{"id":1232,"date":"2011-08-18T03:01:00","date_gmt":"2011-08-18T01:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.somethingwicked.co.za\/?p=1232"},"modified":"2011-08-03T13:57:31","modified_gmt":"2011-08-03T11:57:31","slug":"writers-cornered-brian-kirk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/2011\/08\/18\/writers-cornered-brian-kirk\/","title":{"rendered":"Writers Cornered: Brian Kirk"},"content":{"rendered":"

interview by Joe Vaz
\n\"\"<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n\"\"
\nIssue 12 (August 2011)<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where is home?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In a small, cozy house in Atlanta that I share with my wife, identical twin toddlers, and the friendliest dog in the world. We\u2019re straight out of central casting.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where did the idea for this story come from?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

To be honest, this was a story that simply unfolded while writing. I had a vague idea of the setting, a rural town in the southeastern United States, the image of a lost and lonely man, and the intention to explore something strange. I challenged my subconscious to bring the weird and this is what came out.<\/p>\n

I never outline, but usually have a general idea of the central theme and main plot points before beginning a new story; however, with this one I just pushed out into unchartered waters and trusted that I would reach dry land.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No Longer Alone seems to be a study in loneliness, is there a connection between the loneliness of the creature and Darrell?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If so, it\u2019s two very different types of loneliness, almost antithetical aspects of it. Loneliness that is unwanted often leads to despair, as with Darrell. On the other hand, there is a nobility in acting alone, especially through acts of altruism, as with the creature. I would say the connection lies in the creature\u2019s empathy for Darrell\u2019s undesired isolation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is the creature in the forest?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Good question. Perhaps it is spawned from April\u2019s spirit. Perhaps it is longing incarnate. It could be an altruistic alien or a mutant septic spore turned Good Samaritan. The reader\u2019s speculations are as good as mine. It\u2019s nice to know it\u2019s out there, though.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The end seems to suggest that the creature seeks to help those in pain, or is this just how it procreates?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I think it helps ease suffering by any means necessary, offering offspring is simply one example.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Are you working on anything right now?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Yeah, I\u2019m always either writing, editing, or obsessing over a story. All short fiction at the moment. The plan is to take on something longer by the beginning of next year, and complete it before the one after rolls around.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where might we be able to read more of your work?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

I track story sales, and ramble on occasion, at briankirkblog.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"
\n\"\"<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

[hana-code-insert name=’ArticleBlockOpen’ \/]<\/p>\n

Joe Vaz<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Joe Vaz<\/em> is the founder and editor of Something Wicked<\/em>, which occasionally affords him the honour and good fortune to hang out with really cool people.
\nIn his other life he is a film and television actor who gets small parts in big movies, most recently in Dredd 3D<\/em><\/a>, due to be released in September 2012.<\/p>\n

[hana-code-insert name=’ArticleBlockClose’ \/]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

interview by Joe Vaz
\n\"\"<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

To be honest, this was a story that simply unfolded while writing. I had a vague idea of the setting, a rural town in the southeastern United States, the image of a lost and lonely man, and the intention to explore something strange. I challenged my subconscious to bring the weird and this is what came out. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\"Cover<\/a> From Issue 12 (August 2011)<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,7],"tags":[107,63,105,39,100],"class_list":["post-1232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interviews","category-non-fiction","tag-brian-kirk","tag-interview","tag-issue-12","tag-joe-vaz","tag-writers-cornered"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1232"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1234,"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1232\/revisions\/1234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/somethingwicked.co.za\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}