Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written four books:
~~The White School
~~The Leader of the Lost People
~~The Drinking Man’s Guide to Women (and Divorce)
~~The Thinking Man’s Guide to Women
I have five short stories featured in The Author’s Gift.
My latest novel is The White School: Racism Sneaks into the 21st Century.
The wave of events that ushered in the 21st century overwhelmed Americans. The attacks of September 11, unrestricted dependence on technology, and a shattered economy drove us into the future at breakneck speed. But what have we ignored along the way? Have we turned a blind eye to our social ills? Has the specter of racism tiptoed in to the 21st century while we were texting our friends and checking our email? This collection of vignettes reveals 21st century racism from many perspectives, and it delves into the most basic tenet of human behavior: Some people change, some people try, and some people do neither. Welcome to The White School.
Former Marine, former teacher and former school administrator and ever a student of humanity, Patrick O’Cahir brings a sharp wit and even sharper tongue to bear on society’s questions. Patrick writes with as much passion and knowledge in The White School as he did in his previously released, The Leader of the Lost People. Patrick excels at fictionalizing the realities that take place in the public schools today. Patrick is embarking on a thirty day ocean voyage in July 2013 to put the finishing touches on The Wind from the Sea, a novel about a dying man that sails into the adventure of a lifetime.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The White School: Racism sneaks into the 21st Century.
I have been a school administrator and classroom teacher for the last 27 years. The blatant segregation that is practiced by the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system inspired me to write this book. But the story expands on to the role that African Americans also play in the perpetuation of racial stereotypes. I wrote this novel using voice recognition software as I drove to and from The White School. It is a collection of short stories from a variety of voices- a seasoned teacher, a new student, a young teacher, and from the unique perspectives of African American students that chose to be bused in to The White School.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes. I write at 4:00 in the morning until the sun comes up.Then I go back to sleep until the normal people awaken. I like to write where my story is taking place. I leave Hawaii on June 29 for a thirty day excursion studying ocean temperatures. During my free time I will finish The Wind from the Sea. this novel is about a man that refuses to die in a hospital (like his wife did twelve years previous) and has decided to sail out to sea. What he encounters becomes the adventure of his life. Writing this while at sea will give me the realism that is needed.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, John Grisham, Clive Cussler, Dan Brown, Edgar Allen Poe, John Milton, and Mary Shelley to name a few.
What are you working on now?
The Wind from the Sea. A dying man sails into the adventure of a lifetime. The short story actually received an Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Short Story contest.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I don’t know yet. I am hoping word of mouth will still be the best way to sell a great book.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
As a new author I am still in the receiving advice category.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. Never, ever- I mean never. If I have to be the oldest person ever to write a bestseller than so be it.
What are you reading now?
I just finished “Outliers” and am into read “Frankenstein” for the third time.
What’s next for you as a writer?
A book that influences and changes society. I think The White School is that book.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Stand by Stephen King.
Author Websites and Profiles
Patrick O’Cahir Website