Author Interviews

Author Interview with J. Warren

July 19, 2012 By Brandon 1 Comment

I’m talking with J. Warren today, author of Stealing Ganymede which was a 2009 Indie Book Award Finalist. Like my own books, Ganymede is a harsh fictional look at a disturbing subject matter and one I would recommend for your reading list.

B: I love authors that push buttons, and obviously with Ganymede you are one of those authors. Can you give me a little background as to what brought you to write about child prostitution?

J: Through blogging, prior to Facebook, I met a young man who had been horribly abused his whole life. There was a child prostitution (and worse) ring active the area where he lived, so it didn’t take long for them to get their hands on him. He was able to survive and make it to adulthood and eventual safety, and in the course of our talks, he revealed a lot to me about the world I thought I knew. I was outraged at what I learned, so I started to do some research. The more I learned, the more I knew something had to be done. [Read more…] about Author Interview with J. Warren

Author Interview with Allen Renfro

July 12, 2012 By Brandon 2 Comments

I’m talking with Allen Renfro today, author of The Raised and Snap. Allen, like me, looks at the darker side of things, so I’m sure my own readers will enjoy his work. I certainly did.

B: I know you’re a button pusher, I could tell that just by reading Snap, and the book is certainly a no-holds-barred look at how homophobia affects a person in the most extreme sense. One line stuck with me because I’ve seen its privileged condemnation repeated over and over again (especially recently) in the commentaries and actions of LGBT media about bullying, coming out, and homophobia. What are your thoughts and where did this come from? I see the character that made the statement was actually a homeless gay kid trying to survive on the street. Do think that’s reflective of how homeless LGBTQ kids are perceived or think they’re perceived?

It’s always so easy for someone who’s got it made to think that the scum always chooses the darkness. [Read more…] about Author Interview with Allen Renfro

Selfish Giving by author Anne Tenino

February 17, 2012 By Brandon Leave a Comment

Guest Post by Anne Tenino

By nature, I’m a very giving person. Just this morning, someone cut me off in traffic and I gave him the finger. I don’t really think that’s the kind of giving Brandon wanted me to opine about, though. Let me start over. I’m a very giving person, although clearly I’m equal-opportunity about it; I’ll give you a hand if you need it, or the finger if you deserve it.

I’m a disorganized giver. I used to be an organized giver, but getting a long-term illness changed all of that. I’ll explain the difference in a bit, but first let me tell you something about my philosophy of giving.

I believe the giver always gets something out of a charitable act. In nearly every case, the giver gets the satisfaction of knowing they gave; of feeling like a “good person” for a while, or just knowing they are responsible for making someone’s life a bit better. In other cases, people and corporations get tax write-offs, or are assured that the cause they care about on a deep and personal level won’t die, or they get to have an experience they couldn’t have any other way. There are many more benefits of giving, I’m not going to go into them all here. These benefits are true (except the tax write-off) in both organized and disorganized giving. [Read more…] about Selfish Giving by author Anne Tenino