Dissecting Writers: Kou_Indigo

The following questions are taken from a profile of Scottish author Ian Rankin for bookshop chain Waterstone's: http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/pages/content/1285/
Now all but two have been posed to Kou_Indigo: http://deepundergroundpoetry.com/poets/Kou_Indigo/

What was your favourite childhood book?

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander. It was part one of the Chronicles of Prydain, and introduced me to the magical world of Celtic myths and legends. I still love reading it.

Which book has made you laugh?

Revenge of the Rose by Michael Moorcock. There are many moments of complete lunacy on the part of several major characters in this novel, but the antics of the Chaos Lords in it are over the top crazy, and just made me laugh.

Which book has made you cry?

The Legend of Huma. It is a heroic tragedy about a brave knight who dies in battle against evil incarnate. But the heartbreaking scene where he weeps for his beloved, who has sacrificed herself to try and save him always brings me to tears. I do not know who had the saddest fate between them.

Which book would you never have on your bookshelf?

I never cared for anything by Charales Dickens. His books always depress me, and the worst is A Christmas Carol. It always struck me as a morbid sort of tale, and not very cheery for a Christmas story. I never liked it.

Which book are you reading at the moment?

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I recently purchased it at a local Rite Aid and it just sort of sucked me in. It is dark, interesting, and brutal... but the characters, most especially Lisbeth Salander, keep me turning each page.

Which book would you give as a present to a friend?

I have actually given copies of Michael Moorcock's books to several friends. The Knight of the Swords, Elric of Melnibone, and The Jewel in the Skull were fine samples of his heroic fantsy, whilst Dancers at the End of Time is a romantic, though mad, tale that always pleases the reader. Tolkien's books make excellent gifts as well. Quality!

Which other writers do you admire?

I simply adore the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Anne Rice, and Stephen King. Poe and Shakespeare also come to mind. For poets, I love Dante, Blake, Milton, and a bid of Byron and Shelly. Great authors, poets, and writers one and all!

Which classic have you always meant to read and never got round to it?

Probably Virgil's Aneid. I own a rare leather-bound copy from the turn of the century, and I truly treasure it. But I have never pursued reading it. It always seemed to me, to be secondary to Dante's far superior Divine Comedy or the great Homer's Odyssey. Virigil was good, but they were far better in every respect. He has his place in history though.

What are your top five books of all time, in order or otherwise?

My top five favorite books of all time, in a sort of order: 1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien 2. Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock 3. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice 4. Le Morte D'Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory 5. Dune by Frank Herbert

What is the worst book you have ever read?

Definitely the worst book I have ever read was a trilogy called Loremasters of Elundium by Mike Jeffries. It was a bad rip-off of Lord of the Rings but with none of what made Tolkien's masterpiece so glorious. The villains in it were perverse charicatures of Sauron and Morgoth with none of their dark subtlety... and the heroes lacked the humanity of Aragorn or Frodo. I suppose Tolkien spoiled me greatly.

Is there a particular book or author that inspired you to be a writer?

When I was growing up and thinking seriously about my own writing abilities for the first time, J.R.R. Tolkien and Michael Moorcock inspired me tremendously both in style and in genre. Most of my own early works were fantasy, and they always had a dark edge to them. As I matured, I found much inspiration in Anne Rice and H.P. Lovecraft. There is a sinister subtlety that is quite beautiful in their horror stories. I try to create that kind of subtlety in my own horror tales, because it really captures the imagination and pulls the reader into the story like naught else can.

What is your favourite time of day to write?

At night, when I have had the events of the day to muse over and seek inspiration from. There is a certain quality to the night that makes me think deeply and profoundly on things. I have moments like that during the day too, but at night it is almost a mystical experience for me.

And favourite place?

I like to write in my bedroom, which houses my modest library and assorted objet d'art. It is a cozy room, and is also a sort of makeshift study. An environment seemingly tailor made for a writer to work his or her craft in.

Longhand or word processor?

These days I prefer to use my word processor, but back about ten years ago I was writing on paper all the time. In my meticulous small cursive that seems to make people say to me: "Now that is an art in and of itself, being able to write like that!" I used to hear that a lot when I penned some of my poetry at the local library back in the day.

Which fictional character would you most like to have met?

Ah, but that is an easy one! I should like to have met Galadriel from Lord of the Rings. She seems to be a very peaeful, serene soul, yet filled with a darkness that she hides well in the story... yet for a brief moment lets slip through. I would like to explore that darkness with her, and bask in her light as well. To hear her speak of the most ancient histories and legends of the Elven poeples. To learn more about their beliefs, their culture, and their music. But not just all that! I would have liked to share my poetry with her and see if it is up to Elven standards. Compare notes, so to speak. I think too, that I could love a lady like Galadriel. I have always suspected that she and I might well have had a great deal in common. Who knows?

Who, in your opinion, is the greatest writer of all time?

The creator of the Epic of Gilgamesh. That was truly the first epic fantasy (or perhaps epic history, depending on whether you view Gilgamesh as factual or not) ever written. Imagine the will that shaped it, and the mind that gave it form! Was this person relgious? Clearly, after a fashion. Yet they beleived in living life to its' fullest and had a pragmatic view of living in the here and now of this world. Was it a man or a woman? It is hard to say. Some parts of the story seem masculine in thought, but others were very sensitive and sentimental. Traits often considered by our society to be faminine. So much about Sumerian culture is mysterious and unknown to us in this modern era, but the Epic of Gilgamesh was the very first story of its' type. I would say its' author was the greatest of all time, if only for the legecy left behind by it. No work of fiction was ever so infulential as this! Nor as primally mythical.

Which book have you found yourself unable to finish reading?

The Cyborg and the Sorcerers by Lawrence Watt-Evans. I started reading it during the recent week-long power out we had in New England (which thankfully is long-since over!), but soon found myself chopping wood for the fireplace and performing other necessary duties that prevented me from getting back to the story. I am SO glad the power came back on by the time that week ended! If I had to chop one more log I was going to go utterly mad from the sheer monotonous drudgery of it. It did make my arms much stronger though. From what I can tell by skipping ahead in that book, I did not miss anything great by not finishing it. Rather dull.

What is your favourite word?

Illumination. It holds some great personal meaning for me, both religiously and philosophically. It is a profound word that holds many truths and many secrets within it. Not all of us are meant to understand it, and fewer still use it effectively in writing or in conversation. It is not a word people should throw out lightly, and I use it in my various writings only with the utmost reverence for it, and deepest understanding of its' manifold aspects and meanings.