Annabella's deadly kiss: An interview with young and talented author Tony Brady
I recently had the pleasure to have an entertaining chat with the young and talented Tony Brady, to discuss The Thousand Scars series, Tony's exciting and realistic dystopian tale. Check out the interview below . . .
Why did you decide to become a writer, Tony?
I’ve always expressed myself through many different facets of art. I used to write music a lot and poetry. I can remember writing a poem for my girlfriend in kindergarten. As I got older my stories and drawings became more complex and professional. One day in my early twenties I decided that I was going to quit playing around and try my hand at a novel.
Less than four months later I’d completed my first full length novel titled, ‘Alexia.’ It is a YA novel about aliens coming to earth, and to this day it still has not been published. It will be, I assure you, but right now The Thousand Scars series, Shane’s story, has been taking all of my focus. So, that’s how it all started. Now you know.
Inquiring minds would like to know what you love most (and like the least) about writing.
There are quite a few things that I love about writing, and others that I do not. For example: I love the feeling of accomplishment and all of the benefits thereafter when completing a novel. But the incredible amount of time, focus, energy, and sheer will that it takes to get there can really suck!
My favorite part about writing is when a story or character starts to take control of itself and my grip over their fate loosens. When I’m writing and things happen in the story that I had never seen coming until I started writing the sentence. Fates change that way. It’s a real magic.
Where does inspiration come from for you?
I grew up playing tons of video games and have always been a movie enthusiast. Things I love: Halo, The Lord of the Rings, Link and Zelda, The Nightmare before Christmas, Samus and Metroid, Harry Potter, Gears of War, South Park, Mario, Game of Thrones, etc., etc.
I’ve had a lot of love in my life and many hard times, too. I want to share that love and anything that has to do with good overcoming evil inspires me.
How would you describe The Thousand Scars series?
A plague hits Earth in the year 2026, and in the U.S.A. we call it ‘Annabella.’ By the time the first chapter of the series begins, it’s already 11 months later and 85% of the human population has died. There are still good people alive in this world, but they are a rare thing. The wretched and the sinister are the ones thriving in these hard times.
Shane has watched his entire family slowly die from Annabella’s Kiss. Now only his wife and daughter remain alive and he is doing all he can to keep it that way. I can’t say too much because the second book in the series is being released on Sept. 7th and the story has been taking such an incredible path along its journey that hinting at what will happen isn’t even possible.
Just going to have to wait and see!
Why should people read The Thousand Scars series?
We all face hard times in this life. Some have paths to walk which are much harder than others, yet we all still face tribulation and have to decide what course of action we shall take for ourselves.
The Thousand Scars series is the story of a man trying to keep himself as he battles the evil influence all around him. That is the reality we all face these days, just in a different fashion. You can feel Shane’s song as he fights to remain himself. To live.
Shane is a man of God who loses almost everything. All he has left are his wife and daughter and without them he would have no desire to live. So many have already died, either by succumbing to the disease or being killed by the evils which are now allowed to roam the world. Shane knows how fragile the lives of his family really are.
He is on a mission to protect them and he’s trying to stay as Godly as he can in the process. Well, most of the time . . .
Where did the idea for The Thousand Scars series come from?
That magical place that is sometimes frightening with its power. The deep lagoon that all writers cast their lines in when hunting for something more, something worth writing about.
What do you expect to accomplish with The Thousand Scars series?
Well, Joanne Rowling is my biggest inspiration when it comes to writing and the power which can be achieved with it. The power to be able to influence the world to be a better place and to hopefully embolden those who have the ability to stand up against evil.
I really hope that I can use my life to help turn the tides in this world from evil to good. That is the motivating thought behind all of my actions and the thing that I most wish to accomplish in all endeavors of my life.
What can you tell us about The Thousand Scars series (without giving away any spoilers!)?
A lot of people die. There are drugs, sex scenes, moments of extreme violence, and beautiful images of hope in The Thousand Scars series. There are angels and demons and a few who linger somewhere in the in-between.
