James Goodridge, Author of The Passage of Time
Biography
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York James is new to writing speculative fiction. After ten years as an artist representative and paralegal James decided in 2013 to make a better commitment to writing. Currently writing a series of short Twilight Zone inspired stories from the world of art, (The Artwork) and a diesel/punkfunk saga (Madison Cavendish/Seneca Sue Mystic Detectives) with the goal of producing compelling stories.
Interview
Q. What’s your latest book called and what is it about?
A. I’m working on a collection of short stories in the occult detective genre to be published later this year or early next year by Fist City press. The working title is The Passage of Time.
Q. That’s exciting! Is this your first work in the occult detective genre? What kinds of supernatural characters are in it?
A. It’s funny because I’m a sci-fi fan, but find that I write paranormal/occult tales better as a writer. The short stories are my first in that genre. The main characters are Madison Cavendish and Seneca Sue. They’re immortals (he a vampire/ she a werewolf) who have been around since 1914. Madison is also biracial and Sue part Native American. I try to convey the racial changes that occur in this country from 1914 to the present.
Q. Does the characters’ immortality affect the way they view current and historical events in your stories?
A. Yes. While the two of them try to I would say “do the right thing” especially Madison, they also come to see life as one big gray area. I also use black historical characters who fly under the radar so to speak in some of the stories, for example Lt Samuel Battles(1st black NYPD officer, Rollo Ahmed (black occultist) and Philippa Schuyler (black classical pianist) The Passing of Time title also pertains to Madison having to pass early in the twentieth century.
Q. What are some of the major historical events that set the backdrop for your stories?
A. World War 1,The Roaring Twenties, The Red Scare of the fifties, New York City in the seventies. Later stories will be set in the sixties, the club scene in NYC in the eighties and the Bay area in the early sixties, because at one point the characters had to leave NYC.
Q. Does Madison stop trying to pass for white later in the twentieth century and how does that affect the character and the stories?
A. Where Madison takes me is, by the sixties he has to prove that he’s black, in some stories. I also will by 1973 have added to new characters Hulan Brown (werewolf) and Peaches Dawson (vampire); both African American. I also see more diverse characters coming into the stories.
Q. As you know, this is a horror blog. Are there any true horror moments in the story our readers might appreciate?
A. Ah let’s see. Of course, vampire feastings, werewolf chewings, sex with a headless corpse, demon possession and ghosts.
Q. Where can people find this and other works of yours online?
A. I also have a collection of Twilight Zone style stories related to the art world titled The Artwork you can find it in the winter 2015 issue #7 and reprinted in the winter 2016 issue of genesis science fiction magazine you can go to:
www.blacksciencefictiosociety.comThe Artwork 2 is part of an anthology book of erotic sci-fi: Scierogenus its at Amazon.com to order. The Artwork 5 can be found at http://www.horroraddicts.net and folks can check out my writer’s page Who gives you the write on Facebook or just friend request me. Thanks.
Sumiko Saulson 
Thank you. This totally slipped my mind !