CELEBRITY AUTHOR
JERRY GUARINO
Welcome! Let me pour you a cup of tea and we'll get started. Help yourself to a sandwich and a scone. We'll also be having a lovely persimmon cake for dessert today.
Where are you originally
from?
I was born and raised in
northern New Jersey, outside New York City and then went to college at Rutgers,
majoring in English and American Literature.
What inspired you to
become a writer?
All my life I’ve wanted
to write, forming the ideas for my stories in my head. I wrote in college, but didn’t submit
anything for publication. Then I started
writing again last year. My stories came
rushing out, like a dam with a hole in it, publishing thirty-five stories in
one year. Although I wish I had started
sooner, the benefit of waiting was that I had lots of life experience to base
my writing on, including settings and characters I have known. Once I have an idea, it only takes me an hour
or two to write a story.
How did you decide on
your book's genre?
My book is an eclectic
collection of short stories so there are many genres included. There are love stories, humorous tales and
mysteries. Most of them have unusual
plots, twists and surprise endings, much like O. Henry stories. Perhaps some
day I’ll settle into one genre, but for now, I get an idea and explore it into
a story. Maybe that’s why I have avoided the novel so far, because I’m still
finding my writing voice.
What is/are your favorite
genre(s)?
I like well-written
fiction, nothing too complex, with humorous or satirical themes. For example, I like the Yes, Minister
stories by Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay, very funny political satires about the
British bureaucracy. But I also love the
stories of Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain and Anton Chekhov and great American
writers like Hemingway and Steinbeck.
Are you currently reading
anything?
I continue to read the
many short stories of Mikhail Zoshchenko, a Russian author. His work is very funny, while making a
statement about the frustrations of the people in communist Russia. If you haven’t read The Bath House, you
need to; it’s only a few pages long, but is a classic story that I’m sure you
will like.
Who or what is the
driving force that keeps you going?
Once I realized that I
had a gift as a writer, I was compelled to see how far it would take me. I’ll keep writing until no one wants to
publish my stories, which thankfully hasn’t happened yet. I only wish I started earlier. It’s great when a magazine accepts my story
for publication and even better when people tell me they enjoyed reading it.
How do you balance your
personal life with your writing career?
Good question. During the day, I’m a teacher, leaving me
some time to write in the late afternoon, weekends and the summer. While I write, my wife does crafts, like
scrapbooking, making jewelry and quilting.
But we always get together at dinner; we have a good balance of work and
play.
Tell us about your book.
Café Stories is a collection of 26 stories, previously published in magazines
around the world. Because I have so many
different types of stories, the book appeals to a wide audience. Although there are certain stories that stand
out, most people have their own favorites.
I selected the name because my stories appeal to so many different
people, like you would see in your local coffee house. Students, retired people and everyone in
between can find stories they like in my book.
Since many of the stories are short, you can read one in the time it
takes you to have your coffee and pastry.
I wanted my book to be an oasis from the stress of daily life, even if
you only have five minutes to spare.
How do you create your
characters?
The advantage to
beginning to write later in life is that I have had so much experience. Many of my stories have a biographical
element to them or are based on people I have known and places I have
been. I may exaggerate the qualities of
a character for effect, particularly when I am contrasting their motives and
behavior with others. More than anything
else, I want my characters to be memorable, but not necessarily likable. Characters, along with setting and plot,
combine to make a story. You need all
three. Myra McIlvain, the author of
Legacy, described my characters this way.
“Jerry Guarino's Cafe Stories sends
his readers on a merry chase through a wild array of micro/flash
fiction--humor, satire, and pathos. He artfully captures gentle souls and slick
cons, the high brows and their unsuspecting victims in characters that step
from the page to engage the reader. Guarino finds the tiniest trait that
creates zany folks the reader wants to protect or strangle. Often at the same
time. Prepare for the surprise twist at the end. He gets you every time.”
Do you have any upcoming
events or book promotions?
Besides this wonderful
opportunity on your site, I have been asked to guest blog on other writer
sites, done some book signings, in coffee houses (of course J) and have participated in programs with the Women’s Literary Café. I will be doing a reading in Sacramento later
this year for a magazine that has published my work.
Where can people find you
and your work on the web?
As I write stories for
the next book, Café Stories Deux, those will be on the website of the magazines
that publish them. You can check my
website for links, http://cafestories.net. I’m also glad to send a story to anyone who
requests one, whether they want to read a love story, funny tale or mystery. Of course my book is available as a kindle
title to read on their computer or tablet, for less than a cup of coffee I
might add.
It was lovely to get to know you today, Jerry, and I wish you all the best success with your writing. Thanks again for stopping by!
***
Contact information and bio:
Jerry Guarino
email: jguarino.author@gmail.com
http://cafestories.net
twitter: @cafestories
facebook: http://on.fb.me/uFShnw
amazon book link = amzn.to/uZ3ylb
A Modern Day O. Henry
Cafe Stories is an anthology of 26 critically
acclaimed stories by Jerry Guarino, previously published in magazines in the
United States, Canada, Australia and Great Britain in 2011.
Like mysteries, these stories have twists and
turns, unexpected consequences and surprise endings, much in the style of the
great William Sydney Porter (aka O. Henry). But instead of 19th century New
York, the stories take place in contemporary New York, Boston, San Francisco
and Los Angeles.
The collection includes love stories, humorous
accounts and even a few science fiction tales. Like O. Henry, Mr. Guarino's
style appeals to a wide audience, men and women of all ages. Editors,
publishers and authors around the world have high praise for his writing.
"His style is simple and consistently
powerful, his storytelling a triumph of art over artifice."
Ben Price (Zouch Magazine and Miscellany)
"His writing is consistently fresh and
inventive. His stories grab from the beginning, then hurl the reader into
surprising and powerful endings. Definitely a must-read."
Earl Wynn (Thunderune Publishing)
"Each story is well crafted with the natural
elegance of a natural writer...a real treat for the reader.
Scott Wilson (The Fringe Magazine)
"Jerry Guarino's Cafe Stories sends his
readers on a merry chase through a wild array of micro/flash fiction--humor,
satire, and pathos. He artfully captures gentle souls and slick cons, the high
brows and their unsuspecting victims in characters that step from the page to
engage the reader. Guarino finds the tiniest trait that creates zany folks the
reader wants to protect or strangle. Often at the same time. Prepare for the
surprise twist at the end. He gets you every time."
Myra McIlvain (Author of Legacy)
We think you'll find Cafe Stories a wonderful
addition to your library, on a bookshelf or as an e-book on your computer or
tablet. Relax in your favorite coffee house with this book. You'll be glad you
did.
Love Stories
- The Devil's Orchestra
- Double Sting
- The Duke of Yelp
- First Love
- In the Mood
- The Love Beads
- Pie or Die
- Practical Goldberg (A Love Story in 3 Parts)
- The Tightrope
- Trick or Treat
- Unfaithful
Humor
- Coq a Doodle Do
- I am the writer; I speak for the programmers
(with apologies to Dr. Seuss)
- Preheat the Microwave.Com
- The Rich are Going to Hell
- Traffic Stop with Annie Kim
- You Don’t Have to be High to Crave White
Castles: A Rant
- The Waiting Room
Science Fiction
- Operation ICU
- UFO
- Under the Apple Tree
More O’ Henry style
- 30 Minutes of Hell
- 30 Seconds of Hell
- The Black Hole
- The Grand Poobah
- In and Out
- The Thief
Cafe Stories paperback ISBN = 978-1467962940
Cafe Stories kindle ISBN = 978-1-61914-4476-7
About the Author
Jerry Guarino is an author and teacher living in
the SF Bay Area. His upcoming book, Cafe Stories, is an eclectic collection of
26 critically acclaimed short stories previously published by dozens of
literary magazines in the United States, Canada, Australia and Great Britain.
He is the author of Cafe Stories, The Devil's Orchestra and The Chess Table.
Here are a few reviews of his work: "Guarino's style is simple and
consistently powerful, his storytelling a triumph of art over artifice."
Ben Price (Zouch Magazine) "Jerry's writing is consistently fresh and
inventive. His stories grab from the beginning, then hurl the reader into
surprising and powerful endings. A must read!" Earl Wynn (Daily Love) "Each
story is well crafted with the natural elegance of a natural writer."
Scott Wilson (The Fringe Magazine) He is currently working on a murder mystery
for the stage. Follow him on twitter @cafestories and his website
http://cafestories.net
