love comic book superheroes and wanted to grow up to become one . . .

until I realized that the shelf life of a vigilante is short, painful, and always on the wrong side of the Law. But I’ve always loved Good Guys vs. Bad Guys—in real life and in fiction—and thought that I had a unique spin on those stories. TEEN JUSTICE is my attempt to turn the

traditional teen hero story upside down and inside out.

2. Give a brief description of your book, TEEN JUSTICE: Justice Has a Curfew—Book One.

First things first: I totally get that the title’s a mouthful. But that’s only because it’s the first part

of a trilogy of an unknown series. It’s the reverse of Indiana Jones—the first movie was simply

named Raiders of the Lost Ark, then the producers added Indiana Jones And The to the titles of the sequels (and retroactively renamed Raiders to fall in sync). I like to call this book

Curfew—Book One. And I promise that the next TEEN JUSTICE trilogy has a shorter name!

Anyway, you asked for a brief description. In Curfew—Book One, we meet five teens living in Silver City, CA, shortly before a manmade crisis leaves half the population—the teens

included—with superpowers. As they learn to control their new abilities and navigate a new cultural landscape, the teens form an inseparable bond and ultimately risk everything to save themselves . . . and everyone else. The powers and heroics are secondary elements, almost incidental. It’s a classic “your friends can be family” story.

3. Why did you write Curfew—Book One?

I grew up watching and playing Batman and Power Rangers with my friends, always seeing

myself as the lone hero or the leader of the team. When I was twelve, I told my mom “I wish I

could be a superhero,” to which she responded: “So be one.” It was such a simple yet profound statement, and I started writing adventures starring Me and those friends. In high school, I channeled all of my adolescent joys, passions, and challenges into creating idealized versions of Me and the friends I no longer had. By the time I left college, I’d already been five different versions of myself, each with varying degrees of social acceptance. In my early twenties, I thought “what would happen if each of those teen Me’s was a fully formed person, but all of them were forced to interact? Could they survive together?” That was an exploration I had to share with the world.

4. Curfew—Book One features a character who specializes in unapologetic social commentary. What about that especially interests you?

Zack! Yeah, Zack certainly has the biggest and most (unintentionally) insightful mouth. I think

that, because he’s so aware of just how far outside the social hierarchy he lives, he doesn’t have the responsibility to uphold the unspoken rules of etiquette—the social contract—like everyone else. I find that lack of inhibition super refreshing.

5. You said that this is the first of a trilogy, with at least one more trilogy on the way. What’s

the master plan?

Yeppers, it’s the beginning of a saga. I’ve already completed half of the first draft of Curfew—Book Two and a full outline of Book Three is ready to go. As a new author balancing a

full-time job and all the responsibilities I have as a family head, I can’t pinpoint today when

those will be finished and ready for publication. But I do know that the itch to finish Two can’t

be ignored for too much longer. Ultimately, I’ve got at least two giant epics broken into six

smaller stories to tell.

6. The writing style of Curfew is so expressive. Can you tell us about your methods?

I’m equally influenced by novels, movies, and movie novelizations. I love the idea that you can

control the “camera” like a director by using the right combination of words to set up a scene,

then suddenly jump into the head of a character to provide context in print that can’t be conveyed on screen. You can give the reader critical information long before the characters find out . . . or do the exact opposite and pull a fast one on everyone. It’s such a blast! I’m also a big fan of semicolons, one-sentence paragraphs, and one-word sentences—all the things my English teachers told me to avoid.

7. The setting of Curfew—Book One adds much to the texture of the story. How did you

choose the location?

“Silver City” sounded cool to 14-year-old me, just like Gotham or Metropolis or Champion City

(from Mystery Men, a truly underrated gem). I grew up in Oceanside, CA, which is a couple

hours south of Los Angeles and not too far from downtown San Diego, so that took care of the geography. There used to be a stadium where the Chargers and Padres played that featured several giant circular walk ramps. I’m also a big fan of anime and love the idea of endlessly vertical cityscapes, so I married the two concepts and devised the idea to literally stack the different neighborhoods of Silver City on top of each other. As for the various Layer and street names, they’re my not-so-subtle love letter to the legacy of Batman cinematic actors and directors.

8. The idea of curating a family is strong in your book. What about that idea moved you?

I was raised as an only child by a single mom, so I never truly connected with most families

depicted in media. I’ve also made lifelong friends that I haven’t spoken to in nearly a decade, but that doesn’t lessen the impact they’ve had on me a single bit. To answer the question specifically, I guess I’m fascinated with the idea of family dynamics from an outsider’s perspective.

(To be concluded in part 2)

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There you have it! An author interviewing another author who's actually the same author . . . And now I'm even more exhausted! *whew*

See you all next time!