Kevin Carey interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Kevin Carey is Coordinator of Creative Writing at Salem State University. Books include: The Beach People (2014), The One Fifteen to Penn Station (2012), Jesus Was a Homeboy (2016) which was an Honor book for the Paterson Literary Prize, & Set in Stone (2020). His poems have twice appeared on The Writers Almanac on National Public Radio and on The Academy of American Poets Poem a Day. Kevin is also a playwright and a filmmaker. He has co-directed & co-produced two documentaries about poets, All That Lies Between Us and Unburying Malcolm Miller. His first crime novel, Murder in the Marsh, from Darkstroke Books, was released in October (2020). A new middle grade novel Junior Miles and the Junkman will be published in September of 2023 from Fitzroy Books, an imprint of Regal House Publishing. Kevincareywriter.com 

When did your love of books begin?

I've always been attracted to storytelling in all forms, books, plays, movies. I think in high school I stared to be fond of fiction with books like Catcher in the Rye, A Separate Piece and Man-child in the Promise Land. Years later writers like James Baldwin and Flannery O'Connor were important to me. Poetry was on my radar but became more personal to me later in life, as an adult with two little kids of my own.

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

I started writing seriously in my thirties when I went back to school after many years working different jobs. It was while pursuing a few degrees that I had the notion that I wanted to write and try getting some things published.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

Everything has been slow with me. The poetry books were a surprise really. I always fancied myself a fiction writer, but when my writing took off it was the poetry books that got published first. The novels I've published, Murder in the Marsh and the upcoming Junior Miles and the Junkman were novels I had in different forms for many years.

I've always loved writing and especially rewriting. When I have something, a bulk of something that I want to get right, that's when the process is enjoyable for me. Getting down the original "bulk" is work.

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

Read a lot and write a lot. Sounds simple I know, but it's the truth. The more you show up to write the more you learn. The same goes with reading. There are so many great writers out there, telling stories in different ways. Surrounding yourself with those stories helps the writing, consciously and unconsciously.

Tell us about your book/books:

My last poetry book:  Set in Stone: Kevin Carey’s poems tell stories as dreams, as memories, as rituals, or ceremonies. Carey writes poetry for the everyperson, poetry that deals with memory, loss, and nostalgia in an accessible and honest way. These poems tell stories about growing up and growing older, about loss and victory, giving praise to the moments that pass through our lives and the imprint they leave behind.

A Crime Novel: Murder in the Marsh: A missing body. Two new deaths. A man in search of the truth. 1980 Revere Beach, Massachusetts Detective Eddie Devlin is about to be relieved of his duty by the Revere Police Department. A year ago, he shot the killer of a woman in the marsh, but the man’s body disappeared from the crime scene. Eddie soon became a suspect, then a person of interest, and finally a casualty of the ongoing investigation. Shortly after he is let go, two bodies are found in the same place, and suspicions about Eddie’s guilt resurface. Determined to clear his name, the new civilian Devlin conducts his own investigation with the help of his bartender friend, Dana, and his almost girlfriend, Gwen. The sordid beachfront, the murky marsh, and the rain-soaked season all help to set the stage for this gritty and unsettling mystery, where Devlin battles his relentless demons on the way to uncovering a deeper conspiracy.

Junior Miles and the Junkman: Sept of 23:

Junior Miles never liked living in the junkyard, especially after his father (a junk sculptor) dies, but when he discovers the life-sized figure of a man made of junk, he’s introduced to a new world, full of cryptic messages and magic and adventure. 

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

The writers I've had the opportunities to spend time with are, for the most part, very generous people, willing to share their time, and their knowledge. I've been lucky enough to meet wonderful and inspirational writers through my job and in my own writing communities. Beware of people who tell you how great they are. They probably only have themselves to thank.

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

Writing is a great way to process the world, whether it's poetry or fiction or nonfiction. I feel lucky to have an interest in it, and to be able to find the time to do it. I would also say to writers who may be struggling, hang in there, sometimes it takes a while to get where you want to be as a writer, be persistent and it'll be worth it down the road. I'm certainly not where I want to be yet, but it's been a fun journey so far. Peace.

Where can people connect with you?

Kevin Carey (facebook)

@kcarey127 (Twitter)

kevincareywriter (Instagram)

kevincareywriter.com