Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I was born in the back of a stolen, horseless horse trailer… Nope, sorry, that’s the start of my main character’s life story. I was born in a cozy New England town. Connecticut, if you can believe that – the past stomping grounds of none other than Mark Twain, one of my many personal writing gods. I graduated with an English/Writing degree from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Went on to be a diligent (and precise as possible) editor and writer at Harcourt Publishers and Weekly Reader. Over the years I’ve written several books for younger audiences but as yet, have published none of them. “I Am Marcus Fox” is my debut novel and it is a literary action adventure/psychological thriller for adults. In the future, I plan to publish more novels for adults as well as books for young adults and middle grade.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“I Am Marcus Fox”
When I started with Marcus, he came to me from out of nowhere. I don’t want to say he appeared to me or he came before me in a dream. Neither of those are true. But to this day, I don’t know where his character traits originated. He has a larger-than-life personality. He’s a modern day Paul Bunyan braggart and it’s hard to take anything he says without a heaping pile of salt grains. I’ve spent so much time with him that you’d think I might have a better take on whether his story is true, whether he believes it himself, or if he’s just touched in the head. He tells me fiction is stranger than truth. In a sense, it is his calling card. So perhaps that could be a clue? I’m still uncertain.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have young children so my unusual writing habits are limited to one, really: write whenever I possibly can. That usually entails getting up pre-dawn and pounding on the keys before the wild things rise.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Stephen King, Tom Robbins, George Orwell, Kurt Vonnegut, William Shakespeare… what? Really? Yup. When I worked at Weekly Reader, I even got to go back in time and interview him. (It’s a long story.) Lewis Carroll, Dave Eggers, J.K. Rowling, John Irving, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Hesse (Siddhartha!), Khaled Hosseini, Lois Lowry. More more more!
What are you working on now?
I am polishing up a Middle Grade novel that I hope to release in Fall 2019. I am also working on a rough draft of a new Young Adult urban fantasy novel.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is www.bryoncahill.com. I have a bloggy there where I do a lot of talky talk with my fingee fings. I’ve also begun a self-imposed, somewhat nutty, monthly Shakespeare challenge. I would encourage anyone who either loves, hates, or kinda wants to like the Bard to join me there!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write like no one is watching. No, that’s advice for dancing. It works for writing, too! Because, well, no one is watching, are they? Not while you’re doing the work. So blast away and edit later. It’s definitely good to have some sort of plot arc in mind, but I wouldn’t stress the small stuff at first. Get your main guy (or girl) and have them do their thing. Let them surprise you, but not too much. In writing, the little surprises are the best as long as you can write yourself past them. In other words, don’t decapitate any of your characters unless you have a dang good reason. I’m looking at you, George R.R. Martin!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Put your butt in the chair and write. Stay away from social media and all internet. Write, write, write. Try to be as distraction-free as possible. Do good work!
What are you reading now?
All’s Well That Ends Well (see previous Shakespeare answer), Pandemic by A.G. Riddle, and a nonfiction book about the Jersey Shore (where my family and I reside)
What’s next for you as a writer?
My debut novel launched today (5/7/19) so I’m pretty amped up on adrenaline right now. I’d love to get feedback (in the form of reviews) on Amazon. I’d also love it if my 20-month-old son would start being able to sleep without me so I could get back to waking up early to write! Anyone have a cure for that? Age, probably. Oh, but you asked about my writing plans. Directly, I’m going to bloggy (www.bryoncahill.com) soon about my experiences with launch week.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
“1984” because it’s the cheeriest book I’ve ever read. Ha! No, but seriously, it’s awesome. Tom Robbins’ “Another Roadside Attraction” because every single line of that book is poetry. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare because there’s some good stuff in there. My Kindle with my entire digital library, and a plug for charging and an extra long extension cord, I guess… cuz I’m cheating.
Author Websites and Profiles
Bryon Cahill Website
Bryon Cahill Amazon Profile
Bryon Cahill’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account