Kenny Boyle interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

When did your love of books begin?

Great question! My parents read to me pretty much immediately – before I was old enough to hold my head up by myself I was being read books, so I honestly can’t even remember when it started. By the time I was two I was “writing” books to read back to them. Obviously I didn’t know HOW to write so I’d just scribble squiggles on a page and remember what the story was, but they tell me I’d recite sprawling epic tales that lasted every evening for weeks.

I remember being in a car crash when I was three or four and my Postman Pat book fell out of the car in the crash, we were all fine but when the driver who had hit us rushed up to the car to make sure we were okay he stepped on the book and left a footprint in leaked petrol that couldn’t be wiped off. I kept that book for years with it’s oily footprint because, even though it reminded me of the crash, I didn’t want to be rid of my book. My mum offered to buy me a new one, but the one that I had was my one, why would I want someone else’s book?

As soon as I was old enough I started reading on my own. Brian Jacques and Redwall to begin with. At about age nine or ten someone told me the Lord of the Rings was too difficult for someone my age so I powered through and read the whole thing just to prove them wrong.

I’ve loved books for longer than I’ve known the word love.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

So as I said I started “writing” when I was too young to even know the alphabet, but I decided I wanted to become an author in primary school when I was taught by an inspirational teacher called Mrs McGlennan who knew the way to teach children was to celebrate and encourage their individuality. She was the first authority figure besides my parents who ever made me feel that writing wasn’t wasting my time and had it not been for her belief God knows where I’d be now.
I didn’t actually fulfil that dream until recently, and once again I have someone else’s belief in me to thank. My wife was the one who finally convinced me I had something worth saying, and to take the time to say it. I’m a pretty lucky guy all round to be honest.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

I’m a lucky guy in this respect too. I found a publisher quite easily, and I know that’s a privilege and not the story for many people. I’m not conceited enough to think my book is any better than the books that struggle to find a publisher – for me I was just the right person, with the right story, at the right time. Of course talent is important but there are a lot of incredibly talented people out there, and there are a lot of people a great deal more talented than I am still looking to get their book published. I don’t let the fact that finding a publisher was easy for me allow me to believe that it’s easy in general. I know I was just really fortunate.

Self-promotion is the hardest part of being an author. It’s a lot tougher than writing the actual book. Honestly, of every part of the process I think trying to get people to actually read the book has been the hardest part by a long way.

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Don’t let anyone tell you your story isn’t important. Including yourself. You have a unique perspective, you have unique lived experience, you have unique insights. No one is you, but you. Only you can tell your story, and you have no way of knowing if that story might change someone else’s life.

No! I can hear you putting yourself down! I’m not talking to other people here I mean YOU. If you want to be an author then get writing.

There aren’t any books by you yet… seems like a gap in the market to me! You better fill it.

Tell us about your book/books:

My debut novl is The Tick and The Tock of The Crocodile Clock. It’s been called “Thelma and Louise meets The Catcher in The Rye set in Scotland” and compared to “Elinor Ollipant is completely fine.” Here’s a wee synopsis:

An aspiring writer from the Southside of Glasgow, Wendy is in a rut. She tries to brighten her call-centre job by shoehorning as many long words as possible into conversations with customers. But her manager isn’t amused by that and, after a public dressing-down, Wendy walks out.

Jobless and depressed, she finds consolation in a surprise friendship with another disgruntled ex-colleague, wild-child painter Cat, who encourages her to live more dangerously. It’s just what Wendy needs and it’s also brilliant for her creative juices. But a black cloud is about to overshadow this new-found liberation, as well as to put Wendy on the wrong side of the law.

Fresh, insightful and funny, as well as unflinchingly honest about the tougher side of life, Kenny Boyle’s debut novel takes us deep into the psyche of a likeable misfit who treads a fine line between reality and fantasy – and just wants the world to see her true self.

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I’m in a twitter group for debut authors and we share hints and tips, celebrate the wins together and help each other through the losses. We congratulate each other when a nice review or article comes out and we all have a right good complain when a bad Amazon review gets posted (and collectively point out how terrible that person is! Haha). I don’t know how I’d have gotten through this whole debut author thing be it not for being part of a community going through the exact same thing. For a guy with social anxiety who is pretty sacred of talking to people, connecting to so many new people is a pretty big deal!

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

I believe.

Where can people connect with you?

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KennyIBoyle

Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/kennyboyleofficial/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/KennyBoyleOfficial