1)When did you start writing?
I started at a young age. My mother sent me some blackmail recently in the form of a dinosaur story that I typed out when I was 8. I have no memory of that story, but I do remember bugging my mom to use the typewriter as a kid. Yeah, I'm that old 😄
2) What motivates or inspires you to write?
The voices in my head tell me stories and then it's a race against the clock to tell them. Sometimes, I'll see something and go 'what if...' or I'll have a memory and try to decode it accurately (like Surviving Gen X). So, in a way, inspiration is a desire to control the past.
3) When did you decide to write the novel 'Surviving Gen X '?
I was at Binghamton University and in Jaimee Wriston Colbert's fiction workshop for grad school. I had touched up something I did for John Vernon's class that got panned (the students said they hated the protagonist and that he was a piece of trash...gulp...note to self: don't write memoirs and read it to undergrads). The piece went over much better in grad school. Maybe I was a stronger writer (doubt it). I wrote another piece, also auto-biographical and the writer Ryan Dunham suggested that maybe I can remove the narrator's name for the pieces I showed so far and that way they could be, technically, the same person at different points of life.
That's how Surviving Gen X started (although as a short story here and there). It was during my PhD from Lancaster University that Eliza Mood and I cracked the short story code into a novel in stories. Eliza was great because she gave me courage to try the graphic pieces inter-woven with the verbal (regular text) pieces and underpin it with theory.
4) As per your novel, it suggests that the pop culture has destroyed many people's life. Do you wish to restore family culture back ??
I am not sure what family culture looks like anymore. We have a generation who, previously, could get away from their bullies and negative images, and pop culture in general. I grew up in a small town where there was a pop embargo, so to speak. Meaning, if X song came out in 1982 everywhere...we'd get the song in 1985. Unless, of course, you had someone shipping in cassette tapes and the like from other areas. Same for magazines. Magazines were photoshopped but rare as extra money for magazines in a working class area was pretty rare.
Fast forward a generation and you can't get away from feeling bad from the latest tik-tok, insta, fb, threads, etc. Everyone is showing the best (impossible) life. We have Sephora Girls as a thing now. What 7 year old needs anti-aging serum? The answer comes back to pop culture.
When is the last time you had dinner where NOBODY took a phone out to take a pic of the food or text someone?
So maybe not family culture, but just people culture (as our unique selves worthy of attention from others in the present moment and converse/eat/etc).
5)You have shown the dark side of Las Vegas. Did you face backlash from your people??
Oddly—the opposite happened! I was warned by a few publishers that backlash on various counts would/could happen. So far, the pleasant surprise was the Las Vegas and sex industry people really support me. It's like they are happy someone is telling the 'war stories' so to speak—telling them truthfully without filters.
6) What for you is genuine love?
If you've read the book, you know the one thing I don't know is love. If it was a relationship, even the people I truly cherished, bite-sized or otherwise...well...let's just say I'm my worst enemy. I'm not saying genuine love doesn't exist. I think it does. I can't seem to hold on to it for longer than a moment. The heat burns my hands and I force myself to let go (or they leave).
7)Tell us a bit about the present scenario of Las Vegas
I'll sum up present day Vegas this way: It was so hard hit by the pandemic, that the last time (2 years ago) I was there, the drug dealers walking the Strip offered me cocaine if I got them a taco...
8) I recently read an article which said ' The west is free outwardly but struggles a lot with internal chains' Can you please elaborate this?
Oh man, did I write that article? I'm not sure which one you refer, but I'll give it a stab. Bowie said it best, I've got scars that can't be seen.
9) What are your views on humanity?
I don't understand people. I mimic them. I can fit in when needed, but there are a lot of questionable directions humans take. They probably took them before the internet, too, but now it's a bit easier to see all the choices since people put it out for the world to see. For the price of one Oscar gift bag, someone could pay rent for 1-2 months. That's insane. It's a bit dis-ingenuine saying 'I feel sorry for the poor' whilst using a golden coke spoon.
10)Do you see a bright future for youth of America?? If yes why and if no why??
I see a bright bright glaring-white-hot-can't-look-burning-retinas-for-an-instant future followed by nuclear winter.
Fun Questions
a) Your inspiration
For writing? My life.
For my life? Other people's writing.
b) Any other hobbies apart from writing
I found that I love podcasting. I love my Streamin' Demons podcast with my co-host JM Brannyk. We discuss streaming horror. I love What's Kraken because I get to interview cool people and the occasional yellow square.
Gaming is great, too. Table top (Trick or Treat Studios especially), RPG (Free League is amazing for this)...
Gym. Martial Arts...Activity clears my brain to allow me to focus on one voice instead of the cacophony.
Oh and cats (the cute critters, not the musical)
c) Your favorite holiday spot
I have two—a beach with sand—anywhere. If that is taken, then Morecambe or London, England. Maybe Dundee, Scotland. Mostly I pick England/Scotland because of the people. I think I'm happy anywhere if the person I like is with me.
d) Your favorite book and film
Fav book? Oooof...hard one. I will have to say, Dream Lives of Butterflies by Jaimee Wriston Colbert. I like reading it because she's far far better at what we do than I am. Every time I feel good about my writing, I read her and realize what it must have been like to play against the Lakers with Magic and Kareem on the team.
Film—The original Star Wars Trilogy from New Hope to Empire to Jedi. My friend and I wore the VHS tape out as a kid.
e) Your favorite singer
Singer—pure and simple? Jimmy Buffett. His concerts were amazing. His energy was fantastic.
Now, favorite person who just happened to be a singer? Bowie.
f) Your favorite writer
Before I give Jaimee a complex, I will say someone else for favorite writer (although, really, do yourself a favor and check her work out!).
Weis and Hickman, the writing duo that brought us Dragonlance. They have a new Dragonlance series out and, for right or wrong, they pretty much started my writing career.
g) The person you love or trust the most.
Love and trust were different people, but closely related. Both of whom are dead.
h) Your Favourite T.V show
Doctor Who with Tom Baker as Doctor. NuWho is cool and all, but try acting where the only CGI was the Cardiff Gravel Inc. pits that they had to constantly pretend were other planets, space ships, etc.
I) Your favorite dish
Lasagne. I loved Garfield as a kid...still do.
j) What does life mean to you?
42
k) One message for everyone around the world.
Remember--THE most important thing in life to remember is (*runs out the door*)
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