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 Aaron Christopher Drown is a Maine native who’s lived all over, and whose stories have appeared in equally numerous magazines and anthologies. His debut book, A Mage of None Magic, won the Darrell Award for Best Novel, and as he’s promised for years everyone who’s asked, the follow-up will be ready soon. His collection of short stories, The Gods Must Clearly Smile, received the 2022 BIBA along with the 2023 Imadjinn Award. An award-winning graphic designer as well, Aaron is a frequent guest speaker who enjoys discussing not only the writing process but the important roles that branding and presentation play in promoting an author’s work. Aaron resides in Washington state with his wife, Sarah, their dogs and cat, and his trusty Macbook, Sancho.
Why do you write?
Heck if I know. I think part of it
is the appeal of giving substance to the abstract, of providing form to concept
and adding to the content of the universe. Also, as a fan of Joseph Campbell’s
work, so writing provides a connection to the primordial. After all, human
beings have been weaving tales since we became clever enough to build a
campfire to sit around, and through storytelling I gain a sense of drawing from
that same ancient reservoir of idea and myth people have been visiting for
millennia.
What made you start writing?
Like so many my age, the original
Star Wars set my imagination on fire. First came the countless action figures
and toys from the movie, which naturally I used to act out my own little
scenarios. In time I migrated over to the massive, table-shaking electric
Smith-Corona typewriter my parents had and started pecking my ideas out onto
paper.
What do you do when you’re not
writing?
I’m a full-time freelance graphic
designer. And a part-time napper.
What’s the most useless skill you
possess?
I can hum and whistle at the same
time. My wife hates it. So does the dog.
What’s your kryptonite as a
writer?
I’m so easily distracted when I’m
writing. I listen to ambient sounds and binaural beats when I write to help
seal me off from the rest of the world. Nothing that resembles melody or rhythm
is allowed, else I’m lost.
What’s the best money you’ve ever
spent as a writer?
Sancho is my 15-year-old Macbook
Air that I bought used, just so I could have something to write on that wasn’t
my design Mac. Sancho has barely enough RAM to run Word 2011, and if I quit the
app without saving then closing each open window first, he’ll crash. But he’s a
work horse and when all his gears and pulleys are turning at full speed, he’s a
steadfast and reliable partner in my literary windmill tilting.
Would you and your main
character(s) get along?
For the most part. She’s pretty
mercurial and reticent, so I’d share a lot of the same frustrations with her
that her love interest harbors.
What’s the single best line you’ve
ever read?
This one is right up there in the
top ten. Came across it about 20 years ago from a writer named Ben Jenkins and
saved it in a text file because I envied it so much:
"I'm in love with you,” she
said. “You prove the worthlessness of a God I always felt guilty about
hating."
Do you read the reviews of your
books or do you stay far far away from them, and why?
I actually really like reading
reviews, and almost never take them personally. My design work helped thicken
my skin against that sort of criticism, and I learned to chalk it up to simply
a difference in taste. I’ve even told clients that I’m happy to make whatever
changes they want, because the version I like will go in my portfolio while the
version they like will go in my checking account. But when it comes to writing,
I’d much rather someone strongly dislike my work instead of being indifferent.
And if someone has a thoughtful critique, however negative, then that’s something
from which I can learn or, if I think a solid counterargument could be made,
something I can instead—as I said—chalk up as a difference in taste. A given
piece of art will mean different things to different people. My job is to put
it out there to be considered, not to defend it to those who might not care for
it.
What’s the one thing you wish you
knew when you were younger?
That boxes of aluminum foil and
plastic wrap have perforated tabs on the sides for you to punch in to hold the
roll in place. Blew my freakin’ mind when I discovered that.
There are lures irresistible regardless of peril, because some yearnings renounce all wisdom.
There are bonds that compel no matter how faraway, because some needs are dire enough to defy all cost. But when reason, distance, and danger go unheeded, that price can be devastating despite all the magic in one's grasp.
A Sister to Butterflies tells a different sort of once upon a time, a shimmering tale of a creature torn between worlds, whose wondrous deeds would become fable, and whose terrible mistakes would alter the destinies of everyone around her.
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