Written Interview
Tell me about yourself. What do you like to do outside of writing. What is a day in the life like for you?
Thanks for having me! I am a digital marketer by trade, so many of my days are spent on Slack or in Zoom meetings. When not working, and when not writing, I try to prioritize music (practicing, writing, recording). I do love to read and am usually working through a stack of books, usually bought second hand from a yard sale or thrift store. Currently, most of my extra time goes to my family. I’m a dad with two young boys, and we are in tee-ball season—lots of playing catch and batting practice at the moment. It’s a fun time.
What inspired your first novel? What was the thing that got you into writing in the first place?
Forgive me if this sounds cliche, but it was a dream. I usually don’t remember my dreams, so for me, it was notable that I woke up with a very detailed and vivid scene that I could remember.
I have always hated when writers say a dream inspired their story (like, really???), but in my defense, the dream was only one specific scene. When I woke, I decided to investigate what the heck that was all about. I’ve always been a big Beowulf nerd. The dream played to me like a science fiction version of Beowulf, which to me sounded like an interesting premise for a story. The writing of the book ended somewhere completely different, but it was my way into the story.
How do you come up with characters? Are they spontaneous or meticulously planned?
I began with one main character and built the entire world around him. Then I flipped that on its head and did the opposite, or put another way, I figured out who this guy was because of the world he was a part of. Then everyone else fell into place easily. Truth be told, most of the character development naturally occurred throughout revisions. It was like adding another layer of skin with each rewrite.
What are some of your favorite genres to read? Are there any books you’d recommend to first-time readers or people looking for something new?
I am terribly inconsistent, so I read and love all genres, pretty much anything. I really love short stories, so I have found that anthologies are a great way to discover new authors outside of my lane. So, if you’re looking for something new and/or to be unexpectedly inspired, I’d recommend the latest “Best American Short Stories” collection. Their annual Sci Fi/Fantasy collection is usually great as well.
What’s the most difficult thing about being a writer?
Well, I hate to complain, because I view writing to be a very special privilege and an honor. But being a “published writer” or a “book releasing author” means there’s all this other stuff to do. Writers are now expected to be content creators, social media mavens, website builders, newsletter generators, Youtubers, networkers, and event planners—let alone book sellers. It’s a necessary evil, I know, and as a marketer myself I understand why and might be more predisposed to doing it than most, but it can still be a burden.
What is your process for completing a novel from outline to final product?
I am a big believer in handwriting first drafts. Get off a computer screen and see what happens with a pen and paper. After that very rough first draft, I transfer to a Word DOC and that whole process is quite efficient, because I edit as a I transcribe. For the first book in the series, I didn’t outline, but the second book I did. I was still taken to places I didn’t expect, so that’s fun.
What’s the most unhinged thing you’ve written in your novel? Don’t worry, we don’t judge here.
There is a scene in my novel where someone cuts off a corpse’s arm and uses it as a torch. For the record, I don’t believe that you won’t judge me, haha.
What’s one thing about being a writer that absolutely drives you up the wall?
I think it would be what I wrote about previously, but ultimately, I don’t have many complaints. I do this because I want to, because I love to.
What does being a successful writer look like for you? What type of life do you want to live as a writer?
Publishing novels on a fairly consistent basis is my idea of success. Whether they sell or not is a different matter. At the end of the day, I aim to please that little kid inside me who yearned to see his books on a store bookshelf
Describe your writing journey. If you had to write a story centered around it, do you think you could pull it off?
The story would begin with a 5th grader passing handwritten stories to his friends. The stories would be an obvious rip off of whatever popular movie was in the theater at the time, but the look on that 5th grader’s face when his friends read his work would mean everything to him. He’d be searching for that feeling the rest of his life.
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About
Kevin Carver’s storytelling is deeply inspired by his obsession with old vinyl records, too much coffee, and the stern timelessness of John Steinbeck and Denis Johnson. A graduate of the University of Rochester’s creative writing program and Gonzaga University’s communications and leadership graduate program, his career spans award-winning one-act plays, musical performances with his former band The Function, and writing published in Reflections Literary Journal, 585 Magazine, The Inlander, CITY News, FlowerSong Press, The NightWriter Review, and more.
His debut novel, The Forbidden Parallel, is the first entry in a planned trilogy, which is due out May 27, 2025 from Provender Press.
When he’s not weaving tales or crafting immersive soundtracks to accompany his writing, you can find him chasing the sunset with his family on the California coast.
Social Media
Website: KevinCarver.com
Instagram: @kevincarverwrites
YouTube: @Kevin-Carver
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7sfPyri49eTrhIFyKEzg47
TikTok: @kvncrvr
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