Kenyon Ledford, Author of The Big Monster Monkey

Today we are interviewing Kenyon Ledford, author of the detective parody/jungle adventure "The Big Monster Monkey."

Tell us a bit about yourself.
When I was five I wrote a poem that went like this: “I have a cat with a question mark tail, and she likes to ride on the monorail.” Looking back, I haven’t improved much in that genre. Also, though I’m addicted to rain, I live in a land of lizards and butterflies. Whatever. My dog, Huckleberry, thinks it’s all in my head. Shut up, bad dog!

Describe the plot of "The Big Monster Monkey" in a few sentences.
It’s the age-old story of mental patients going off their meds and escaping the hospital to go traipsing along on a mad jungle adventure in search of a mythical beast. I think.

Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
People who laugh and high-five when they see a child crying.

What inspired you to write a story about mental patients off their meds in search of a mythical beast in a fantastical jungle?
I was staring out the window at work for way too long one day while neither thinking or working. Soon, I began pondering if a huge monkey would be a monster monkey or a gorilla.

Tell us a bit about the protagonist, Witherspoon, PI.
Witherspoon is smug with no reason to be, cowardly with every reason to be, and speaks with a fake English accent.

Are there any authors who have influenced your writing style?
I would love to say Doestoevsky, because I’ve read everything by him and he’s almost my best friend. It would also make me sound pretty cool. Alas, my writing is mostly influenced by Woody Allen, who I think was influenced by Aristophanes.

How long have you been writing?
A long time. A very long time.

Tell us a bit about your creative process, from initial idea to finished manuscript.
Usually, I’ll be minding my own business, hanging out at work, wishing I was making more for doing less, and my mind will say, “Hey, you know what would be really stupid?”
And if I answer “No, what?” the creative process begins to flow. Once my manuscript is finished, I share it with my local writing group. They then toss coffee into my face and throw bagel scraps at me. At that point I know it’s time to publish.

How do you think you've evolved as a writer since when you first started?
I have been lucky to be tutored in song writing by the legendary Nik Venet, and in fiction writing I’ve had some great, tough instructors as well. They are the people who tore me down when I thought I was great, then praised me when I started becoming good.

How do you feel about the increasing popularity of ebooks?
California gold rush! Everybody get in there, let’s go! Yee-haw!

Is there any aspect of writing you don't like?
All of it! The only part I like is the forming of the concept, and writing the opening line. After that, the pen and cursor are my enemy. Each day, sitting down to the sea of white awaiting my brilliance, while my fingers are posed to compose and I’m thinking, “I wonder if Facebook has any Dogs Acting Funny videos?”

What do you have in mind for your next project?
I’m writing "Batcave Blues." It’s a novel based on my Batman and Robin parodies that came from my Jonny Gonzo and Money Man flash fiction series.

Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
Yes. If they have been totally freaking morose since “America’s Funniest Home Videos” went off the air, (it did, didn’t it?) then they should go ahead and take a pass on The Big Monster Monkey.

Cheers.

More Information
Buy "The Big Monster Monkey" on Amazon