I would have thought I would have been real stubborn about letting someone tinker . . . but it was surprisingly easy to say:  “Go ahead . . . whatever you think is best.” I guess laziness trumps artistic integrity. And my editor was pretty.

Shoshaku Jushaku – 24 August 2014

The Back Flap

I used to write the truth, then smooth it out, tone it down, and try to make it plausible. Then my ex made a convincing case against chronicling my life as a train wreck. She claimed my time would be better spent trying to write about who I want to become. “Write myself a destiny.” She said it because she wanted me to become happy . . . Fuck happiness. Happiness writes white. It does not show up on the page. First I think I have to excise my past. No amount of liquor or drugs seems to get rid of the ghosts that haunt me. The ghosts have become buddies with the monkey on my back. I think the monkey might have substance abuse issues himself. Even if I did manage to chase away my demons there might nothing left over . . . If a better me is the goal, maybe I should consider exercise and eating right, or even eating solid food in general before tackling a novel. On second thought . . . where to begin?

About the book

What is the book about? 

How people have an incredibly difficult time communicating their feelings or expressing how they feel? Ironically . . . I am aware that this is a terrible answer

When did you start writing the book?

About five years ago

How long did it take you to write it?

Off and on for five years

Where did you get the idea from?

It wasn’t that great an idea . . . I came up with it all on my ow 

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Lots.  Some I never succeeded and ended up cutting out several chapters.

What came easily?

Letting my editor make changes.  I would have thought I would have been real stubborn about letting someone tinker . . . but it was surprisingly easy to say:  “Go ahead . . . whatever you think is best.” I guess laziness trumps artistic integrity. And my editor was pretty.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Fictitious for the most part, but I’m sure I borrowed parts

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I’m sure they all influenced me slightly. The ones I hope influenced me the most:  Brautigan, Vonnegut, Celine, Hamsun, Dostoyevski.  I guess David Foster Wallace influenced me because I wrote a skinny book with no end notes.

Do you have a target reader?

No . . . but I hope my Mother never reads it

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

Inky chaos.  It changes quite a bit . . . depending on where I’m living (if anywhere) . . . my finances . . . my mood . . . what I’m working on. I mostly write with pen on whatever scraps of paper I find laying around . . and then when I start to have (or think I have) some direction I’ll buy a notebook . . . and then I will type it up and expand on it at the typewriter.

On a side note, If you are looking to buy a notebook in London Drugs . . . ‘paper products’  means feminine hygiene products.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

Not really . . .I have written many outlines . . . but I never end up working on those ideas

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

Most things have been re-written at least a half-dozen times (probably much more) before I start typing, and I do a kind of live edit as I type.  And then write all over it in pen and then type up the hopefully close to final draft.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Depends on who I’m living with . . . If I’m typing I let my roomates be my dj . . . if I’m living alone I most likely only have a thrift store radio set to cbc.  Lately it has been a lot of the Cure, Nine inch Nails, and Bruno Mars (thanks for ruining my next book gay roomie)

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

No

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I want to be eligible for the re-lit awards

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

They paid a kid $5 to do a rough sketch . . . and I liked it  . . . So yes?

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

My original plan was to have a book launch with an actual catapult . . . winging it

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?  

None that would help

End of Interview:

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