Recently I had the pleasure of reading Brian Kirk’s debut
horror novel, We Are Monsters, deservedly Stoker award nominated for superior
achievement in a first novel. It’s a complex, fascinating work and I wanted to
pick Brian’s brain…um, since that’s what he seems to excel at.
SRW: Welcome Brian! Tell the readers a little bit about We
Are Monsters.
BK: Hey, Stuart! Thanks for taking the time to chat.
Certainly. We Are
Monsters is a story about a brilliant, yet troubled psychiatrist named Alex
Drexler who is working to create a cure for schizophrenia. At first, the drug
he creates shows great promise in alleviating his patient’s symptoms. It
appears to return schizophrenics to their former selves. But (as you may
imagine) something goes wrong. Unforeseen side effects begin to emerge, forcing
prior traumas to the surface, setting inner demons free. His medicine may help
heal the schizophrenic mind, but it also expands it, and the monsters it
releases could be more dangerous than the disease.
SRW: This is a very psychologically rich book, Brian. All of
your characters are given back-stories, ultimately defining their current
flaws, fears and guilt. The past makes us who we are. Very human traits. Do you
have a background in psychology?
BK: I don’t have a formal background in psychology, though
the field has always fascinated me. Like many creative people, I have been
plagued with bouts of mental illness my whole life, which draws me to the
subject. I’m fairly introspective and often psychoanalyze myself. Whether
that’s good or bad, I don’t know, but over time I’ve become versed in the
various methods of cognitive behavioral therapy for both self-application and
out of general curiosity.
SRW: You’re not very nice to your three leads! (I like that.
Heh.) Closet sadist or hyping up the drama and suspense?
BK: Probably the latter. What’s the point in writing about
boring people without problems, right? As I’ve grown older, I’ve become
fascinated with how events that occurred early in one’s life impact that person
later on, either due to trauma rising to the surface, or through a sequence of
events or decisions that lead someone on a certain path towards an undesirable
destination they couldn’t foresee.
One of these two eventualities come true for most of the
central characters in We Are Monsters.
Their individual pasts have caught up with their current predicaments in ways
that must be dealt with.
SRW: The three protagonists are all saddled with guilt,
generated by events out of their control (for the most part; I’m looking at
you, Alex, as the exception!). Did you write them to be pitied? Despised?
Empathetic? I think you pulled all three emotions off at various times. But
that guilt, Brian! One of the themes of the book appears to be that instilled
guilt formulates who we as people are. Catholic much?
BK: Very insightful,
Stuart. Perhaps you are the closet psychologist!
I didn’t conceive the characters with the intention of eliciting
a certain emotion, exactly. I was more concerned with giving them real issues
to work through in a way that felt authentic to me. But, guilt? Yes. Hell, yes.
I’ve lived with guilt stemming from a stringent religious upbringing most of my
life. Many years spent worrying my soul was destined for eternal hell due to
slight infractions to arbitrary rules that harmed no one. I think we all strive
to become our actualized selves, either based on religious ideology or a basic
moral code, and become disappointed when we fall short. That seems to be a
fairly universal experience that I tried to express through the characters in
the book.
SRW: There’re quite a few themes in the book, some of them
heavy. Now I don’t wanna’ make We Are Monsters sound like a dull college
text-book, but generally in horror fiction, the reader doesn’t encounter such
metaphysical themes as the nature of reality. Sort of literature gussied up
with horror. Do you believe we are capable of forming our own reality?
BK: I’m not sure what I believe. I’m equally compelled by
arguments for free will as I am pre-determination. Personal experience leads me
to believe we are capable of forming our own reality, but I don’t know if
there’s “woo-woo” metaphysics involved or if it’s just a matter of applying
basic momentum in a specific direction.
Ten years ago, I was as far from being a published author as
possible. But it’s something I knew I wanted to become. So I set my intention
towards making it happen, applying my time and attention in that direction,
taking all the necessary steps to accomplish that goal. Eventually I was able
to turn that dream into my reality. Was there woo-woo involved as suggested by
The Law of Attraction, and such philosophies, or was it simply a natural
outcome based on the steps and actions I was taking? Don’t know.
SRW: There are some
great quotes about insanity: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over
again, but expecting different results.” (Often attributed to Einstein). I like
this definition. But if we study it, Brian, aren’t your three protagonists
guilty of insanity by this definition? Each day they use the same methods at
work (particularly Eli), hoping to cure insanity and generally failing. If we
really wanna’ get depressing, perhaps we’re all insane, performing the same
work, day in or day out.
