Interview With Author Ian Johnson
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m currently in the process of publishing my first book! When I was in middle school, I wrote a lot of novellas and short story collections, but I never published any of them. I earned my bachelor of arts degree in philosophy in 2023 from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. In 2022, I spent a semester abroad studying political theory at Goethe University in Frankfurt. I also attended graduate school at the University of Pardubice in the Czech Republic, where I studied political philosophy and ethics. But I left the program before finishing, after being offered a position as an ELA instructor in NYC.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My novel is called Notes From After Dusk. I decided to start writing the book during a really difficult depressive episode. Notes From After Dusk was inspired by epistolary novels such as: Notes From Underground, Nausea, and Lolita. The book is also heavily inspired by the works of Emil Cioran (On the Heights of Despair, The Problem with Being Born, etc.) and the work of Frederic Chopin.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
None that come to mind.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am heavily influenced by existenalist literature. Kafka, Dostoevky, Camus, Sartre, Richard Wright, and Cioran are some of my personal heroes. The Outsider, by Richard Wright, is a terribly unappreciated book. I’ve read the Brothers Karamazov almost three whole times. Crime and Punishment also had a big effect on my literary and philosophical development. Outside of Existentialism, I really enjoy Plato’s dialogues.
What are you working on now?
I recently started writing a book in French. I have one chapter completed, and an unfinished second chapter. I’m not sure if I’ll finish it. I’ve only been speaking French since 2022, and the idea of writing a full length novel in French still intimidates me very much.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I think that squarespace is an extremely user friendly website builder.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read voraciously. Try to write everyday. Live an adventerous life.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
John Gotti is reputed to have said something along the lines of: “Never say anything out loud that you wouldn’t want recorded.”
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ve spent a lot of time studying abroad, and I’m eager to travel more. I’m really interested in teaching english as a second language in Vietnam or the United Arab Emirates. I think that my next book may be a collection of short stories, but I’m not sure.
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 The Brothers Karamazov, Plato’s Republic, On the Heights of Despair, and The Outsider.
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