the 40 But 10: Ben Arzate

 

I had decided to retire the literary Would You Rather series, but didn't want to stop interviews on the site all together. Instead, I've pulled together 40ish questions - some bookish, some silly - and have asked authors to limit themselves to answering only 10 of them. That way, it keeps the interviews fresh and connectable for all of us!

Today we are joined by Ben Arzate. Ben lives in Des Moines, IA. He is the author of several books, including the story collection The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Saying Goodbye from feel bad all the time, the short novel Saturday Morning Mind Control from D&T Publishing, and the play collection PLAYS/hauntologies from Madness Heart Press. His latest is the novel If today the sun should set on all my hopes and cares… from Unveiling Nightmares.

What made you start writing?

 Originally, I wrote lyrics for a music process in high school. I couldn't continue it when I started college, so I started writing poetry. When I got some published in the student journal, it encouraged me and I went on to writing short stories and, eventually, novels.

 

How do you celebrate when you finish writing a new book?

 I used to celebrate by going out for a drink. Nowadays, I don't really celebrate, I just sit dreading having to start editing.

 

Describe your book in three words.

 Bleak, tragic noir.

 

If you could cast your characters in a movie, which actors would play them and why?

 I would rather they be played by unknown actors who aren't conventionally attractive.

 

What are some of your favorite websites or social media platforms?

 The Internet Archive is probably my favorite and I would encourage all the people reading to donate to them. Other than that, most websites and social media platforms are terrible now. We all should have migrated to Vampire Freaks when we had the chance.

 

What is your favorite way to waste time?

 These days it's by playing Goddess of Victory: Nikke.

 

What is your favorite book from childhood?

 I picked up The Kryptonite Kid by Joseph Torchia when I was in middle-school. I didn't fully understand it at first, but it really showed me what language alone can do.

 

What are you currently reading?

 I'm currently going between Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon, Skinship by James Reich, and Tell Me I'm Worthless by Alison Rumfitt.

 

What’s the single best line you’ve ever read? 

 I think the best opening line of a book I've read is, “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel” from Neuromancer by William Gibson. The best closing line is, “She had the human look of a domesticated animal,” from Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica.

  

What’s on your literary bucket list?

 The complete works of Henry Darger.

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Available now!

Rick is divorced, has a drinking problem, and works as a janitor at his local high school.

During one of his shifts, he makes a shocking and disturbing discovery in the girl's bathroom that sucks him into the lives of two of the students.

Despite his best efforts, he finds that he may be powerless to prevent the two from heading down a path of destruction for themselves and others, especially when he can barely keep himself and his disintegrating relationships together.

 

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