A master of a mind-blowing mix of bizarre, science fiction, surrealism, metaphysics, esoteric and social criticism of the intellectually frenetic dissolution of postmodern individual, Jordan Krall from United States is here to share with Thrausma his invisible mechanisms of writing. We would like to thank him for this beautiful and thoughtful chat.
Since 2007, Jordan Krall has written professionally. He writes Weird Fiction, horror, crime fiction, apocalyptic literature, bizarro, and non-genre fiction.
He has been published by ERASERHEAD PRESS, LegumeMan, Bucket O’Guts, MorbidBooks, Black Rainbows, among others.
His book FISTFUL OF FEET was called “a great homage to the spaghetti western” by the SPAGHETTI WESTERN DATABASE and was recently published in a German-language edition by VOODOO PRESS.
His work has been praised by such authors as Jeff Vandermeer, Edward Lee, and Tom Piccirilli.
Jordan Krall also runs the cult fiction small press DYNATOX MINISTRIES as well as the Weird Fiction imprint DUNHAMS MANOR PRESS. He has published such authors as Wilum Pugmire, Joseph Pulver Sr, Daniel Mills, T.E. Grau, Nicole Cushing, Robert Price, Thomas Ligotti, Seb Doubinsky, and lots more.
Q/Your books are a deep experimentation with a certain quest for a reality that defined by the horrible Alien Unknown ( darkness, evil etc. Is philosophy your invisible passion behind fiction?
A lot of my writing is my exploration of my own mindspace which may involve philosophical ideas, yeah. But I don’t hold to a particular philosophy or intentionally weave a philosophical viewpoint into my plots for the reader. I explore many ideas.
Q/It’s difficult to recognise only one basic influence on your writing maybe with the exception of something Lovecraftian and Burroughs mix. Share with us the books that turned upside down your perception as a writer
Yes, Burroughs and Lovecraft were very early influences which started when I was 14 years old (1994) and I also discovered J.G. Ballard the following year. My very early (unpublished) juvenilia was total Burroughs and Ballard worship. As an adult, Barry Malzberg and Thomas Bernhard were two other authors who really influenced and inspired the way I present a story.
However, as you stated, I don’t have one major influence right now but I’ve definitely been inspired by many, many books, stories, real life events, movies, etc. but I would like to think that my work is my own at this point.
Many true crime books have inspired and influenced me including Programmed to Kill
by David McGowan which is a really far-out, far-fetched book but worth reading. I’ve underlined so many passages from that book. Another is Going Postal by Don Lasseter.
Also, The Ghastly One by Jimmy McDonough. It’s the biography of filmmaker Andy Milligan who is also a big inspiration. I dedicated my book Penetralia to Milligan. That book makes me want to become a playwright and
director which I might do at some point.
Q/Your approach on Sex has a deconstructed character which at the same time is still obsessive and magnetic for the viewer. Do you feel that the fiction machine of pornography is an elementary part to make your narrative more chaotic and inhuman?
My approach to sex in fiction has changed over the years. My earlier work is borderline
pornographic but it isn’t necessarily arousing. I have included sexual fetishes in my work (some which are my own) but the concept of pornography in fiction and pornographic elements themselves aren’t an elementary part of my current state of mind.
Modern mainstream pornography has taken an extreme and misogynistic turn under the guise of sexual expression and all it takes is a cursory look at the most popular sex acts to see that. I’m not anti-sex or anti-pornography but I do believe there is a destructive side of the evolution of culture. So now when I write about sex, it’s more from a sociological or psychological perspectives.
Q/Your heroes, your stories are creatures of your imagination one hundred per cent or you invest on them expectations to be realised in some other dimension of reality ?
As far as I’m concerned, the stories and characters are already there and I’m just pulling them out of the air. I never plan characters specifically. I don’t use note cards or outlines.
Q/Which one from your books is for you an open project, I mean a narrative that you wanna come back and give something more and more to the plot?
Most of my books, if not all, are open projects. I consider them almost living objects that can be reworded, remixed, rewritten, reborn but I know if I start any of that, it’ll never stop.
Q/How do you inspire yourself to start write? Is a completely internal mental process or do you accept signals from other artistic fields like a movie , a book ,a painting story or even from something that comes from everyday life ?
It’s so difficult for me to
actually sit down and write. I get inspired a lot from various people and their art. I often get inspired by driving through industrial parks as well. My severe depression of the last few years has made it difficult for me to write as much as I had done earlier in my career. But every day, more and more ideas get stored in my head so that when I DO write my next book, it’ll be worth it.
Q/If someone asked from you to make a book of your collection a film , which one is fitting best to keep its fiction character in Visual metaphor?
Probably my False Magic Kingdom
series of books. There’s a lot to explore in them: thematically, visually, musically, and structurally.
Q/How different is your approach when you assess fiction novels for publishing, how easy is writer inside you to be a critical reader with the soul of an editor
I was an author for four years before becoming an editor so that gave me some experience that hopefully helped me approach things in a positive way for the authors involved. Under Dynatox Ministries and Dunhams Manor Press, I’ve published dozens of authors from the well-established (Thomas Ligotti) to first-time authors.
I believe that’s what made my press a bit different than a lot of them as I didn’t discriminate based on who was submitting to me and whether I think they would sell books. Editing is difficult work. Rejecting authors is not something I like to do. But I try to encourage as many people as I can.
Q/Tell me about your plan for near future, what are you planning to write or publish.
I have so many plans for things. I have a few major works I’m working on and then a few smaller things. I have a small record label that has so far released a one-sided 7’’ lathe record of my black metal band with Swedish author Michael Faun. (I’ve also been recording and releasing music on and off since 1995). I’ll be releasing more records and cassettes from various experimental and avant-garde genres like harsh noise and power electronics. I also plan on doing a YouTube channel as well.