Some of those things don’t appear so much until the second book. It gets intense. The first three books in the series are completed and are going through the publication process now. The fourth book is over halfway completed and all is well. Death and light dwell here.
Which were the easiest and the hardest parts of The Thousand Scars series for you to write?
The entire thing has been easy to write other than the physical process of having to force myself to write to begin with. What I mean by that is, the story is a living thing now and anytime I can push myself back into that world, fully back into it, then it will basically write itself.
That world is a complex one, a powerful one, and for me to go there can sometimes be taxing. It’s been an interesting process to say the least. I have a lot of respect for my stories. I know what they’re capable of, and I’m not talking box office sales either.
Do you have a favorite character, scene or situation in The Thousand Scars series, and can you tell us why he, she or it is
your favorite?
I have a lot of favorite parts in my books. Sometimes I’ll be writing almost as if in a semi-trance like state and when that happens the words always come out with a strong attachment to them. I like exposing the power that our influence really has. You see that in this series. I can only hope to die a glorious death.
What can we expect to see in the next books in The Thousand Scars series, again without giving away any spoilers?
There’s no way to really explain what will happen without giving away spoilers. I will say, however, that every book I have written in the series I like more than the last. In my personal opinion, Book three is better than book two, book two is better than book one, and book four is looking to be better than all three of the others.
People tell me that they absolutely love the first book in the series and that they cannot wait for the next book to come out. I love when people say this because if they loved the first one, I can only imagine how they’ll feel about the next books in the series! I know that they are going to be very, very happy and that’s a great feeling to have!
Some stories are what some have taken to calling Message Fiction due to the fact that there are (conscious or unconscious) messages to be found in those stories. Did you insert any conscious messages in your series, and if so, what do they try to convey?
That good is meant to prosper over evil. That we are meant to give rather than take, to build rather than destroy. That to die for a righteous cause is the most beautiful gift to be given. I hope and pray that I will die by sacrificing my life for the betterment of this world, or that maybe I won’t have to!
If your story is mature in nature (containing graphic sexual scenes, violence, swearing, etc.), what led you to decide that this was the right way to go, despite the fact that it might limit your potential readership?
It was the only way to go. That’s just the kind of story it is.
And finally, is there anything else that you’d like to add?
I hope the best for everyone out there! I hope that my words have come to you in a positive fashion and maybe even given strength to those who need it. I wish the best of luck to you! God Bless!
Thank you very much for your time and answers, Tony. Good luck and best wishes to you too!
29 year old Tony Brady is the author of The Thousand Scars series, an exciting and thought-provoking dystopian tale. Tony was born in Clearwater, Florida, but he currently lives a little farther up north, in a city named Spring Hill.
Tony has always loved writing. When he was younger Tony wrote music, raps and poems. Although occasionally, Tony would write a short story or something similar. It wasn’t until he reached his early twenties that Tony decided to try his hand with novels.
Tony has successfully completed writing four novels, and he has many others well on their way. All of Tony’s novels were written longhand as well, mind you, and are all now being converted and in the process of publication.
The Thousand Scars series is the story of a man who tries to save his wife and daughter in a plague-riddled world. There is much more to this story than that, though, as The Thousand Scars series has evolved in an incredible way.
Tony describes the writing process for The Thousand Scars series as “unreal, almost magical.” He is currently working on the fourth book in the series, and according to Tony’s own words, “All is well” in that sense. Tony has also been putting some time into his poetry.
Tony Brady can be described as a talented author with a lot of ambition and optimism. “I hope all is well out there,” he says cheerfully, as if to prove his point. “God bless.”
To purchase Tony Brady’s books or to find out more about The Thousand Scars series go to his homepage at: www.ThousandScars.com
Follow Tony on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonyBrady333
Send Tony a friend request on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tony.brady.503
See what’s new on Tony’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonybrady420/
Check out the ‘Thousand Scars’ blog site, Annabella’s kiss!: https://thousandscarscom.wordpress.com
OR check out Tony’s poetry at: https://www.poetrysoup.com/poems_poets/poems_by_poet.aspx?ID=88978
