Kaamil Garyson is a self-publishing paranormal and dark
drama author from Atlanta, GA. While he initially set out to write a memoir of
his combat experiences in the US Army, Kaamil decided that his PTSD made it too
difficult to relive some of the most harrowing moments of his short military career.
Still wanting to tell his story, Kaamil began writing military-themed
paranormal fiction that is loosely
based on his time in the Service. Kaamil is a relatively new author, having
wrote his first short story in November of 2011, titled Dogs of War. However, he has been on a tear ever since.
A self-proclaimed workaholic, Kaamil normally puts in 16- to
18-hour days writing, studying, and networking. He is a student of the game who
offers a plethora of free short stories, poems, and screenplays on his blog (http://sinistreproseonline.biz). He
is currently hard at work on his debut paranormal novel, Nemesis. This is a story of the feminist movement, demonic influence,
and a selfless Soldier’s love and perseverance.
Book Cover and Synopsis
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN
A WORLD OF FEMALE DOMINANCE?
Lilith, a she-demon hell-bent on a new world of feminine rulership, seeks to devour not only US Army Soldier Dustin Chase and his infant son, but also all sexually weak human males. The selfless Dustin can protect himself and his son from Lilith, but she is not working alone.
Coming out soon in early fall.
Interview
You haven’t been writing very long. What made you decide to become a writer?
I did two tours in Iraq and once I got home, I decided that
I wanted to write a memoir of my experiences. That proved to be too difficult
because I didn’t want to relive that horror. So, I decided to try writing
fiction that is influenced by my
experiences. I figured if I could use make believe characters that go through
some of the things I’ve been through, it might be a little easier for me.
I wrote my first short story in the fall of 2011, titled Dogs of War. It was a horrible mass of words and paragraphs because naturally, I had no idea what I was doing. And no, you don’t get to read that one!
Since you’ve only
been writing a short period of time, have you developed a routine?
Somewhat. I’ve tried different ways of writing, such as pantzing and planning. I do okay with both methods, but I’m definitely a planner. I prefer to create a comprehensive blueprint of my stories. Once I start on the first draft, however, things always change. I spend so much time developing my characters that we actually become pretty good friends. Therefore, they have no problem arguing with me!
As for word count, I try not to stick to a set number. One day I might write 500 words and on another day I might write 5000. Either way, I make sure I write everyday by hook or crook.
You’ve called yourself a workaholic. How did you earn that title?
I believe there are plenty of hours in the day. Many people
complain that there are not enough hours but I just don’t see it that way. I
spend on average 16 to 18 hours everyday on my craft, whether that’s marketing,
planning, writing, reading, reviewing, networking… I am determined to make a
success out of my writing career.
I am heavily influenced by the greats of our time, regardless of their professions. Hip Hop artists like Diddy (who works 20 hours per day and sleeps for four hours) and Dr. Dre are known for their insane work ethics. Dr. Dre actually spends up to 72 hours at a time in the studio.
People don’t understand the dedication required to reach success. They only see the notoriety and money. They don’t realize that people who are rich and famous work harder and longer than anyone else.
My family often complains out of worry. They think I push
myself too hard. Maybe they’re right. While you sleep, I’m working. While
you’re eating, I’m working. And if I fail, I’ll know I did all I could to make
it happen. I can live with that.
I don’t play games. I have no friends, except a bird named Edgar (named after Poe). I don’t go anywhere. I sit in my study all day everyday accomplishing something that I didn’t accomplish the day before and learning something that I didn’t know the day before.
So what is your daily routine like?
My days typically run from 9am to about 3am. Some days, I don’t start until 11. I normally start with social networking. I’ll interact with people on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Goodreads for a couple of hours.
After that, I complete some homework assignments for school where I’m studying Creative Writing. I’m also an intern for an Internet radio show called Behind the Curtain. I’ll spend an hour or two doing copy and editing for BTC, then I’ll spend another couple of hours doing work for my own radio show, Authors of the Free World.
All of that is followed by more research for my debut novel and getting some writing done. I usually end the night reading someone’s book manuscript for review.
Speaking of your debut novel, what is it about?
It’s called Nemesis. It’s about Lilith, a she-demon hell-bent on a new world of feminine rulership who seeks to devour not only US Army Soldier Dustin Chase and his infant son, but also all sexually weak human males.
I’ve garnered quite a bit of interest for that story, mainly from female readers (go figure). I got the idea from a book I bought called The Hebrew Goddess. It tells of the history of female deities that are supposed to be the rulers of mankind. Naturally, this book challenges everything about Christian beliefs!
Do you agree with that belief (female deities)?
Yes and no. I believe that men are providers and protectors. We are leaders and that is what we are put here for. Many women are fully capable of taking on those roles, but I don’t think they should. To me, women are precious diamonds that should be taken care of.
Along those same lines, however, women have “certain powers” over us men! Also, women, as precious as they are, can put a serious hurting on men in ways no physical violence ever could.
Regarding our “certain powers,” is that what Lilith is exploiting in Nemesis?
Absolutely! Some men… actually most men… okay, damn near all men are sexually weak. It is for this reason that Lilith wants women to take over modern society. She has a serious character contradiction because, although she’s an evil demon, she wants sexual purity in the world. The way she plans on gaining that is by killing all men who are promiscuous. Any guy who has cheated on his significant other or who’s sexually assaulted a woman is a prime target. Even men who “enjoy” themselves in private are on her radar. That would leave women outnumbering us 20 to 1!
Is your story of
Lilith based on research or is she just your interpretation?
A little of both. The myth of Lilith changes depending on
the culture and religious beliefs. Some people believe she was Adam’s first
wife, before Eve. She rebelled because she didn’t want to lie in submission to
him. Others believe she was God’s consort. There are many variations. In Nemesis, Lilith was in fact Adam’s first
wife and her disbelief in lying in submission to a man influences her to
attempt to give women supreme rulership over men.
So Lilith is the main character of the story?
Depends on your beliefs, I guess. If you believe in the feminist movement, Lilith is your protagonist because although she is an evil she-demon, she is justified in her actions (at least, in her own mind). I think many women who’ve been done wrong by men and still hold a grudge might cheer for Lilith.
For others, they sympathize with Dustin Chase. He’s a young US Soldier and very noble. He’s also a single parent. And if you don’t know, it is rare for a male Soldier to be a single parent. The mother of his baby is a dead beat and instead of putting the baby up for adoption (his mother begged him to put the baby up), Dustin enlisted in the Army to give his child a good life. That makes Dustin unique and people will like him. There’s also the irony of Dustin being a US Soldier who is fighting a different type of battle: spiritual warfare!
Where and when can we get this book?
It should be available late summer/early fall. I’ll have it on all the main outlets: Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Smashwords. It will be in both hard copy and ebook format.
What else do you have planned?
I’m working on a new website called Authors of the Free World. It carries the same name as my radio show. But this is going to be a complete brand. I have a team together of 14 people who cover everything from book blogging to editing to trailers. It will be a one-stop shop for all things writing.
Any parting thoughts?
Yes. I am still looking for a few more people to fill out my AFW roster. So, if there is anyone out there who’d like to earn a professional credential and take part in our profit sharing program, give me a holler. Whatever your talents, we can use you: reviewers, editors, cover designers, consultants, etc.
You can contact me via the links below:
Blog: http://sinistreproseonline.biz
LinkedIn: bit.ly/KaamilOnLinkedIn
Twitter: bit.ly/KaamilOnTwitter
Goodreads: bit.ly/KaamilOnGoodreads
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