Joe is a writer and musician from New Jersey. The Monster convinced him to take some time out of his busy life to answer a few questions about his book Magno Girl. We talk about his avoidance of bologna sandwiches and the reason why four wheels is better than one.

Magno Girl can fight, she can fly and she has the ‘Gaze of the Guilt’. Where did you get the idea for Magno Girl and where did the super power ‘gaze’ come from?

I was talking to my girlfriend, who is now my wife. We were discussing her childhood love of Wonder Woman, along with the scientific basis for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. And thus Magnolia was born.

As for the “Gaze of the Guilt,” Magnolia’s mother is always trying to make her feel guilty, and that’s why she has that particular power. She inherited it – only her version is more magical.

Ron is a muscle head ninja biker. Do you ride bikes yourself?

No. I like my vehicles to have four wheels. It makes them easier to handle if you lose one of them.

Ron seems to be the main character of the story, as the story is told from his point of view. Why did you choose this angle, considering the book’s title?

I don’t think Ron is the main character – he’s just the guy telling the story of the main character, kind of like that guy who narrates The Great Gatzby, only Ron’s got a Harley and a couple of samurai swords. I thought the feel of the book was better with a guy narrating it, kind of like a noir detective novel.

Did you pull from life experiences to write the novel or did you have to do any serious research?

The only parts based on real life are the sex and the violence. Also, the line where Ron relates how his dad once told him to avoid eating boloney because it’s “not a man’s sandwich.” My dad really DID tell me that when I was nine years old, and I’ve rarely eaten bologna since – no kidding. One big theme in this book is the way a kid is affected by his or her parents. Most of the rest is pure imagination. The only research I did was checking the streets and locations in NYC. I’m sure some of it’s wrong, but hey, it’s a work of fiction.

‘Fooki’ is this evil drug in the novel that makes people buy more and more consumer goods. Why did you want that to be the crux of the evil plot?

I get tired of hearing people complain about not having enough. Be happy with what you’ve got, dammit! Also, buy a million copies of the book so I can get a beach house.

You have plenty of wacky villains and heroes in the story, besides Magnolia, who was your favorite character to write for?

The villain Legalman, because he’s smart despite being completely ridiculous.

Get more info on Joe Canzano at happyjoe.net or on GoodReads.com.