BK: There is a broad spectrum of mental states. Our society
tends to favor the analytical state of consciousness most grounded in the
physical reality of things we can touch, measure, and weigh. That’s the state
of consciousness rewarded in schools that rely on the memorization of information
evaluated by multiple choice tests. People on other mental spectrums that lean
more towards imaginary realms are often less valued by our society, and are
even, depending on the degree of separation from our material reality and the
actions that result from this, feared, ostracized, incarcerated and/or
institutionalized.
One thing that I find curious and frightening is to consider
how our societal reward systems tend to favor people with psychopathic
tendencies. Want to know the ten jobs with the highest rates of psychopathy?
1. CEO
2. Lawyer
3. Media (Television/Radio)
4. Salesperson
5. Surgeon
6. Journalist
7. Police officer
8. Clergy person
9. Chef
10. Civil servant
Yep, scary stuff.
SRW: Edgar Allen Poe wrote “I became insane with long
intervals of horrible sanity.” Talk about depressing. If we accept this as the
new world order, I don’t wanna be sane. How do you feel about this quote?
BK: Ha! I like that!
I think it’s all a matter of perspective. Bankers are crazy
to circus performers, and visa versa. I wish our society was more open to
altered states of consciousness, or valued states of consciousness that did
more than earn money and drive our economy forward. One of the most common
questions people ask when they learn I aspire to write professionally is, “How
much does it pay?”
I think the key is to be authentic to yourself. Don’t
conform to the pressure of societal norms if they don’t make sense to you. It’s
tricky, though. Because no one likes to starve.
SRW: The catalyst for the horrific events in the book is the
drug, Dimethyltryptamine (that’s a handful to type!). As I read the book, I had
assumed it a fictional drug. But, no, my pharmaceutical professor of a wife
told me it’s a real deal. Well done! Did you do a lot of research before
settling on the right drug to fit the tale? (I bet that was fun reading!) And
do you believe in the power of Dimethl…Dimathap…that drug?
BK: I first learned
about Dimethyltryptamine, more commonly known as DMT, from a book called “DMT:
The Spirit Molecule,” written by Rick Strassman, a scientist who conducted
government funded clinical tests on the effects of DMT. I was fascinated by the
results from that study. Otherwise sober, responsible volunteers who
participated in this study were convinced they had entered alternate dimensions
and communicated with alien intelligences during their experiences with DMT.
These experiences were not only almost universally life altering for those who
experienced them, there were similarities in experiences among disparate people
who had never met. Almost like people from separate states sharing a common
dream.
While the author does not make any definitive conclusions,
he was compelled by this theory that the molecule opens a doorway in our minds
that allows our consciousness to travel through to other dimensions. This is a
theory long held by shamanic traditions, especially those who use the
psychedelic brew, Ayahuasca, of which the chief psychedelic compound is DMT.
SRW: Finally—and I suppose we should have started here—the
title. Clearly, the title references not only the mental patients, but the
three protagonists, and humanity as a whole. Good, appropriate title. Did you
have the title in mind before you began?
BK: No, the original title for the book was, “In Search of
Asylum.” My editor at the time, Don D’Auria, felt like the title sounded too
much like non-fiction, which I agreed with. He suggested, “Asylum,” which I
felt was too generic, so I brainstormed alternates and came up with “We Are
Monsters,” which felt right. I’m happy where we wound up.
SRW: What’re you writing as a follow-up, Brian?
BK: I’m currently
working on a third novel, while my second is on submission with various
editors. The completed novel currently making the rounds is the first in a planned
trilogy of dark sci-fi thrillers with a “Strange Days” kind of vibe. The
work-in-progress is a horror novel that I’m writing by the request of a
publisher based on a proposal and should be done by year’s end. Hopefully one or
more will hit!
SRW: Tell everyone where they can find We Are Monsters.
BK: Anyone interested in checking out We Are Monsters can order a copy here:
And for anyone interested in striking up a virtual
friendship, please connect with me through one of the following channels. Don’t
worry. I only kill my characters.
SRW: Thanks for dropping by, Brian. And if you’re looking
for a very interesting, well written and different horror novel, give We Are
Monsters a shot.
BK: Thanks, Stuart! I appreciate the nice things you said
about the novel and for taking the time to chat.
