Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a science fiction author who is diagnosed with high functioning autism. I am also a connoisseur of the science fiction, fantasy, and superhero genres. In addition, I am an autism ambassador, hoping to demonstrate the potential benefits one can gain from being autistic.
As a writer, I utilize my autism to visualize the story taking place inside of my head like a movie. Also, I have a very strong memory, allowing me to store information about my characters and stories in my brain as though it were a computer hard-drive. My superhero series, The Young Guardians, is based on a childhood fantasy I shared with my best friends of becoming superheroes.
So far, I have written and published five books: The Young Guardians and the Genesis Spell, The Young Guardians and the Great Darkness, The Young Guardians and the Revelation Orb, The Young Guardians Chronicles: Compendium 1, and The Writing Arsenal of a Common Man. All of these books can be found on Amazon and Amazon Kindle.
I am also a passionate pit bull lover and own two sweet and loving pit bulls named Wally and Fitch.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Writing Arsenal of a Common Man. I included the phrase “Common Man” in the title because at the end of the day I am a common man. The Kindle book is a collection of poems, short stories, flash fictions, and plays I have written last year. During that time, I wanted to expand my horizons as a writer and increased my writing arsenal. While publishing the book, I included a picture of one of my pit bulls on the cover. Since the book came out last Christmas, I decided to use a picture of my pit bull wearing a Santa hat.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I think it would be fair to call myself a method writer. The reason for this is because whenever I crank up epic music through either Youtube or iTunes and start writing, I enter a unique mindset in which I cannot stop writing unless I am struck by a bolt of lightning. I compared this mindset to that of a method actor after I heard about how Jared Leto has been portraying the Joker in the Suicide Squad. During the filming process of Suicide Squad, Jared Leto never broke character as the Joker to the point in which he terrified his fellow cast members. When it comes to writing and listening to epic music, I enter a trance-like state in which I become consumed by the scenes I envision as I write. This process is difficult to snap out of, but is as addictive as an adrenaline rush!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Inheritance Cycle influenced me because they gave me an idea of how to craft the origin story of a hero. Also, the author of the Inheritance Cycle, Christopher Paolini, published them at an early age so I wanted to match my achievements to his.
What are you working on now?
I am working on a fantasy book that revolves around an individual’s conquest of an empire. One could argue that the inspiration I get from my fantasy book is a bit extreme. In order to gain as much authentic inspiration and information as possible, I have been listening to medieval documentaries, tasting exotic food from the period, and participating in medieval reenactments. This summer, I intend to take my research even further by taking blacksmithing, archery, fencing, and horsemanship classes. One could argue that I will be risking life and limb to gain the inspiration I need for my fantasy book because some of these activities are potentially dangerous. Still, I will be able to get the right feel and sensation of performing these tasks and incorporate them into my fantasy book. I have never put this much effort in writing a book in my life!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I like to utilize a combination between WordPress, Twitter, and Facebook to promote my books, but recently I added GoodReads to my list of resources to promote my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you initially have a self-taught writing style, it would be wise to refine it even further with both practice and counsel from other writers. If you really want to receive formal training in writing, then take creative writing classes like I am. In my experience, a combination of these things always provides the best results.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon, told me the following:
“If you are introducing new characters, it depends on how you want to present them. Are they a group who travels together? Or do they each join the hero separately? Whatever you do, make the initial meetings interesting and entertaining, and try not to drown the reader in tons of exposition. We don’t need to know everything about these new characters’ backstories. Not right away. It’s good to keep a few secrets. And good luck with the writing!”
What are you reading now?
I am reading Star Wars Aftermath: Empire’s End, which shows what happened to the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire right after Return of the Jedi.
What’s next for you as a writer?
After I finish the first fantasy book, I will be writing the next volume of the trilogy. Then when I am done with my fantasy trilogy, I will write the fourth and final volume of The Young Guardians Series. After all of that, who knows?
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?
The four books I would bring would be Dune, Eragon, Watchmen, and Star Wars Darth Bane: Path of Destruction. These are easily my top four favorite books.
Author Websites and Profiles
Grady P. Brown Website
Grady P. Brown Amazon Profile
Grady P. Brown’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account