Queerying: Author Brandon Witt

Queerying Author Brandon Witt

We came across a writer whose writing we wanted to share with you. And no this is not only because he’s a handsome, charming man, but because his writing is touching and compelling. We first became aware of him with his book The Shattered Door.

For anyone that’s grown up in a conservative environment, you’ll appreciate the story revealed here. If that wasn’t enough, we love the three queer fantasy Men of Myth books, also written by Brandon.

So we were thrilled to talk to him for a bit, as well as spread the word about these great books:

QUEERCLICK: Hi Brandon, we’ve recently discovered your books The Shattered Door and the three installments of the Men of Myth and we’re curious to learn more about you and the inspiration behind the books. Your first novel published by Dreamspinner Press, The Shattered Door seems as if it could be based on your own upbringing and early life Missouri and then Colorado, what inspired you to go down this storyline?

BRANDON: While The Shattered Door begins in Denver, where I’ve lived since I was eighteen, within the first few chapters of the book, the main character, Brooke, moves back to the small Missouri town in which he grew up. I’d say the 30-40% of the book is autobiographical. There are certain parts that are completely true, and many more that have large grains of my life woven throughout. Much of that book is centered on an abusive mother/son relationship. That part is fiction. My mother is wonderful. However, nearly all the aspects of being gay in a small Bible Belt town are inspired by my own experiences. When I was around twenty-four, my cousin Gabe was killed in a car wreck. It was while driving back to Colorado from his funeral that the plot line for this book began to form in my mind. The novel is dedicated to him.

Queerying Author Brandon Witt

QUEERCLICK: In addition to writing, you also work with children with disabilities. What inspired you to do this wonderful line of work?

BRANDON: Like the character in The Shattered Door, I grew up a very fundamental Christian and got my degree to be a youth pastor. However, due to the whole gay thing, I never worked in a church. Instead I took a job as a counselor in a youth treatment facility. Think of it as a juvenile delinquent center with therapy. I worked with teenagers who had been sexually and physically abused, gang members, child molesters, kids that ended up killing others, you name it. Gradually, that led me to becoming a special education teacher for students with emotional disabilities and anger issues. A lot of my writing tends to be dark, and is heavily influenced by work with these kids. However, as I’ve learned through these children, the darkness is always tinted with hope, or at least can be if we fight for it hard enough.

Queerying Author Brandon Witt

QUEERCLICK: Did you find The Shattered Door a bit of a release to allow yourself to move into more of a fantasy genre with the Men of Myth books that followed?

BRANDON: Absolutely! The Shattered Door was therapy for me. From bullying issues around me being gay that I endured growing up (who hasn’t, I know), from all the pressure and fear around God and religion, to my own acceptance of who I am within my family and my own life… there was a lot I needed to get through before I could traipse into fantasy land. Apparently, there is still more to flush out, as my fifth novel, that I’m starting this month takes me back to that small town once more.

Queerying Author Brandon Witt

QUEERCLICK: What have fans shared with you about their love of The Shattered Door?

BRANDON: So many people have contacted me about how similar their own experiences have been to those that are explored in Shattered. It seems to really strike a cord with many people. Men and women alike, gay and straight alike. It’s been really amazing. Both to hear that my writing has touched people and meant a lot to them, and also just to have confirmation that others experienced similar things. I didn’t get to really know another gay person (at least that I knew was gay) until I was twenty-three. Until then, I’d felt so alone and like a complete abomination of a freak. Turns out… I wasn’t the only one!

QUEERCLICK: Prior to The Shattered Door had you written stories and books before?

BRANDON: I’ve wanted to be an author since I was a sophomore in high school. I’d written many short stories and one full-length book that was an autobiography, entitled Safe. I don’t think I will ever seek publication for it. There was no veil of fiction for it, and it’s too personal for public consumption.

Queerying Author Brandon Witt

QUEERCLICK: What inspired Submerging Inferno and the beginning of Men of Myth? Did you initially plan for this to be a series?

BRANDON: I always knew it would be a series. It was inspired by Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld books, although Men of Myth is much darker. Through this series, while these first three books focus around two main characters, many supporting characters will rise up and have their own novels later. Each exploring different men of varying species and cultures—Demon, Werewolves, Vampires, Mermen, Fairies, etc.

QUEERCLICK: Your characters are well-rounded and you don’t hold back in revealing their flaws. Do you draw the characteristics of these men from real-life or are these characters simply explorations you’ve made in your own mind? Is there someone in your life who is the equivalent of Brett Wright or Finn de Morisco or are they another side of you?

