Monday, September 13, 2010

BILL WARRINGON'S LAST CHANCE: AUTHOR INTERVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
BILL WARRINGTON'S
LAST CHANCE

BY JAMES KING



ABOUT THE BOOK:

A magnificent debut about a man's odyssey toward family redemption- with his granddaughter along for the ride!

Bill Warrington realizes he has Alzheimer's and his lucid days are numbered. Determined to repair a lifetime of damage to his estranged adult children, Bill takes off with his fifteen-year-old granddaughter April on a cross-country drive, bound for San Francisco, where she dreams of becoming a rock star. As the unlikely pair heads west, Bill leaves clues intended to force his three children-including April's frantic mother-to overcome their mutual distrust and long-held grievances to work together to find them.

In this dazzling road trip novel, James King masterfully explores themes of aging, sibling rivalry, family dysfunction, and coming of age, against a backdrop of the American heartland. Unflinching, funny, and poignant, Bill Warrington's Last Chance speaks to that universal longing for familial reconciliation, love, and forgiveness.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

James King has been a freelance writer for more than 20 years. A native of Lakewood, Ohio, King lives in Wilton, Connecticut with his wife, Joanne, and their two children, Katie and Daniel.
Find out more about the BILL WARRINGTON'S LAST CHANCE and Author James King at:
http://www.jamespatrickking.com/

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

1. Welcome, Jim, and thank you for agreeing to this interview. Before we get started talking about your book and writing, can you tell us a little about your personal background? Also, is there a website where readers can find out more about you and your work?
As far as personal info for intro, I’m a freelance writer living in Connecticut with my wife and two children. This is my first published novel. I say “published” because I wrote three others that never sold. After many years of trying, I finally hit the jackpot!

My web address is
www.jamesking-writer.com
2. Where did you get the inspiration or idea for this wonderful book?
The inspiration for the story came from a neighbor I met when my wife and I moved into our home 25 years ago. He was a bit of an eccentric, and he had lost his wife just two weeks before we moved in. Over the years, the home that he had built with his own hands and had kept up so meticulously started falling down around him. He was a proud man, and spurned almost all offers of help right up to the day he died. His feisty personality served as the inspiration for the novel.

3. How did the title of your book come about?

I struggled with the title right up to the moment I submitted it. I wanted one that spoke to what the book was about. Most of the titles I initially came up with sounded a bit strained—“Finding Home,” for example. Some were a little too bland, like, “The Warringtons.” Bill Warrington’s Last Chance was the one that remained uncrossed-out on my list of potential titles, so I went with it.
4. Do you see yourself in your characters? Which characters are easiest or more difficult to write?
In BWLC, there are five main characters, and there’s probably a little of me in each one—from the fifteen-year-old girl to the seventy-ish old man. I think there may be more of me in one of the characters than the other, but I’m not going to reveal which one for fear it would—depending on your opinion of the character—either deservedly damage my reputation or undeservedly enhance it. I think all characters are difficult to write. The challenge is to present them realistically: warts for the more likeable characters; empathetic touches for the less likeable.

5. What books would you say have made the biggest impression on you, especially starting out? What are you currently reading?

I’ve been an avid reader all my life, and my brain freezes at this question. So many incredible books! As a young reader—fourth or fifth grade--I remember being absolutely blown away by a book called Yankee Traitor, Rebel Spy. A few years later, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye confirmed my desire to write. I’ve recently re-read The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien—a book that stands out in my mind for its beautiful writing and its incredible emotional wallop. Currently, like most of the reading world, I’m reading Franzen’s Freedom. So far, so good. Very good, in fact.
6. What is the next or current book/project you are working on?
I’m working on another family-centered novel set in San Francisco. I lived in San Francisco for a number of years and loved it. It’s nice to re-visit via writing.
7. What is something about you that yBou would want people to know about you that we probably don’t know?
I got nuthin’ for this one. I fear that, thanks to blogging and social networking, people know more about me than they particularly care to.
8. What is your best advice to anyone, including young people, who want to be writers?
Write. Submit. Hope for acceptance; accept rejection. But keep submitting. Above all else, keep writing.
Thanks to Jim for his interview and for his WONDERFUL book. Watch for my review on Wednesday of this week for BONUS ENTRIES and lots more info on this great book and author!

GIVEAWAY

THANK YOU TO YEN AND THE GOOD
FOLKS AT PENGUIN PUBLISHING, I HAVE
ONE COPY OF THIS AMAZING BOOK
TO GIVE AWAY! READ BELOW HOW
YOU CAN BE THE WINNER!



--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!



HOW TO ENTER


+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THE INFORMATION AND VIDEO FOR BILL WARRINGTON'S LAST CHANCE ABOVE THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY:
BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND THEN COME BACK AND LEAVE A LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT AUTHOR JAMES KING FROM HIS INTERVIEW ABOVE OR BY GOING TO HIS WEBSITE BIO HERE
GIVEAWAY ENDS AT
6 PM, EST, SEPTEMBER 28
GOOD LUCK!

36 comments:

Colleen Turner said...

Wow, this sounds like a powerful story! I recently lost a great uncle to Dementia and my grandmother's sister is battling Alzheimers now. It is very touch and upsetting for everyone involved, especially the person going through it, so I would love to read this book to see how all the characters cope.
Thanks!
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

I learned from the author's interview that one of the books that confirmed his need to be a writer was To Kill A Mockingbird. This is one of my top five favorite books of all time, and I just love hearing about others love for it as well.
Thanks,
candc320@gmail.com

Colleen Turner said...

