Ask the Author: Kevin A. Kuhn
Answered Questions (17)
Kevin A. Kuhn
Thanks for the question Mille. Here are my personal favorites:
Most historically important first contact novel (and my first!)
“War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells
Most literary first contact novel
“The Sparrow” by Mary Doria Russsell
Most poetic first contact novel
“The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury
Most mind-bending first contact novel (and series)
“Three-Body Problem” by Liu Cixin
Most fun first contact novel
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
There are many other excellent first contact novels and (thankfully) I still have many more to read. Happy reading!
Most historically important first contact novel (and my first!)
“War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells
Most literary first contact novel
“The Sparrow” by Mary Doria Russsell
Most poetic first contact novel
“The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury
Most mind-bending first contact novel (and series)
“Three-Body Problem” by Liu Cixin
Most fun first contact novel
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir
There are many other excellent first contact novels and (thankfully) I still have many more to read. Happy reading!
Kevin A. Kuhn
My work-in-progress is set in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Perhaps, more significant, it begins in the late 1800’s. Although I grew up in the Midwest, I didn’t move to Minnesota until my late thirties. I’ve grown to love Minnesota’s lakes, forests, prairies, and people. Setting a book in Minnesota in the late 1800’s gave me an excuse to research the rich history of Minnesota. I had no idea the state was one the flour capital of the world, producing more flour than any other state or country. The combination of the southern flowing Mississippi river and the transcontinental railroad meant that Minnesota flour could be distributed throughout the country. With Minneapolis being near the heart the Midwest grain fields, it was the perfect setting for enormous mills.
Of course, like most of America, it has a dark side as well. Large populations of native Indians, primarily the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes were steadily pushed from their lands. This climaxed with the Dakota War of 1862, which started from skirmishes due to the starvation of natives from loss of habitat of huntable game. The day after Christmas, the 6th Minnesota Infantry committed the largest mass execution in U.S. history, by hanging 38 native Indians.
Since that dark time, Minnesota has steadily become more progressive. It has also become a Midwest hub of business with a variety of corporate headquarters such as 3M, Cargill, General Mills, Best Buy, Target, UnitedHealth Group, and Medtronic. It’s a beautiful state and has one of healthiest populations in the U.S. I’m grateful I chose to set my WIP in Minneapolis, as it’s essential to understand the history (good and the bad) of the place we call home.
Of course, like most of America, it has a dark side as well. Large populations of native Indians, primarily the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes were steadily pushed from their lands. This climaxed with the Dakota War of 1862, which started from skirmishes due to the starvation of natives from loss of habitat of huntable game. The day after Christmas, the 6th Minnesota Infantry committed the largest mass execution in U.S. history, by hanging 38 native Indians.
Since that dark time, Minnesota has steadily become more progressive. It has also become a Midwest hub of business with a variety of corporate headquarters such as 3M, Cargill, General Mills, Best Buy, Target, UnitedHealth Group, and Medtronic. It’s a beautiful state and has one of healthiest populations in the U.S. I’m grateful I chose to set my WIP in Minneapolis, as it’s essential to understand the history (good and the bad) of the place we call home.
Kevin A. Kuhn
In all honesty, the pandemic hasn’t been good for my writing. To start with, it’s getting harder to compete with reality. I mean, global pandemic, social unrest, Australian bushfires, murder hornets, Eddie Van Halen’s and Alex Trebek’s deaths, and West Coast wildfires. If you put all that in a novel, people would say it’s not realistic and ridiculous!
There’s also been some tactical challenges. My university teaching went to distance learning, so I had to scramble to make that happen. I’m not complaining, it just caused me to set my writing aside for a while. We also had a major hailstorm during 2020 in my town which required an insurance claim, lots of logistical wrangling, and some construction such as a new roof on our house.
Finally, there was the mental toll. I like to believe I’m a happy, levelheaded, stable person, which is a great blessing. But I am a worrier. I have three kids, one in high school, one in college, and one out on his own in the great big world. Early on, I was distraught over their situations and worried about my elderly mother who lives in Florida. I also have a sister that lives in California near the location of the mid-summer wildfires. There was good hunk of times, throughout the pandemic where I found I couldn’t focus enough to write. So it’s definitely slowed me down, even though there were some periods of when I paradoxically had more spare time.
