C. J. Washington
Author Interview - C. J. Washington
Author of The Intangible
Following a miscarriage, Amanda Jackson is diagnosed with pseudocyesis--a rare medical condition characterized by a false sense of being pregnant--but she’s provided few answers. For elucidation, she turns to Patrick Davis, a neuroscientist well-acquainted with unusual afflictions of the mind. Struggling with her own grief, Patrick’s wife Marissa, a brilliant mathematician, is obsessed with using math to communicate with the dead. As Patrick delves into Amanda’s illness, he becomes increasingly uncertain if he is trying to save Amanda or himself. As their relationship grows more intimate, the dynamic formed between Patrick, Amanda, and Marissa leads to a dangerous act of desperation no one could see coming.
Author I draw inspiration from: So many. William Styron's Sophie's Choice makes me want to write.
Favorite place to read a book: If I have the audiobook, I like to be outside walking, preferably in Piedmont Park because it's quiet and scenic. Physical books are best enjoyed beneath an umbrella at the beach. That's more fantasy than anything else these days as my time at the beach is spent ensuring my five-year-old isn't swept out to sea.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Captain Lee Harden from D. J. Molles' The Remaining. If it so happens the elevator is malfunctioning because of a zombie apocalypse, I want to stick close to him.
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: It happened in stages while I was in college. I was a biology major, but I was reading a lot of fiction, and I thought: It would be cool to do that.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Audiobooks for fiction. Hardback or ebook for denser nonfiction.
The last book I read: How Will I Know You by Jessica Treadway
Pen & paper or computer: Strictly computer. And I don't know how that happened. When I first started writing, I did all of my rough drafts by hand. Now I don't, and the transition is a mystery to me.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Chip Carson from the Not Quite Human series by Seth McEvoy. The books are from the 80s, but Chip, an android, rocked some serious artificial intelligence. I probably couldn't reverse engineer it, but maybe if I got to know him well enough, I could take a guess at some of the algorithms he's running.
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Machine Learning Engineer. Actually, I am. But if I spent less time writing and reading fiction, I'd spend more time working on personal artificial intelligence projects.
Favorite decade in fashion history: 90s fashion is the only fashion I know. If I look more modern, it's because my wife picked out my clothes.
Place I’d most like to travel: For now, I'll say Alaska for the hiking and wildlife. But with the advent of commercial space tourism, I might be upgrading my travel ambitions.
My signature drink: I am so not that cool. In fact, if you see me after 11 p.m., and I'm awake and drinking orange juice, please offer me a sleeping pill.
Favorite artist: Prince
Number one on my bucket list: A winter rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike. I've done a spring rim-to-rim hike and that was the best vacation ever. I love the idea of going from snow on the North Rim to 60-degree temperatures at Phantom Ranch.
Find more from the author:
Twitter: CJWashingtonIV
Instagram: cjwashiv