Ken Horlor

Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have written two published novels to date as well as several works as yet unpublished or partly completed.

What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Crushing Son. I grew up in and have worked in the quarrying and ready-mix concrete business my whole life. Well nearly my whole life as I was also a high school teacher and basketball coach for a few years. This story was inspired by my experiences working within an industry few understand. The characters are imaginary, but the story itself is very real and draws on my experiences in New Zealand and Australia.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am unusual as I edit as I go. I started out just writing and writing, but I found when I went back, the writing was either very weak or riddled with errors. The edit task was just that much harder. So now I write a little, then edit a lot. The result is an economical style that tells the story in as few words as possible without leaving the reader unfulfilled.

What authors, or books have influenced you?
The list is very long but has changed over the years. Authors I had little time for I now respect a lot. I particularly like John Mulgan, NZ author of Man Alone. He killed himself in Cairo shortly after the end of the Second World War. Consequently he only wrote the one novel, which I think is the great New Zealand novel. Then I like Witi Ihimaera, Frank Sargeson and James K Baxter. You may notice they’re mostly poets.

Then outside New Zealand I like such a wide variety of authors it’s hard to single any out. There are so many good writers out there. My interests are varied to say the least, from Benjamin Graham’s The Intelligent Investor through to Tom Sharpe of Blott on the Lansdscape fame.

I have a daughter reading all the Hornblower series, by C.S. Forester at the moment. She’s trying to learn what all the nautical terms mean. Isn’t that cool!

What are you working on now?
I am writing a young adult fiction, about Jemima Fiander Superhero Accountant. Then I have a science fiction about the war of the Superclusters, Earth could end up destroyed.

What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Awesome Gang get a high rank on Google. Amazon is the best though, all said and done.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write a lot and write well. Have a strong voice in your writing, tell a good story, craft it well. Then if you can, make it sing. When your novel sings, it’s art.

What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t eat with your mouth open.

What are you reading now?
Quarry Management magazine from the U.K.

What’s next for you as a writer?
Keep trying to get better. I must get better.

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?
That’s hard. The Whole Earth Catalogue would help me survive so that would be on the list. Then other manuals on making things out of nothing.

Author Websites and Profiles
Ken Horlor Website
Ken Horlor Amazon Profile

Ken Horlor’s Social Media Links
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