I am Jarrad Dickson, I am from New Zealand, and study Latin and English at the University of Auckland. I am an aspiring author, artist, and occultist.
Could you tell us a little bit about your work in progress?
Basically for the last two years I have been publishing with small presses, this year, I have two or three books with the occult publisher Dark Harvest, one being a limited edition named The Chamber of Diseases about the Thelemic Abyss, and others being poetry chapbooks, a book of some paintings and poems, and I am also releasing a free ebook with the Red Ceilings Press named Fashion, concerning women and fashion motifs. I decided I needed to climb the ranks, before hitting up a big publisher, and as time passes, the publishers I am working with are getting more and more prestigious. However, I have only published a few books, though have around 6 coming out this year with small presses. As far as a novel, though, I am working on Stop the Ambulance, a metaphorical fantasy into the occult, about ego-death. I've been thinking of going a bit more mainstream with this, and doing it with a larger independent publisher of weird/dark fantasy literature.
What is the first story you remember writing? What was it about?
Can't remember much of my childhood to be honest, too many bad memories, but, I wrote a short story in high school named Suburbia, about an old man tired of his way of life, which was kind of sentimental.
Are you more of a “plotter” or a “pantser”?
I plot, I'm interested in making my writing as complex as possible as far as the structure of the story, themes, and metaphors go. I love complex structures in literature, it's taking things past postmodernism.
All writers need encouragement. Who first encouraged you to write, and who is it that encourages you today?
Goethe, the German poet, I love his work, and he has influenced me since early on in high school. Also, many writers, I have read too many books, I guess, though, to name, also Fitzgerald, Haruki Murakami, Houellbecq, Jack Vance, etc.
Which authors have had a significant influence on your writing?
Tarantino doesn't write books, but his writing has influenced me a lot, as far as referencing previous works of art, he does it, and I have copied his way of doing it. I like to compile many references in my writing. H.P Lovecraft is very similar to my work, especially to my first novella Rose Blood: Chapter of Rose Croix. I love the "weirdness" in H.P's writing, and his use of occult themes. Also, many Japanese writers, I consider Japan to having the greatest arts scene in the world.
What music, if any, do you enjoy listening to while you write?
I am a fan of Tool, and I listen to them when I write, also, Visual Kei music, like Velvet Eden and Malice Mizer, and my favourite, Kaya from Japan. I also like to listen to Marilyn Manson, who is also an influence upon my writing.
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses as a writer?
I think my greatest strength is developing themes, and imagery. My weaknesses, being unrecognised, ha. I think my writing deserves far more credit. One thing I attribute this to, is to New Zealand society; they don't recognise artists and authors like me. People here are not looking for intelligence, they look for a suitable personality and therein someone's life and career is determined.
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| A piece by Jarrad, The Holy Chalice Beast Gloss of Lily Cole |
What do you hope to achieve with your writing?
I like what Marilyn Manson does; though I do not think I can become famous like him, I would like to bring down taboos. The taboo of suicide, or simply talking about suicide, etc. I want to devolop like Lovecraft and Tolkien a mythological sytem and plethoria in my works. I love an author's own universe. I also want to probe into the unknown. I like to think thoughts that have not been thought before- pushing yourself to the edge of the Abyss in terms of thinking and intelligence.
What was once traditionally a print medium is now rapidly branching out into many digital formats. What do you think of this trend?
My first publisher, who I don't use now, used Print on Demand. Guess what, I do not like this form of publishing. However, if you can get your book into bookstores, PoD is fine, but it can cancel an authorial prescence in the world. I am fond of real, physical books, but, I do not mind having an ebook, I have a few, but now I am going into the world of beautiful, occult limited edition works with leather binding. I would much prefer one of these than an ebook. However, it helps you gather prescence on the internet which I think is one of the tricks to fame these days.
What was the last sentence that you had to re-read over and over again because of its awesomeness? What struck you about it?
I'm a classicist, and spend a lot of time researching classical languages, so actually, just the line about Virgil, "It's easier to steal the club of Hercules than to take a line from Homer." What struck me about it is that it is true, it is very hard to imitate someone well, and imitation I consider is a veritable form of High Art.
What book(s) have you recently read that you would recommend to the readers of this blog?
Atomised, by Michel Houellbecq, a very strange book, but the guy is very smart, and very introspective into the ways of society. Also, Gormenghast, what I consider to be very good.
What advice do you have to other aspiring authors out there?
Choose how you want to go about writing and publishing, but first, you need to have something to say, and skill, I consider writing to be both nature and nuture, so you need skill and then you need to practice. Goethe said, "Think before you write." This is true, you need to think about what you are writing before you start, otherwise, you're left with goo. Possibly learn some languages, it helps develop grammatical skills and fluidity and fluency in the language you speak, esp in English. Don't be fooled by publishers, they don't care about you. Never give up.
An apocalypse destroys the entirety of human literature, apart from the work of three authors that you can magically save with your wizardry – what do you save from imminent destruction?
Aleister Crowley, Herman Hesse, and Haruki Murakami.
Our time is at an end. For our curious readers, how can we follow your progress?
You can follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/Artspersonality. I have a blog, but am unsure about it just right now, so won't share that, and it doesn't even track my life. Other than that, if anyone wants to talk more, they can add me on Facebook on Facebook.com/jarrad.dickson
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