William Brinkman

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Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

I maintain a satirical blog, also called The Bolingbrook Babbler. Think of my books as the gritty alternate universe version of this setting. I also spend too much time playing Juno: New Origins. (I love the challenge of building planes and rockets.) I also love spending time with our family's cat. He's attached to my wife, but he loves it when I play him.

When and why did you start writing books?

I started as a freelance writer for White Wolf Studios, which was a dream come true. I'd played their role-games for years, and now I could finally give back my creative work. While the pay wasn't much, I was thrilled to see my name in print. Several years later, I had an idea for a book based on my web series, and I just had to publish it. It was hard to write, because of the subject, but I'm glad I did because it inspired me to branch out into series writing. If I hadn't, I doubt I would have discovered my favorite character, Lydia.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

I've created stories since I was in grade school, and

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

Lydia, because I can write more action oriented plots with her, yet she still has depth as a character. She struggles mentally, and within vampiric society, but still clings to her humanity.

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

The Rift, because the main character was not only flawed, but drifting towards becoming an Incel/Mens Rights Activist. Which I am quite the opposite of. The story was inspired by a real life harassment campaign against women within the secular movement. So I had to balance the fantasy elements and respect the pain these women experienced in real life. I ended up spending years editing and writing the novel to achieve the right balance. In the end, I think I pulled it off because it's my best reviewed book to date.

Who is your favourite author and book?

I love William Gibson's way with descriptions, and the ending of All of Tomorrow's Parties still lingers in my mind.

What book are you reading right now?

Save the Cat writes a Novel.

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

One of my major inspirations, of course, is the Village of Bolingbrook. I lived there for a few years, and I continue to follow the events there. It's an ethnically diverse community with a wide range of income levels that's quite rare in suburban Chicago. At the same time, it was controlled by one, the mayor who'd been in office for over 30 years. . Sometimes he acted like the king of Bolingbrook who crushed his enemies with his large campaign fund and political machine. There were also times he was a caring person. I loved to imagine him in fantastic situations and how he would handle them. I've also used my experience in the alternative press to imagine how the Babbler's staff uncover the unbelievable truth every week.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Video games, reading the news, and reading up on self-publishing trends.

Do you have any new books in the works?

As of this interview, I'm working on the next Bolingbrook Babbler book, Revenge of the Phantom Press. It's deals with death, legacy, and learning from our mistakes. I'm also going to work on a new reader magnet, which will focus on Wendy, before she joined the Babbler's staff.