| Question:
What made you want to write a book? |
| Answer:
I always thought I had a book in me from a very early
age. Probably about the time I learned to type my sophomore
year in high school. But when I began writing my first
novel it was more of a catharsis. I was just trying to
remember what it was like to be young and in the prime of
life. |
| Question:
Is that why the setting for Off the Air is in
1976? |
| Answer:
Yes, I was very young in 1976 and was beginning a
life's journey that would lead me to where I am today. |
| Question:
How did you come up with the name, Pat Cassidy, as your
main character? In the book he is a radio broadcaster,
a former boxer, and a Vietnam veteran. How much of you
is Pat Cassidy? |
| Answer:
Well, I am Irish-American, my great grandfather, John
Kelly, immigrated from Ennis, Ireland and settled in Ennis,
Texas in the late 1800s. My Irish roots are very
important to me. I chose the name Pat because that was
my fathers name and Cassidy is a good traditional Irish
surname. In fact, Pat Cassidy's father's name in the
book is Emmett. That was my father's middle name.
It's easy to see the similarities between Pat and myself.
I was a radio sportscaster for the better part of my adult
life and I fought in the Golden Gloves when I was in high
school and in the Army. Several years ago I
participated in
an online interview with my favorite writer, Robert B.
Parker, and his advice to us aspiring writers was to write
about what you know. So that's what I did.
|
| Question:
You mentioned Robert B. Parker being your favorite
writer. How much of an influence was he in your writing? |
| Answer:
He is my inspiration and the writer I attempt to
emulate. I paid tribute to him in Off the Air
by mentioning him. Pat is reading RBP's Spenser Novel
Promiseland late in my book. I started not to
do that, but with his passing in January I'm glad I did.
I absolutely love his books. Spenser, Jesse Stone,
Sunny Randall, his westerns, All Our Yesterdays, all
of them. |
| Question:
How did you discover Parker's books? |
| Answer:
I was a big fan of the TV show Spenser: For
Hire. When it was in re-runs in the mid-90s on TNT
I watched it everyday and noticed on the opening credits
that it was based on the books of Robert B. Parker. I
was going to Baylor at the time, so the next time I went to
the library I did a search on him and a list as long as my
arm came up on the computer screen. I checked out his
first book, The Godwulf Manucript, and began reading
it. It was like an epiphany. Then one by one I
read them all until I was current and eagerly anticipated
his next one. |
| Question:
Who else has been an inspiration to you? |
| Answer:
My high school English teacher Kay Weathers at Ennis
High School. She
was so inspirational. When I graduated from high
school she had instilled in me the belief that I was a good
writer. I carried that belief with me into my radio
career where I was pretty successful. My writing
ability and creativity helped me win several broadcast
awards. |
| Question:
You have mentioned your family was very important in
publishing the book. |
| Answer:
Especially my wife, Sue. Throughout the entire
process which began back in the late 90s, Sue has been my
biggest advocate and critic. She helped me forge the
early manuscript into something that was worth publishing.
My father-in-law, O.Q. Quick, sister-in-law, Judy, and both
my daughters, Amanda and Kimberly, have all contributed with
advice and encouragement. |
| Question:
When did you decide to publish Off the Air? |
| Answer:
To be honest, I never intended to publish the book.
I just wanted to finish it. When we moved to Toledo
Bend Lake in 2005 I had about thirty-five chapters written,
but had put it down for several years and hadn't worked on
it. Sue shared it with our good friends, Travis and
Summer Boyle, in Leesville. She actually sat out on
the deck of our lake house and read it to them. They
loved it and encouraged me to finish it and find a
publisher. |
| Question:
Why did you self publish the book? |
| Answer:
We checked into the process of finding a publisher.
So many people are publishing books these days that
publishers and literary agents are flooded with manuscripts.
We didn't want to wait to publish. My daughter,
Kimberly, had self published a book of poetry with a couple
of friends and was pleased with the process. Also, a
friend of mine in Waco, Texas, Tom Carroll, had self
published his book through Book Locker and was really
pleased with the outcome, so we decided to go with Book
Locker as well. They have done a great job. |
| Question:
Why did you choose Brownwood and Fort Worth as the
location of the book? |
| Answer:
A lot my memories of living in Brady, Texas are
incorporated into the storyline, but I wanted the book to
take place in a larger town. Brownwood was also an
important part of my past and it is geographically in the
same area of Texas. As far as Fort Worth is concerned,
I am more of a Cowtown man, than I am a Dallas man.
People in West Central Texas, especially Brownwood, have
more in common with Fort Worth. |
| Question:
A very important character in the book is Pat's boss,
Texas billionaire Jeb Glasscock. Is his character
based on anyone you know? |
| Answer:
Jeb is a composite of many people. He is a little
bit of Clint Murchison, the original owner of the Dallas
Cowboys, a little of Sam Walton, broadcast pioneers Wendel
Maze and Lee Glasgow, my first boss in radio, Richard Tuck,
owner of KBEC in Waxahachie from 1955 until his death in
2002, and my father-in-law, O.Q. Quick, former CEO of
Piccadilly Cafeterias. Jeb was inspired by all these
great men. |
| Question:
How did the character, J.T. Lambert, come about? A
black deputy sheriff as Pat Cassidy's sidekick sounds a lot
like 'Hawk' from Mr. Parker's Spenser Novels. |
| Answer:
J.T. Lambert is based on a great amateur boxer I knew
back in the 70s. However, unlike 'Hawk' who was the
antithesis of Spenser, J.T. is the black version of Pat
Cassidy. A complete mirror image. Almost. |
| Question:
Off the Air is the first in a series of Pat
Cassidy Novels. Tell me about the next book. |
| Answer:
It's called Out of Touch and it will be published
sometime in July. |
| Question:
What is Pat up to in the second book? |
| Answer:
Read Off the Air. The first chapter of
Out of Touch is at the end of the first book. It
sets the stage for the second book. |
| This
interview is the property of Garth Enterprises |
