Interview with Brad Glenn

Published 2018-01-26.
Describe your desk
I write on an antique secretary desk. I modified it slightly to hold the computer cords for my laptop, but I love that I can fold it up and hide it away! I light candles when I write. It might be a bit cheezy, but somehow setting the stage really helps me get into writing mode, that and it's a bit chilly in my writing room so a few candles really adds to the warmth. My magnetic board is above it with all the sticky-notes I have for my current writing project.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Edmonton. I went to schools that were pretty rough, and I was always different from the other kids. By the time I hit grade 9 I grew tired of being bullied, so I became a punk rocker, and while it only slightly changed things, I could tell myself it was persecution for being a punk rather than feeling bad about myself.
When did you first start writing?
I guess I've always written, but everyone says that. Really, I started writing after I got out of high school. I moved out on my own and didn't have money for a television, but I worked part-time at a second-hand bookstore, so I got to read all the time. It was once that I learned to have intrinsic motivation, rather than the demands of a teacher telling me what to read, that I learned to really love fiction. I started writing soon after I started reading for myself.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
I've always gone the indie route. Might be from making 'zines back when I was a punk, but I just appreciate people making their own stuff. I hope the literary market continues to change and indie authors get more and more respect. Indie press used to be called 'vanity press' which is a terrible name and implies unprofessionalism. Bookstores need to catch up with this trend too, as many only take books from larger publishers, completely ignoring indie creators and even small press.
What are you working on next?
I've been focusing on novel writing, and I have two books in their first-draft phase. Schism is the story of a young punk-rock girl who faces an unexpected apocalypse. The other is a horror novel called (tentatively) the Goat Boy of Inverness, and follows a boy born with a goat face a mysterious tree that only he can see. As I'm always making something new, I've started a novel called The Mystagogue, but I'm keeping that one close to my chest for the moment.
Who are your favorite authors?
My all-time favourite book is The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon. I've also enjoyed a number of books by Clive Barker, Vonnegut, Orwell, and the classics. I just finished reading The Collector by John Fowles, as it felt like a gap in my literary knowledge, and I loved it.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I teach. I'm an elementary school teacher and I work with kids all the time. People keep asking me if I write Young Adult, and while I'm not against it, there's a part of me that feels like I give enough of my life to young people, and I need an outlet for deeper thoughts and adult themes. I also just love hanging out with my wife, have far too many pets, and try to enforce 'intentional time wasting' by playing video games for at least a few hours a week.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I wrote a weird story about a guy named Ken. His toes were fused together and he lived in a bizarre house plastic frying pans and a lawn made of long fibres. The big twist ending was that he was Ken from the Barbie collection. Only slightly cringe-worthy at this point, and actually better than some of the hair-brained ideas I've come up with.
What is your writing process?
I write in the morning. I walk my dog, eat breakfast, and then get to writing before I can see any electronics, which tend to drain me. I light candles, sometimes incense, and while normally I'm not the type of guy who is into that sort of thing, the routine and 'setting the scene' really works for me. I also listen to records, as I like music in the background and I like the interruptions that make me move around, as if I listen to music on my computer I tend to sit for hours on end without getting up.
I'm also a planner. It might be from adhering to a 24 page maximum of working on comics, but I like to plot everything out beforehand with sticky notes and chapter outlines. I make up pages for characters with pictures that I pilfer from the internet.
Sadly, I can only write a couple days a week. With my job being so demanding, and a busy home life, it's difficult to get into that writing zone. I need to have emotional space as well, which is sometimes hard to come by.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
I don't know how effective my marketing techniques are, and it's probably an area that I could certainly improve in, but I've been making ads for my novel, The Real World Monitor, that are based around events or attractions in my city (Edmonton) but have the flair of the Weekly World News or other market tabloids, as that's the style/genre of the book. It's been fun, and I'm getting a lot of positive feedback and 'upvotes' on Reddit and Instagram, but as to converting that attention into sales, I'm not entirely sure.
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Books by This Author

Playing Dice with the Cosmos
Price: Free! Words: 6,710. Language: English. Published: April 11, 2018 . Categories: Fiction » Coming of age
Playing Dice with the Cosmos is a fiction piece drawn from my misspent youth playing Dungeons and Dragons. It follows a small group of friends through their D&D campaign and through their teenage lives and struggles.
Maggie's Heart
Price: Free! Words: 4,950. Language: English. Published: March 9, 2018 . Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary
A discouraged nurse who has found himself losing empathy for his patients has his life changed when he meets a young girl with Down Syndrome.
The House with Green Shutters
Price: Free! Words: 2,120. Language: English. Published: January 26, 2018 . Categories: Fiction » Literature » Literary
(5.00 from 1 review)
The House with Green Shutters is a short story by Brad Glenn. It follows a couple from Alberta in the last stages of their separation, and the only thing they disagree on is who gets the house.