Authors from A to Z: V

V = Vandermolen

Nick Vandermolen is someone I “met” thanks to this challenge. He saw my appeal for help with certain letters – V being very tough for me LOL – and came to my rescue! THANK YOU, Nick! Co-founder of Nan Bu Nan, a Chicago-based publishing company, Nick’s latest title is Michael Jordan and the Slam Dunk Suicide Cult. I have not yet read it (but plan to, and will review), but I read Bitsy Bling Books‘ review, and it has me even more excited to read. For now, Nick kindly took the time to answer some questions. Enjoy!

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Proud Book Nerd: Michael Jordan and the Slam Dunk Suicide Cult sounds very interesting. Where did it come from?

Nick Vandermolen: I actually had the central idea of learning how to slam dunk to escape a well for about 6 years. Back then, it was simply an absurdist tale that was going to go into a book of short stories called Religiosity. I ended up only writing about 3 pages of it and forgetting about it. I picked it back up a few months ago when my business partner Rick Boven and I decided to release a new eBook/eComic each month from our publishing company Nan Bu Nan for the rest of the year. After reading my 6-year-old outline, and the three pages, I basically started from scratch and dropped out a major plot line involving a documentary film maker. As a day job, I work as a teaching assistant at a school for violent children. Everyday I hear a new story about racism, poverty, and disenfranchisement, that children in the inner city are confronted with constantly. After infusing what I’ve learned from working at the school, I’d say the story wrote itself.

PBN: It seems that many authors have at least one work in progress at any given time. What are you working on?

NV: Right now I had about 200 pages in book called THE FERAL BROTHERS. It’s part post-modern, part-western, part-creative nonfiction, part coming-of-age. The story is partly about a road trip called Survival Week 4, where we went out west wearing matching jumpsuits and matching head scarves and having only a trunk full of unlabeled canned food to eat. But it’s also about confronting childhood dreams, goals and heros, and learning when to give them up.

I’m also researching a book called, FACE-DOWN PRONE, a book that takes a candid look at the Chicago Public School system.

Thirdly, I’ve got tons of short eBooks like M. SATANIST and WATCH TV, WAIT TO DIE, that I’m cracking away at as well.

And I also sometimes write on my Tumblr (like a blog).

PBN: How would you describe your ideal writing environment?

NV: An empty room with a steel chair and a folding table. It would have wi-fi, but just strong enough for wikipedia and dictionary.com. There would be easy accessibility to cold water, but no food. Also, air would be as humid and stagnate air as possible. Comfort is not a friend to a writer, it tends to make us lazy.

PBN: Who’s your biggest influence when it comes to writing?

NV: My lust for getting into “situations,” was originally what helped hone my storytelling skill. One of the best parts of any event, good or bad, is getting in front of a group of people and telling them all the crazy stuff that happened. By watching the crowd react, you can see what makes them laugh, what makes them feel sorry for you and tugs at their emotions. It’s a powerful tool for story tells. But most importantly, it makes you vulnerable in front of crowds. Makes you confront embarrassment and shyness. And ultimately helps you become a better writer because you can’t be afraid as a writer. So it was my penchant for getting into “situations” – and possibly my disgusting need for constant attention – that influence my writing. Because, well, basically, even when the character isn’t named Vandermolen, I’m writing about me. Biggest influence … insecurity?

PBN: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

NV: Like I was saying in the last question. Firstly, a writer cannot be afraid. A writer must be able talk about something, intelligently, that everyone else is to scared to talk about. Secondly, a writer has no proficiency, but every proficiency. You must know everything, and be well-versed in science, art, mathematics, history and psychology. A true writer can and will use all of these tools and more in his or her writing to paint a picture of the world that is so true, so real, that those reading it cannot discern reality from the book in their hands. Thirdly, a writer must write all the time. I’m not saying every day, we all got lives here. But the only way to become a better writer, is to write every day. Fourthly, you must realize that you are not a good writer. If you don’t inherently think that you need to get better, you won’t strive to be better. Stagnation will make your writing stale and ultimately useless to the pantheon of literature.

And finally, the most important piece of advice to any writer, be great a BS’ing. Be quick on your feet, and just be great at lying, if everyone believes you, who cares if it’s true.

PBN: When you’re not writing, what are you doing?

NV: Have you played video games? They are so sweet. Been playing a lot of Diablo 2 (computer game) lately to prepare for Diablo 3 later this year (cross your fingers). Also love hanging out with friends, going on adventures, getting myself into sticky situations…but most of the time I’m doing something for Nan Bu Nan Publishing, a publishing company I co-own. In fact, I’m about to leave for a photoshoot right now!

PBN: What are you reading right now?

NV: I just joined the Hott Dudes book club. And they’re reading “For Whom The Bell Tolls.” It’s OK. But I’m more a post-modern type of dude. I’m also a fan of ’60s and ’70s LSD-fueled stories. I like books that transcend the very limits of our own minds. I love to be challenged. I’m not one for a simple story. You now?

PBN: What’s your favorite book?

NV: Totally Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynthon. It’s so dense and near unreadable. Every page is thick with referential material and to full understand the references you better have wikipedia open. It forces you to move, to think, to explore and ultimately reread. The replay value is astounding! I love the vulgarity and absurdity and how pages later those same disgusting images can be turned into something beautiful. And heck, even when they aren’t the it’s still awesome. This book is a real challenge. The accomplishment is worth your time.

PBN: What is your favorite movie?

NV: Far and away my favorite movie is Pumping Iron. This Docudrama about Arnold Schwarzenegger and his 5th Mr. Olympia win is a movie I’ve easily seen over 50 times, and I’m not one to consume duplicate media over and over. I can quote the entirety of the movie practically by heart. The film is ostensibly about body-building, but it’s truly about the psychology of man, and psyching out your opponent through words and actions.

I mean, obviously a lot of people look at [me] and think it’s kind of strange, what [I'm watching], but those are people who don’t know much about it. As soon as you find out what the whole thing is about then it’s just like another thing. It’s not any stranger as going into a car…and trying to go in a quarter mile, five seconds. I mean, that’s, for me, strange.

PBN: If you could live anywhere other than Chicago, where would you live?

NV: I’d live in Tristram in the Kingdom of Khanduras. It’s true that the town is nearly constantly being attacked my monsters and demons and it does sit above the throne of Diablo the Lord of Terror, but there is a lot of good loot underneath the city, and it’s a great place to farm for gold and experience points.

But, in “real life,” I’d still live here. If I wanted to move somewhere else, I’d just move there. I just move to where I have the most friends. Right now it’s Chicago.

Thanks for interviewing me Heather, it was a lot of fun and I hope everyone who reads it can get a lot of enjoyment and knowledge out of it. Here are some links so you can learn more about me and get to know me even more:

about.me/nickvandermolen
Twitter: @Vandermolen
Facebook: facebook.com/nickvandermolen
Tumblr: Vandermolen.tumblr.com
Company: www.nanbunan.com

You can buy my newest title, Michael Jordan and the Slam Dunk Suicide Cult HERE
Or check out all my older titles, as well as other books from Nan Bu Nan HERE

Thanks again for your time.

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Thank you, Nick! (And, yes, I have played more than my share of video games. Never got into Diablo, though.)

FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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