Interview with Brett C

Published 2014-03-07.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I remember sitting on the gray tile floor outside of our second grade classroom with a friend. We made a book about the future.

Food pills. The plot revolved around food pills.
Do you remember the first story that had a big impact on you?
One night I opened Matilda by Roald Dahl and realized that I'd already read the book 17 times. Or maybe 22. It was a number higher than 15, not divisible by five.

I would sit at the kitchen table and stare at a glass of water until my eyes hurt. I think that counts as an impact.
What is your writing process?
Crank it out, type it up, let it rest, come back, print, edit, print, edit (over and over) and eventually numb the fear enough to publish.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
Facebook posts late on a Friday night. Get 'em while they're drunk.
How do you approach cover design?
I look forward to playing with this. Really want one of those three-dimensional, gold lettered, exploding submarine covers you see in the supermarket.

For the last cover, I worked with a super illustrator from Brooklyn named Jess Worby. He hooked it up. I did the type in Gimp.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
My laptop. It's surprisingly easy to interact with a text. For research, I like searching and bouncing all over the book to find the parts that I need.
Describe your desk
A cheap little folding table from Wal-Mart. I prefer the ping pong table in the basement.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in Westchester County, NY, where high school kids drive BMW M3s. It gave me a taste for the absurd.
When did you first start writing?
Thirteen years ago but I still feel like I haven't really started.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
Straight-up profit. And who else is going to publish this stuff?
What's the story behind your latest book?
I want to bring back silly rhymes that deal with serious ideas.
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