Author William Brower
The Voice of Indie
I’m an author and Titanic historian in the South Florida area. Each of my thirty seven books and film scripts are inspired by my passion for history, mythology and literature.
What makes for a great fantasy horror novel?
Blending
the folklore and legend into a new scenario and environment, if done properly,
the reader can follow the clues to the grand reveal.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Clive Barker, Robert Howard, Clive Cussler, Sidney Williams, Owl Goingback, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Bloch, and Rod Serling to name a few.
What is your all-time favorite fantasy horror novel, and/or film?
That
would be Ridley Scott’s LEGEND from 1985. Tim Curry’s makeup for DARKNESS
became a heavy source of inspiration for me in later years.
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?
Calling
a friend for help when the killer enters the house. It’s been overdone and
could easily be deleted.
Which fictional character would be your perfect neighbor, and who would be your nightmare neighbor? My perfect neighbor would probably be the adventurer Dirk Pitt who’s normally taken karma to new levels when going up psychotic leaders. The nightmare would have to be Pee Wee Herman, not Paul Reubans the actor mind you, but Pee Wee himself. Lord knows what the word of the day would be!
What do you think of the current state of the genre?
I enjoy the Creepshow anthology
and a number of indie films. It seems though the larger studios are working
strictly with cookie cutters. There have been times with certain titles I
recognized five or six other film plots which were borrowed to flush out back
story to the current project. Resulting in me returning the DVD for a refund.
Yes, I prefer physical copies still J .
What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?
That would be Slasher Girl by Reyna Young aka Miss Misery! I expected to read two chapters before bed, next thing I knew, the sun was coming up from the window while the book itself was finished! I haven’t come across anything disappointing recently. I’ll admit, I’m a bibliophile and generally read four books of mixed genres per month.
How would you describe your writing style?
I take elements of our past and weave them into fantastic worlds where the lines between fiction and reality blur.
Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative, that have stayed with you?
My first published book was my high school memoirs, my friends and I used to order props from the shops featured in the back of Fangoria magazine to prank the general public and other classmates. I’d promised them it would be a published work by the time of our ten year reunion. The book was released under my pen name almost six months before the reunion, in that time, someone read it and specified they worked in the publishing industry and compared the book to Hunter S. Thompson’s works!
What scares you?
Let me
climb on the soap box a moment, narrow minded people. I don’t mean politically,
or religions etc. Just in general. It’s scary to see people hide behind their
own fears to a point they become selective on people to associate with. I’m
naturally outgoing and strike up conversations with pretty much anyone around
me. Unless, it’s a foreign language that I can’t speak!
Who would be on the soundtrack to your life story?
Iron Maiden, Kiss, and Pink Floyd.
What’s the most important lesson you have learned about writing?
That would be a formula taught to me by Professor Christopher Ramsey, it was a variation of Alfred Hitchcock’s Macguffin. Which has come in handy following his class!
What aspects of writing do you find the most difficult?
Keeping
track of market trends and trying to match them to current projects. I have a
filing cabinet of rejection letters for reference.
How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
I’ve
been fortunate to have expanded into writing scripts and had two shorts that
were optioned and produced. These days, I’m selecting some of my novels and
reverse engineering them into film scripts to submit and pitch with.
What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?
Fellow authors and friends in the industry you can brainstorm with if needed. A few pots of coffee, hard skin to handle critique and rejections, an open mind to create with and if you’re tackling non-fiction, a decent amount of sources.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?
I have
two pieces from two journalists who worked at the same local paper. The late
Ray Recchi who’s column was a window into his life and how certain aspects of
world news affected his family, told me to write with inspiration and
determination not desperation. Margo Harakas took me under her wing as a
writing mentor and when my first freelance assignment came in from the paper,
it was for an erotic art exhibition featuring local artists and let’s just
say...stage shows. She suggested that when writing the piece, focus and observe
the patrons. Describe the environment and atmosphere without revealing the subject
of the artwork or performances.
Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
That would be Dragon Claws from my epic fantasy series, Chronicles of the Dragons Bane. In many ways, I created him as a shadow version of myself. He’s a fish out of water tasked with guiding my protagonist on his journey while he himself is the outsider in a foreign land. I have an unquenchable curiosity and I try to attempt new things in my life both creatively and in actuality. If it fails, I at least can say that I put an effort towards it or tried it once. Probably the best example that I adapted slightly into the character was when I chose to try a taco made with Mahi Mahi because the name sounded exotic and not realizing its seafood, which I’m allergic to!
What character was the most difficult to develop?
Again,
going to Dragons Bane, it would be the lead character Phillip. When I first
started the series, I was sixteen years old who collected everything from comic
books to voodoo masks and swords, my classmates dubbed me “Young Stephen King”
given my choice of writing. I didn’t want the character appear too moody and
come off obnoxious.
Fame, fortune, or respect?
Respect!
The other two are fleeting and easily lost while the former is the true
decision maker.
What piece of your own work are you most proud of?
That’s a
tough call, I’d have to say it’s any volume of the nine books of the Dragons
Bane series. Each one was researched and inspired by friends who were veterans
willing to share tactics and at times memories of their own experiences.
What 3 words would you use to describe your writing style?
Historic, epic and twisted
For those who haven’t read any of your books, what book of yours do you think best represents your work and why?
This was an observation made by my good friend Ken Gorales whom I’ve known for close to forty years, starting with my high school memoirs, expanding to four other non-fiction titles and it reveals quite literally the first twenty plus years of my life. Peaks and valleys, addiction, true love, silly memories all in the life of a writer trying to make a name for himself. Probably the best introduction especially if one is trying to venture into the entertainment industry.
Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?
My last book is the final volume in the Dragons Bane series that’s written as a travel guide to the world of Mysidia and the legend of the Dragons Bane. Currently I’m adapting the series into scripts that I plan to pitch to agents for consideration of production. I’m lucky to have actors who’ve read a few episodes and have offered to sign on or attend a cattle casting call to audition.
What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?
That’s a
great question! To be honest, I encourage questions to be asked. I always say
that I’m an open book and if I have an answer, I’ll share it or if not, will
direct you to someone with said information.
Website-https://webrower2.wixsite.com/writingportfolio
Blog-N/A
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/william.brower.1
Twitter https://twitter.com/webrowerjr
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B00OPDOUBS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8346804.William_Brower
Biography -
A native Floridian, author and Titanic historian William Brower’s passion for History, Mythology and Literature have led audiences through mystical lands where beasts of legend roam all the way to the moment of terror on board the decks of the sinking Titanic.
William stumbled into the craft when his middle school sponsored hosted a Halloween short story contest with a grand prize being movie passes and free pizza from the local parlor. Brower’s first story was a homage to the writing style of Rod Serling featuring a park ranger witnessing a ghostly recreation of the battle of Gettysburg and questioning their sanity while writing up their end of shift report. The story won grand prize however, because William’s research and trip to the battlefield made the scenes overly graphic, the school refused to display the winning composition. Instead, a plaque was displayed reading WILLIAM BROWER AKA YOUNG STEPHEN KING forever changing the young man’s life.
Since the momentous announcement, William followed through with his christened nickname and has written thirty seven books plus a series of scripts. One of the first scripts produced became the foundation for his post high school career goals when he interviewed survivors of the Titanic and members of dive teams who piloted submersibles on the decks of the legendary liner which gave birth to his touring museum and one man performance Titanic: The Legacy Remains.
The early 2000’s brought William to his largest audience for his Titanic show when he performed at his local performing arts center in front of 10,000 people. As the curtain closed and the fanfare went quiet, Brower took up the mantle of author writing his first book, CONFESSION AND TRUE ACCOUNTS OF THE CRAZY CLAN, a memoir of his closest friends through his school years. The book released in time to celebrate his ten year reunion handing out copies to classmates featured within the pages.
Brower assisted in the production of the indie film THE LAST SIGNALS, a biopic about the wireless operators on the Titanic which released for the centinerary in 2012. His involvement within the Titanic community led his appointment as the first U.S. Ambassador to the Titanic Heritage Trust in 2013.
He graduated with a BFA in Creative Writing For Entertainment in March 2019 from Full Sail University and following the option of his first film, THE MESSAGE, continues to weave stories from life events. Brower is a member of the Authors Guild and when not writing, is active in the local arts scene.
Comments
Post a Comment