Monday, October 24, 2016

Q&A with Kenneth Brown, author of COOLANT





Now available from Gorillas With Scissors Press is the horror novel COOLANT by author Kenneth Brown.


The author has taken a few minutes out of his busy schedule for a Q&A about his newest novel.



When did you become interested in storytelling?

I believe I’ve always been interested in telling stories. I remember setting up intricate (for a four to five year old anyway!) stories with my action figures as a kid. Comics also played a big role in that as well. For the longest time I wanted to be a comic book illustrator, but I never could amass the skill in the arts for it. In high school that’s when I found out about Dungeon’s and Dragons and learned I loved to truly just make up stuff.

What was your first book/story published?

That would be “Dead End Drive Thru” and “False Awakenings”. Both are short stories. These two were published stories are part of the Nightmares and Echoes 2 Charity Anthology. It’s a book series where half the proceeds went to charity, St. Jude and Camp Hope I believe.

What inspired you to write Coolant?

Coolant came as part exercise to write something bigger, and part catharsis for a lot of changes in my life. My schooling at that time was to be a machinist like the protagonist in the story; it fell completely apart. I had no knack for it and my future kind of went with it. In many ways both of us had similar issues in other areas. I just like to think I handled mine more appropriately!

What character in Coolant is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

The main character Ian would definitely be my avatar in the book. We’ve gone through similar situations and we’ve both dealt with having to smile and look happy while dealing with our lives coming apart.

What is your favorite part in Coolant?

Anything where the little things start to crack Ian’s sanity. For me I always thought it was the mundane things in life were more insanity inducing than anything in fiction.

What was the hardest part to write?

There was a juncture where I had to extend and explain more in the overall story. I always felt Lovecraftian and Cosmic Horror needed a mystery about them. So I was kind of stuck between having to add to my story and wanting to keep things kind of obscure. I like to think I got it done.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

I’d always want to tell stories or talk to people in some way. I’m a dreamer and hate the humdrum of the working life. But if I had too I’d say probably teach. At least until I got enough money to try and start podcasting.
Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

I need more reviews before they can start influencing me! The few I have now have been very encouraging but I need to see more before I’d take them into consideration. 

What well-known writers do you admire most?

Robert E. Howard. The guy wrote the Conan stories. He wanted to be this well rounded guy who wrote and be a tough dude. I think he battled depression as well which couldn’t have been easy in 1930’s Texas. Of course there’s Lovecraft too but more for his body of work than him in real life. But any pulp writers really. They worked hard and tried their damndest to get out there and make a living with their stories.

Do you have any other books/stories in the works?

Funny you should ask! Nightmares and Echoes 3 is out and it features my short story “Surrogate Love”. Again half the proceeds go to charity. On the 18th of October my self-published story “Through the Space Between” is released. If anyone has a 0.99 cents they want to throw my way it’ll be on Amazon on e-reader format. It’s a short novella and a prequel of sorts to series I’m working on. And just rounding out the draft process is another story “Mountain Face”. Another Weird Horror tale that’s bigger in length and in scope than anything I have out currently.



About the Author: Kenneth Brown was born in the Philippines and somehow arrived to the backwoods of Kentucky riding atop of a three-legged burro. From there Kenneth was in and out of chicken coops and barn houses until being snatched up by local pest control workers who had mistaken him for the Pope Lick Goat Monster.

Kenneth learned to read and write, and not to bite the other children, before making a grand escape from the local psychiatric ward, even though he checked himself in. His writing wavers between the macabre and disturbing, when it is legible and not written in crayon.

At this time, Kenneth's biggest achievement is remaining in the neighboring farm house for three weeks without being noticed. He dreams of bringing steam powered monstrosities to life and wearing ridiculously long top hats and brass goggles.

In his spare time, Kenneth enjoys writing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, cock fighting, and staring at the summer camp across the lake while wearing a hockey mask. The burro is still hanging in there.

To learn more about the author, you can visit his website at: www.Kennethcbrown.com

You can also follow him on Amazon and Facebook.

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