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Interview: Joe Canzano

Joe Canzano 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.

Posted in Interviews

Review: Magno Girl

Feb 18

Posted by Literary Titan

Magnolia is a little known super hero flying above the streets of New York fighting petty crimes when she hears that someone just killed Joey the Round Man down at The People’s Pizzeria. She has suspicions that this is part of a larger plot and asks her friend Ron to help out by infiltrating the home of Thaddeus Stone, the founder and CEO of Americamart. Ron and Magnolia attempt to unravel a mysterious evil plot while encountering dangerous villains along the way. Magno Girl’s fame increases with every bad guy she takes down and every evil plot she foils. Now she must avoid the paparazzi, endorsements, and movie deals all while dangerous super villains plot to destroy her. Will Magnolia and Ron save the day? Even when the good guys are working for the bad guys, and the bad guys control the materialistic masses.

First thing, if you’re going to take this book seriously, you’re not going to enjoy it. But if you’re in the mood for a lighthearted and whimsical super hero story then this this will be a fun read. The writing is quick and the wit is sharp. The action scenes are cheesy, but it works because it’s supposed to be cheesy. The dialogue is quirky and silly in a way that makes it endearing:

He’s been burned and covered with pizza dough. They turned him into a man-sized Stromboli!” My jaw dropped. “Those dirty bastards.” Most of my family was in the pizza business, and while Joey was not a relative, I hated to see a good tomato soldier go down.

The writing was good, the jokes were decent, and the story line was entertaining, but what I really couldn’t get through was the interspersed moments of bickering between Magnolia and her mother. It really dragged the story for me. It was good enough the first time to show the relationship between her and her mother, but then it’s replayed over and over again through the story to the point where I literally felt Magnolias frustration. This is really the only disappointing element of the book. The world and back story are well built. The world, or at least New York, is filled with super heroes that fight crime, sometimes alongside the police, and star in commercials and sell their merchandise. There are low level heroes and famous super heroes. Magnolia doesn’t care for fame, but Ron does and they’re constantly fighting the urge to make easy money and stay true to their core belief of doing good for the greater good, not to cash out like many of the archetype super heroes. The story and it’s characters were absurd, but that’s where this book shines. This is a genuinely fun book to read. Don’t take the book seriously, go in ready to laugh and you’ll have a good time. I guarantee it.

Pages: 308
ISBN: 099063650X