Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written a number of unpublished books over the years, all dealing with themes of struggle, identity, addiction, and faith. As a former addict, my work does focus on underground topics and is very reflective of the life I have led; yet, conversely, I have also lived and worked as a missionary and my current work reflects a theological/ philosophical understanding of the world and global events.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My current book is titled, “A Contemporary Portrait of the Southwest.” The collection was inspired by the life I have led in the southwest and a number of lives that I have not lived. Often, my work can be considered “autobiographical,” yet this piece would be more akin to the moniker, “aspirationally autobiographical.” With this collection, I intended to shed light on the lives of those I have spent a lifetime loving and those I met through years of research and investigation.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I write exclusively at night–pulling from notes compiled throughout the day. If there is a scrap piece of paper in my hand, wallet, pocket, mouth, etc., then there is surely some piece of verse or half-idea written on it. My poems are not traditionally composed but rather “found” throughout the day and later stitched together.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Two authors above all else inspired the style of writing that I have today: Jonathon Safran Foer and Richard Brautigan. However, their work is not really what inspired this collection. Instead, the music duo “Public Service Broadcasting” and the music genre DIY Punk really helped usher this collection into the world.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I have returned to my first love: Haiku. For the entirety of my career, I have joked that I paid a great deal for an education that has amounted to nothing more than 17-syllable poems–but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Personally, I use Linkedin to promote my work, but I have a number of alumni organizations that help spread the word on behalf of former colleagues and their work. You should never be afraid to advertise to your friends, family, and especially former classmates.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, write something that you are interested in–regardless of its perceived merit. You will most likely not publish the first thing you write, come to terms with that and pursue alternative projects while you continue to develop those original ideas and characters. Also, read everything you can get your hands on.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever received was from my mother. She said, “Do something you like right now because you’ll end up doing something you hate later on, anyway.” That push was enough to set me on the path I am on today.
What are you reading now?
Currently, I am reading a number of things (I am an English teacher these days).
What’s next for you as a writer?
I have no idea and for the first time in my life, I have no idea. I graduated quite quickly with my bachelor’s degree and even quicker with my master’s degree. I have never felt more intimidated by the prospect of authorship and writing in my life than I do right now, but that’s all a part of the fun, I guess.
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?
I would bring Brian Friel’s play “Translations,” Richard Brautigan’s “Rommel Drives on Deep into Egypt,” “The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, & Issa (Essential Poets)” edited by Robert Hass, and either “Astoria” by Malena Morling or “Human Wishes” by Robert Hass or “Everything is Illuminated” by Jonathon Safran Foer.
Author Websites and Profiles
Connor Bjotvedt Website
Connor Bjotvedt’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile