James Clancy Phelan

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James Clancy Phelan (published as James Phelan) is an Australian author, born in Victoria, Australia, on May 21, 1979. His first fiction novel, Fox Hunt, went into reprint in its first month. He recently appeared as one of Cleo Magazine's "50 Most Eligible Bachelors" of 2006, appearing on television and radio interviews across the nation.

[edit] Bio

James was introduced to the world of books at an early age, with such works as The Hobbit, Treasure Island, and The Jungle Book helping to inspire his overactive imagination. As a teenager, he read many action novels, like the work of Michael Crichton and Tom Clancy. In 1995, at the age of fifteen, James began his first novel, and the character of the protagonist of Fox Hunt was born. After high school, James went on to study architecture, English literature, and graduated with a Master of Arts in Writing. As of 2006 he teaches writing at Swinburne University in Melbourne, and is a PhD candidate there.

[edit] Writing

James' writing covers a broad range, from newspaper work to books of fiction and non-fiction. With his first published book being the non-fiction author interview book Literati, and his short story "Soliloguy for One Dead" appearing in Griffith Review’s 2006 edition “The Next Big Thing”, many believed James would embark on a career at the "literary" end of the writing spectrum. His first published novel, Fox Hunt surprised many by being a blatant commercial thriller, highlighting the diversity of his writing skills.

Literati: Australian Contemporary Literary Figures Discuss Fear, Frustrations and Fame was James' first publication, released by John Wiley & Sons in 2005. In a series of interviews, James asked questions of some of the most renowned literary figures in Australia, including Matthew Reilly, Tara Moss and Peter Craven.

Fox Hunt, James' first fiction release, was released in August 2006, published by Hodder Headline. Through the protagonist, Lachlan Fox, James evokes the qualities typical of most action heroes; charisma, strength, intelligence and rugged good looks. The story is set as a bridge between the aftermath of the Cold War and the perilous age of the War on Terrorism, with Lachlan and his best friend thrown unwittingly into a war that crosses time. The book exists as both a homage to trials past and contemporary issues of today, emphasising the role of politics in issues as far reaching as political instability in Chechnya to the Star Wars Missile Defence system.

Patriot Act, the next installment in the adventures of Lachlan Fox, is currently under development, due for release in August 2007.