Getting to Know #Author Brandon Overall (#BookClub, #MustRead)

When and why did you begin writing?

-I began writing when I started writing Superhuman Nature.  I can’t really tell you why!  I just sort of thought of a good idea and figured I’d try to write a book about it, and next then I know I had a finished rough draft.

How did you come up with the title?

-The title is a combination of several ideas that come together in the story.  The first, and most obvious, is the fact that the story is about a character with superhuman powers, and talks about the nature of those powers.  The second meaning is a kind of play on words in reference to the “human nature” that is often cited to be the source of many problems in society.  The main character’s flaws as he deals with his extraordinary abilities are sort of a reflection of his “superhuman nature”.

Can you tell us about your main character?

-Neil is a character I feel that a lot of people can identify with.  He doesn’t have a super personality, he is just a regular guy with super powers who doesn’t really know how to deal with them.  I feel like Neil captures the struggle a lot of people would face if they were placed in a similar situation.  What would you do if you had all the power in the world?  Would you use it for good or evil?

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?

-Definitely writer’s block.  When I’m on a roll, I can knock out thousands of words in a single day, but when I get to that part of the story where I just don’t know exactly what I want to happen next, I can spend several days without writing more than just a few hundred words.  It’s tough, but you just have to push through it.

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it?

-It taught me that what you want the story to be might not necessarily be the best way to write it.  You aren’t writing it for yourself, you’re writing it for your readers.  You have to let the story unfold the way they want it, even though you might rather have it play out differently.  At the end of the day, they are the ones you are trying to satisfy.  You have to write something other people will want to read, not just yourself.

When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?

-I love to lift weights, run, play video games, and surf the web

How often do you write? And when do you write?

-While working on my book I wrote a lot.  I wrote the first draft in a month and spent 3-4 hours per day writing.  I usually write best in the mornings or in the evening while listening to music.

Do you find the time to read?

-Not as much as I probably should!  I tend to spend most of my free time playing games and watching movies rather than reading.  I enjoy reading when those things aren’t available, though.

Do you have an organized process or tips for writing well? Do you have a writing schedule?

-Nope, I am not too serious about it so I just do it when I feel like it.  It’s not a job for me, it’s just a hobby.  If writing starts to stress me out, then it stops being fun and I stop doing it.

Sometimes it’s so hard to keep at it - What keeps you going?

-After putting so many hours into a work, it would be a shame to quit and have all that time go to waste.  I want to finish what I started!

Superhuman Nature is Brandon Overall's first novel. It was written and published during his first deployment to Afghanistan as a 2nd Lieutenant in late 2013.

Neil Hitchens was a senior ROTC Cadet in college. He was just weeks away from graduating and becoming an Officer in the United States Army, until a strange dream set off a chain of events that would twist his life into something he could have never prepared for.

In the days following his dream, several strange happenings occurred that he began to suspect were the result of his own actions. Before long, he discovered that he had the ability to control the world around him with his mind.

What started out as an unpredictable ability quickly evolved into an extraordinary power that had the capacity to change the world. It didn't take long for the government to find out what Neil could do.

They knew having such limitless potential on the side of the US Military could give them limitless political influence, and they would stop at nothing to get Neil to do their bidding. They would find out what happens when you back a dangerous animal into a corner.

Neil spent his whole life believing he would amount to greatness, but he never expected how greatness could corrupt even the most innocent of minds.

Buy @ Amazon & Smashwords

Genre – Science Fiction

Rating – PG-13

More details about the author and the book

Connect with Brandon Overall on Facebook