This Week’s Featured Author Interview with
Grady P. Brown
Hi, Grady P. Brown, welcome to the Indie Publishing Group website. Introduce yourself to us. Tell everyone who you are, where you’re from, what do you enjoy doing, hobbies and interests.
My name is Grady P. Brown. I am a library assistant, published science fiction and fantasy author, and part-time autism ambassador. I live in the Golden State, California and I am a passionate pit bull owner with two pit bulls named Wally and Fitch. I enjoy watching films and anime, reading manga and Star Wars books, and participating in medieval reenactments.
When did you start writing and why?
I started writing stories from an early age because I always had a story to tell. I first developed the ambition to be an author when I was in sixth grade and published my first book when I was twenty years old. I always loved sharing my stories with as many people as possible.
Which is your favorite book you have written and what gave you the idea for it?
My favorite of my books would be my latest one, Numen the Slayer. I waited years until I was ready to write a fantasy book. Last year I decided I was ready and wrote Numen the Slayer in six months, which is a new record for me because it usually takes me a year or two to write a whole book. In order to gain as much authentic inspiration and information as possible, I participated in medieval reenactments, watched historical documentaries, and tasted food from the period. Over time, I developed an understanding of medieval life, war, and politics, which I incorporated into Numen the Slayer.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
“Numen” is one of the Latin words for “God”. This is the name of the main character of the book. I called him the Slayer because he becomes a proficient killer of both men and monsters.
Who helped you with the cover? Or did you design it yourself? What was your inspiration for your cover design?
I hired a professional cover designer who had the cover premade. I picked a cover with a dragon on it because I am a devout dragon fanatic and a dragon is prominently featured in the book.
What are some of the themes of your story?
The themes of Numen the Slayer include loss, revenge, the will to live, politics, war, the relationship between man and nature, and morally ambiguous characters. It is easily the most complex story I ever wrote.
What’s your process when you sit down and decide to start writing a book? What is your process and do you have a system?
I am a night owl and because of that I always write at night. My family affectionately calls me a vampire from time to time because of my nocturnal writing schedule.
Who are some of your favorite characters and why?
My favorite characters would be Numen Magnus and Autem Sylva. The main character, Numen Magnus is someone who has lost everything and is forced to survive in the wild while being hunted by both men and beasts. Numen is easily a fantasy underdog because he comes from nothing before becoming someone significant. I drew inspiration for Numen from mythical characters such as King Arthur and Beowulf as well as historical characters such as Henry Tudor and William the Conqueror. Autumn Sylva is one of the main antagonists of the series and he is someone who is willing to pay any price to consolidate his dynasty’s power and future even if it means murdering members of his own family. I based Autem on characters such as Shakespeare’s version of Richard III and the mythical tyrant Vortigern. I like these two characters because they are both morally ambiguous characters who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
I enjoy the author of the Inheritance Cycle, Christopher Paolini. He recently acquired some advice from him on GoodReads.com, which feels like a great honor because Mr. Paolini is one of the reasons I decided to become an author myself.
Have you got anything you’re working on now?
I am currently working on the sequel of Numen the Slayer, which will revolve around Numen
If you could have any superpowers what would they be?
I would have power mimicry, which would allow me to copy any and every superhuman power after gaining an emotional connection with another superhuman. With each power I copy, my arsenal of powers grows until I become powerful enough to take on an army of lesser superhumans simultaneously.
If you could travel to any location in the world where would you go?
I would travel to either the United Kingdom, Ireland, or Norway because that is where my ancestors came from. Plus reconnecting with my roots will allow me to gain even more inspiration and information for my future fantasy books.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years’ time?
I hope to complete my fantasy trilogy and moving on to a new superhero series. The possibilities are too numerous to list.
Thanks so much for taking the time to do an author interview, Grady P. Brown! Take a minute and check Grady P. Brown out on the links below. Grady P. Brown’s books are available on Amazon.
Grady P. Brown Goodreads Author Page
Grady P. Brown Facebook The Young Guardians
Grady P. Brown Author Website
Grady P. Brown Twitter Account
Grady P. Brown Author Central
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