https://moronbook.com/The Moron at the End of This Book looks great. What can you tell us about it?
Thank you, how sweet of you to say. Well, it’s a collection
of short stories that, when looked at as a single piece, read more like a
sardonic post-it note to self than, say, a typical narcissism-adjacent
autobiography. The stories can all stand alone, so reading sequentially isn’t
necessary, but there is an overall story arc. The narrative follows me from the
Deep South through a bewildering and mistake-prone childhood into a young adulthood
differing only in that it took place elsewhere, and my mistakes featured sex,
drugs, and coconut cake. In other words, it’s a fun ride that I hope will make
people laugh and forgive themselves for their own moronic behavior.
Any plans to turn it into a series?
I haven’t thought about a series, exactly. For sure, I’ve
got more stories to tell. Currently, on my desktop, there’s a fiction project
in draft form in need of some attention, and another book about what I call
“Compassionate Nihilism” that I could focus on, but I’m a creature of impulse,
so there is a decent chance I’ll write something else entirely. If this book is
any indicator of what might happen next, I’m just as likely to move to Vermont
to do something unwholesome with antiques.
That’s an amazing cover.
Can you tell us about it?
Thanks, I had help from a robot. First, I paid an artist to
design an unnecessarily complicated cover. He did his best, but ultimately,
even if you only put in a tiny bit, a turd in a sandwich makes any kind of
sandwich a turd sandwich. So, I turned to the machine – AI. I started funneling
ideas, concepts, and excerpts from my book into the image generator,
“MidJourney”. The image I found most compelling came from the phrase, “Infinite
toast.” After many alterations and tweaks to the prompt, the strange mechanical
beast I met on the internet gave me the image you see now.
The cover is ultimately a nod and a genuflection to a number
of concepts and one influence in particular. Conceptually, it represents the
beauty of existence, burned by the inevitability of catastrophe – A blending of
the simple and well-defined with the infinitely complex and misunderstood. It
is also a nod to a fictional character I once drew while on jury duty, called
“The Burnt Toast Mother F’er”, and a reference to the first story in the book,
“Toast for Sisyphus.” As for the influence to whom I am bowing, Douglas Adams
is probably the reason why I like to laugh while reading - my wife reminded me
of that, so I designed the cover to reflect my love for his work.
What scene or section did you have the most fun writing?
I found myself completely finished writing the first draft
of “Captain Flip-Flop Will Have the Hepatitis Alphabet Soup, Please” in a
single sitting. I was flood-lit by memory – the danger, the excitement, the
footwear, the fried pickles, all of it – and the story poured out like my
keyboard, and I were hanging out and having a drink.
What inspired the idea for the book, and where did you
come up with the title?
Two things, really. One, the title has been with me for some
time. I always loved “The Monster at the End of This Book”, by Jon Stone. I
loved the way that Grover, the most neurotic guy on Sesame Street, was a total
mess throughout the book. I identified with that early on.
The second reason the book exists, and probably the main
reason why I ever sat down and started writing it, was a single, sensitive, and
thoughtful prompt from my mentor, Susannah Rigg. She put me on a path of
self-exploration, searching for a writer in my senses. I didn’t find one there,
but I did learn that I’ve always related to existence by telling myself stories
about it. From my imaginary friends to the fake radio show I host today (or
podcast, if you prefer), I realized there is a story worth considering in
almost everything that happens.
What do you like to do when not writing?
I play music, hang out with my dog, travel, hike with my
wife, and cook. I also work…a whole bunch. My job is different every day. Some
days I do voiceover work, others I fix things that need fixing. Most people
would say I’m a handyman, but I say I’m an “Ableman”, because it sounds less
like I’m doing sex work. To be clear, I’m not opposed to doing sex work, it’s
that just nobody has asked, and I don’t want to misrepresent what I do for a
living. Oh, and I co-host a podcast show
called, “The Raised by Whoops Fake Radio Show”. That’s something I do just for
kicks.
Where can readers find out more about your work?
You can read or hear more stories at Raised By Whoops - www.rbwpod.com
– or buy the book and see photos @ www.MoronBook.com
