notorious interview to brendan connell

I don’t remember when I started reading the books by Brendan Connell; perhaps in 2013 when I bought “Miss Homicide Plays the Flute” published by Eibonvale Press. Then I read “Metrophilias”, “Unpleasant Tales”, “The Translation of Father Torturo” and “The Galaxy Club”. After these readings I still have difficulty in defining him, so I use this

Every generation throws up a few genuine Masters of the Weird. There simply is no hyperbole in the statement that Brendan Connell is a member of this elite group right now, perhaps the most accomplished of them all. His work is very strange but always proceeds with rigorous logic and his use of language is original, concise and often startling, employing the alchemy of a ferocious intelligence to create dreamscapes that have the solidity and cruelty of stone and iron. The blend of profound melancholy, decadent atmosphere and abstruse erudition work beautifully and the magic of his prose gets under the skin of your soul and remains there forever.

Rhys Hughes

Maybe, as he says, I just need to buy/read his books.

1. Do you have a specific writing style?

Yes. It is sort in-corpo-posso-arrivo-sul-primo-codice-endo-osseo-Piovesan-hydrobike-Scozia-focalizza-Pippo-troia. Kid got to study Chindor say Chamal Tiama Tamil Tonto more Imodium morning. Case it would’ve been a little minimal Mandel see the rules I did let me have you order will you funny Sissel content on the George Lucia little did Schendel say loud little give me a CAD say call me when the brosay when you blow kid double-digit it will need your new seals’ drove noodle me a sandwich should let me see if they can avoid your money jot it will need Jordan told me sit on in the day.

2. What books have most influenced your life?

The list is pretty long. Most of the books that have influenced me are very old books. First and foremost, Chinese classics. Next would come ancient Sanskrit texts, followed by ancient Greek books. After that would come French, Italian and English literature.

3. If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Maybe my father, but otherwise no one. Whenever I read another writer, I try to learn something from them. Even bad writers can be learned from.

4. What are your current projects?

I am currently working on finishing a handful of novels. I try not to talk too much about works in progress though.

5. How much research do you do?

It depends on the book. Some books require no research. Other require a fair amount of reading. The best choice is to know the subject well enough from the beginning, where a great deal of research is not required, but this isn’t always possible.

6. Do you write full-time or part-time?

I try to think full-time. The actual time I spend on writing is very little. That said, if possible, I write every day.

7. Where do your ideas come from?

Different places. Some stories or books might be dream related, others come from real-life experiences, others come from things I might have read, others from random thoughts or things that I’ve observed. It is very rare a story or idea comes from something someone suggests to me. It does happen, but it is a rare thing indeed. Some stories also are based on certain logical premises.

8. How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Well, they should buy my books