BRANDON: Personally, I think the well-roundedness and flaws of these characters are the strongest aspects of my books. Of course I am partial. It’s what people have responded to the most. Most people tend to either love my writing or really, really hate it. There’s very few in the middle. Those that hate it seem to be annoyed by some of my characters making stupid decisions, or being an ass, or being selfish, or ‘fill in the blank.’ To me that’s okay. I want my men to be real, even if we’re talking about a demon or some other supernatural species–they’ve got to be human or what’s the point? There are times I have been stupid, have made horrible relationship choices, or have been ashamedly selfish. It’s hard to see our flaws in others, but it drives me crazy when I read books with perfect characters. I can’t relate to them at all. And I find them dreadfully dull. Perfect people suck, and not in the fun way. Brett Wright, initially, was partially modeled after an ex of mine, a man I thought I’d marry. Finn has my personality almost completely. And Schwint is my boyfriend Stephen. And, each of them also has many of our weaknesses. What’s awesome, and scary at times, is that I can see aspects of myself in nearly every character, even the evil ones and the ones people hate. We all have dark sides and lightness to us. I like to explore both.

Queerying Author Brandon Witt

QUEERCLICK: The books have been very well received. While the third book, Clashing Tempest seems to nicely end the series, I could also imagine you continuing on with more books. Do you have plans to continue on the Men of Myth series?

BRANDON: The story plot is wrapped up by Clashing Tempest, at least in terms of it not ending in a cliffhanger. I have the next four books planned out, and I hope to go up to ten or eleven or more. We will see where it goes. I’m excited to get back to them.

QUEERCLICK: What’s next for you?

BRANDON: I’m in the planning stages for another contemporary piece. Once again, it is set back in my home farm town in Missouri. This one, however, will be much more fiction and much less personal therapy. It centers around a father of three, whose wife has died and he now has to face his homosexuality. Not a new theme, by any means, but one I hope I can breathe new life into. After that, I have a political fiction novel that’s being in the making for a couple of years now. Then, it’s back to book four of Men of Myth.

QUEERCLICK: Is there a common theme throughout all of the books you write?

BRANDON: The theme of God flows through all my books. Even the fantasy series, even though the deity takes the form of pagan gods in those novels. They aren’t preachy or Bible-Thumperish. Yes, Thumperish. The other thread that connects my writing is character driven stories. You’ll be able to see someone you know in nearly every character, whether it be yourself, your mother, someone you love, or someone you detest. My characters grow a ton in my writing. Maybe that’s not entirely true. Let’s say my characters change through my writing. Not all of us evolve and chose to be enlightened, after all. Some of us take quite a wild, spiraling journey downward. While hope and light is always present in my writing, I don’t promise happy endings and every string tied up into a pretty sparkling bow. Some of the best books and writing I’ve read has been ruined by the author feeling they have to clean it all up in the last chapter, make everything perfect. That typically feels forced and like selling out to me. Again, the fact that I don’t do that drives some readers crazy. In my self-praising manner, it’s one of the things I’m most proud of in my writing. I go where the story takes me, where the characters choose to go.

QUEERCLICK: What have your fans shared with you about the Men of Myth series? What do they relate to?

BRANDON: It’s so strange to read a question like that. Having fans. So strange. Granted there’s probably only 3 ½ fans out there, but it’s an aspect I’d never really considered when I fought for publication. It’s a very humbling experience to have someone tell you they’re a fan. It’s exciting, but comes with a lot of pressure as well. What they often say is similar to what I’ve stated above. When I’ve been contacted about the Men of Myth books, the common thing readers say they love is how human and real the characters are, for better and worse. For those that connect to my writing, they seem to become very invested in the lives of these men and women. I’ve had a few gay men write and tell me they’ve been waiting for books like these. I don’t offer a fantasy of a Fabio-like swashbuckling gay hero. These are ‘real’ gay men, with the same weakness, strength, desires, downfalls, and proclivities as you and me. I try to present gay men how we really are, at least a portion of us (we’re not all the same, obviously). I find it rather diminishing when I read a gay novel and the character is nothing more than a romanticized version of what society thinks we are. It’s very emasculating. I think the world is ready for real gay characters. Even it’s not, it should be.

Queerying Author Brandon Witt

QUEERCLICK: You also started a bit online self-promotion for your books with a video series called “The Witty Hour” (it’s not really an hour). And while we admire your determination in getting the word out, it seems as if these videos have evolved into a show people want to watch. Do you see (or hope) for the The Witty Hour to evolve into something more?

BRANDON: You are more positive than I am about ‘The Witty Hour.’ I’m not sure if people want to watch it or not. The videos are shameless, tacky, and just out and out odd. Every time I film a new episode, I ask my self why I’m doing it. And, I don’t really have an answer–except that I’m having fun doing them and getting to explore parts of my personality I normally don’t share. I tend to be very introverted and reserved. Not so in The Witty Hour. While it would be great if more people loved them and I became an overnight success on Saturday Night Live (I’m TOTALLY kidding), I am serious that the goal of them is just to get my name out in one more way in hopes that people will learn about my writing. I don’t have a desire to be famous or the next reality star. I do have the desire to write non-stop and be able to simply be an author full time for the rest of my life. To have people love (or hate–just not apathy, please) my writing and novels. Honestly, there’s nothing I’ve ever done that is as terrifying or painful as writing a book. There’s also nothing that compares. I love it with every fiber of my being.

QUEERCLICK: Thank you so much, Brandon.

And if you’re interested in learning more about Brandon or of course, diving into one of his books, check out his Website or search for it at your favorite book source.

Feb 28, 2014 By redmonkey 8 Comments