+5 swagbucks!
candc320@gmail.com

Edna said...

the review was touching, I lost a sister this past March with Alzheimers and it is so hard on the person and the family.

I would enjoy reading this book



mamamt2730(at)charter(dot)net

Edna said...

I follow your blog



mamamt2730(at)charter(dot)net

Edna said...

I have your blog featured on my blog http://edna-myfavoritethings.blogspot.com/



mamamt2730(at)charter(dot)net

Sandra K321 said...

My 88 year old father has dimentia and so does his 86 year old sister. So, unfortunately, it's probably in my genes. I would like to read this to see how the main character deals with the disease.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

Sandra K321 said...

I thought it was interesting that we're both from Connecticut.
seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com

Bingo said...

I hope everyone can now comment. I can't figure out why it hasn't been working....sorry!

Bingo said...

Problem posting: Comment via email:

"I found it interesting that the author struggled with the title right up to the moment he submitted it. I write poetry and I can write many verses, but I find it sometimes coming up with a title to be the hardest part. Secondly, the wife and I have seen relatives that struggle with Alzheimer and it like watching the people you truly love and care about just fade away. I like the review of this book and it sounds like one that I would like. Thanks for opportunity."


from
Steve Capell

Linda Kish said...

I can see the film already. What a great but sad story.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

Maybe now, with this book, his first 3 novels will be published.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Margie said...

It would be interesting to see how the different generations relate to each other. I like family dramas...and this book appears to be somewhat of a travelogue, which is also intriguing.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

From the author interview....
It's interesting that the author says there is something of himself in all the characters in this book.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

+5 Swag
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Anonymous said...

I want to read this book because the author uses Alzheimer's Disease as a way of pushing the main character to go ahead and repair his relationships before there was no time left. He may have thought before that there will always be time but now he realizes that there is no more time left. I am also glad that the author picked Alzheimer's because there needs to be more awareness of the destructiveness of this disease. My uncle, my aunt and my cousin all died from it and thinking back about the behavior of my two grandmothers, I feel that they may have been victims of it too.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

There are lots of interesting things about this author, the one that sticks out the most is his determination to keep on trying for thirty years to get published.
That is such a long time, I think that many people who want to be writers would have given up but his passion for writing was stronger.

CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

+ 5 Swag


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

petite said...

This captivating book would be wonderful. I am concerned about this insidious disease which attacks families and is so prevalent. My father-in-law had early onset Alzheimers which was devastating and at the time many years ago no one knew about this disease. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

I hope that his writing will be a success and all his books published. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

traveler said...

This road trip story sounds unique and the characters beautiful. Especially so with the life threatening Alzheimer's approaching. I like the entire idea. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

His reading interests and his determination to write are impressive. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

gcpeach17 said...

I am so looking forward to reading this book and his next one! It sounds like a very interesting, compelling book where a family tries to come to terms with past & present happenings. I think it is need to leave clues as to where they are. Thanks, for the chance to win it.

gcpeach17 at aol dot com

gcpeach17 said...

The author sounds like he has a great sense of humor when he says he finds a little of himself in all the characters, including the teenage girl and the elderly man! And, that it was written with his neighbor in mind is very nice.

gcpeach17 at aol dot com

Tea said...

Thank you for the video.

bison61 said...

lots of issues to read about aging, sibling rivalry, family dysfunction, and coming of age-this does sound like a book I'd like

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

rbooth43 said...

My mother-in-law had Alzheimer's and I was her caregiver for ten years. Alzheimer's is a terrible illness and all caregivers need moral and physical support to get through each day. My mother -in -law was a proud woman that lost everything that was important. Even though she had three sons, only my husband and I took care of her. The two other sons were too busy and one even didn't come to see her the last two years of her life. That was their loss. Even though she didn't know us the last four years, she knew we were there for her. With great help from our doctor and her nurses, we coped with this terrible disease.


rbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com

hendy said...

Loved the video, it was like watching a movie trailer with no words. This book seems to have so many twists and turns involving concepts you don't read much about. Kidnapping his grandaughter to reconnect with his three children-wonder how that works out?
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

hendy said...

I found it interesting that Mr. King writes primarily for business periodicals-this book doesn't seem to fit with this theme.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com

Linda Henderson said...

This is such a timely subject. I'm sure alzheimer's has touched just about everyone. The family dynamics in this book sound very interesting. I would love to read it.

seriousreader at live dot com

Linda Henderson said...

I tweeted this giveaway.
http://twitter.com/BookOwner/status/25082483929

seriousreader at live dot com

Linda Henderson said...

I found out that nearly 30 years after he graduated from college he decided to pursue a Masters Degree in Writing at Manhattanville College in Purchase NY.

seriousreader at live dot com

Pamela Keener said...

I like the authors humility in the answers he gives. It is also interesting that he had an inspiration for this book from his neighbor. I love reading about the background of novels.
Love & Hugs,
Pam
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Nancye said...

Wow! This book sounds really good! I definitely want to read this to find out what happens on the roadtrip with his granddaughter, especially after his memory begins to fade.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!
@NancyeDavis

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/25599444349

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

I found it interesting that after James first manuscript was denied he decided to go backpacking in Europe to get some ideas and material for his writing.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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