Voight-Kampff Interview

Leon: Do you make up these questions, Mr. Holden, or do they write them down for you?

Mr. Holden: They’re just questions, Leon.

Subject: Kowalski, Leon (Bladerunner)

It is finally my turn to answer some questions, as part of the What Tomorrow May Bring blog schedule.  

Are you ready for this?

* HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START AS AN AUTHOR?

I was obsessed with writing and reading all growing up and told most anyone who would listen that someday I was going to be an author.  Even though I loved it, I never seemed to get anything done though.  Until I discovered NaNoWriMo.  Yes, I am a NaNo Lover.  In one month, I had finally finished my first draft of a book and then did another and another and...

* HAVE YOU WRITTEN IN ANY OTHER GENRES BESIDES YA DYSTOPIAN?  WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS GENRE?

So far my other WIPS consist of urban fantasy, paranormal, fairy tales....I am even growing the idea for my first contemporary piece.  I love stories too much to stay roped into one genre.  As to why I was drawn to dystopian: I love screwing with the idea of society then seeing what people do to fix it.  It is intriguing.  I fell in love with The Giver, then searched for years for more great dystopian reads.  The next step was obviously adding my own voice in with the collection.

* HOW DO YOU OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK?

I tend to slam my head on my desk.  Stuff my face full of chocolate.  Get lost in Netflix and Facebook.  Wander aimlessly... Then I force myself to throw up words until the words finally start to make sense.

* WHAT IS THE FIRST SCIENCE FICTION BOOK YOU REMEMBER READING?

Oh my...I believe it was A Tale of Time City.  I loved that book (and yes, I still reread it every so often.)

* IS THERE AN AUTHOR THAT YOU WOULD REALLY LIKE TO MEET?

One??  Goodness, let's see... Orson Scott Card is a for sure.  Along with JK Rowling, Terry Goodkind, Steven King...

* LAPTOP OR DESKTOP FOR WRITING?

Desktop for sure.  I have a laptop (am using it right now in fact) but there is something about sitting at my desktop with dual screens and spinny chair that gets my mind in working mode.

* DO YOU EVER WRITE IN YOUR PJ’S?

As soon as I get the itch to write, the first thing I do is run to my room and throw on the nearest pair of jammies.  Some people wear suits to work.  Some wear vests with flair.  Authors wear PJs.  It is just a fact.

* WHERE DID YOUR TOMORROW SPRING FROM? IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE CRAZY WORLD?

A good friend of mine got charged for a crime.  Being as he couldn't afford an attorney, he got appointed one.  And even though he wasn't guilty for the crime, he got sentenced for it based on stipulations.  To make matters worse, his sentencing was protected under a measure that ensures mandatory sentences.  So there he was, no previous history, sentenced for a crime he wasn't guilty of, and thrown into prison for nearly eight years.  This got me thinking: What if it was always this way?  What if the jails ruled the country? Thus the book was born.

* DID YOU DO ANY SPECIFIC OR UNUSUAL RESEARCH FOR THIS BOOK? 

I did lots of research on prisons.  I even made friends with a fellow NaNo writer who used to work in a prison, and I scoured for any info I could get.  

* DO YOU WANT YOUR TOMORROW TO MAKE IT BIG, AS IN JK ROWLINGS-BIG? WHY OR WHY NOT?

I love this book.  It was my debut novel.  It is my baby.  But I will be the first to admit that it isn't perfect.  Am I proud of it?  Darn right!  But if I were to make it big, I think I would prefer it to be off of one of my coming novels.  And let this book just be my little pride and joy.

* WHO SHOULD NOT READ YOUR BOOK?

A few reviews have stated that my book seemed to be pushing some sort of agenda.  Honestly, it is just a book.  But if you can't handle thoughts that don't support prisons and society control...don't read this book.  But if you can: Read away!

Don't forget to snag your copy of WHAT TOMORROW MAY BRING,

the YA Dystopian boxset, including Prison Nation.

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