I’m hoping at some point, I’ll be able to grow from it all. Despite my inclination for worry, I’m a positive person. I admit there have been times when I've interacted with people who struggle with mental hurdles such as depression, where I’ve been challenged to understand their situation. Like so many, things got dark for me early in the pandemic. I hope I find some deeper compassion from all this, an appreciation of how blessed I am, and possibly even some inspiration for future plots and themes.
The good news is that I have been writing steadily lately, and I'm happy to say that I've recently finished the first draft of my third book. Much editing to get through, but it's a great step for me. Thanks for the question, Tirza.
There’s also been some tactical challenges. My university teaching went to distance learning, so I had to scramble to make that happen. I’m not complaining, it just caused me to set my writing aside for a while. We also had a major hailstorm during 2020 in my town which required an insurance claim, lots of logistical wrangling, and some construction such as a new roof on our house.
Finally, there was the mental toll. I like to believe I’m a happy, levelheaded, stable person, which is a great blessing. But I am a worrier. I have three kids, one in high school, one in college, and one out on his own in the great big world. Early on, I was distraught over their situations and worried about my elderly mother who lives in Florida. I also have a sister that lives in California near the location of the mid-summer wildfires. There was good hunk of times, throughout the pandemic where I found I couldn’t focus enough to write. So it’s definitely slowed me down, even though there were some periods of when I paradoxically had more spare time.
I’m hoping at some point, I’ll be able to grow from it all. Despite my inclination for worry, I’m a positive person. I admit there have been times when I've interacted with people who struggle with mental hurdles such as depression, where I’ve been challenged to understand their situation. Like so many, things got dark for me early in the pandemic. I hope I find some deeper compassion from all this, an appreciation of how blessed I am, and possibly even some inspiration for future plots and themes.
The good news is that I have been writing steadily lately, and I'm happy to say that I've recently finished the first draft of my third book. Much editing to get through, but it's a great step for me. Thanks for the question, Tirza.
Kevin A. Kuhn
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years came and went. Little did they know, but 2021 would even be worse!
Kevin A. Kuhn
The one thing I enjoy most is when inspiration strikes. Novel writing can be a grind at times, and I certainly hit my share of roadblocks. It might be as simple as word choice or as big as a gaping plot hole, but any one of these can leave you feeling rattled and stalled. Sometimes you make do and hope to fix it during the rewrite, other times it forces you to walk away for a bit. Every time it happens, a little fear and insecurity can creep in. So when a great idea bursts into your brain, it’s a rush. For me it often happens during a nature walk. In fact, when I get stuck, I intentionally go for a walk in the woods and it seems to open up creative pathways in my thinking. That imaginative rush not only solves the problem at hand, but it seems to give me energy and reinvigorate my writing.
Kevin A. Kuhn
Achieving balance is the most difficult part of my writing process. I have many stories to tell, but writing them in a readable, entertaining, and meaningful fashion is the trick. I believe we all have stories in us, but it takes patience, persistence, and a great deal of energy to transform that story in our head into a novel.
I love books where the story turns into a movie in my head and that’s what I attempt to do with my writing. To make this happen, you must trick the readers brain into temporarily suspending belief and avoid anything that reminds them it’s only a story and that the characters are puppets. Anytime the narrator tells the reader what a character is feeling, you’re reminding the reader that it’s just a story. So character’s intentions, motives, and feelings should be shown through their actions and dialog. However, showing too much slows the story and action down. As a reader you don’t want the details of everyday life described minutely, you want the detailed action and dialog around the important parts of character development and plot. Finding that equilibrium that moves the story along, but make the character and plot come alive is more art than science and takes practice and experience.
As a reader, I want settings to be vivid and interesting. I want characters to be distinct with clear, consistent traits and motives. But I don’t want to wade through massive narration that over describes locations and explains vast amounts of character backstory. Finding the right level of description that anchors a reader, but also leaves room for their imagination to fill in the gaps is challenging.
Balance is also required to make a story meaningful. I tend to be a little too obvious with themes. This can come across as preachy or ‘on the nose’ as some people call it. I believe readers want a strong, important theme, but they want the story and characters to reveal those insights. They want the characters to reveal themes by overcoming challenges and showing personal growth. However, if the author is too delicate or subtle the themes can be missed or lost. In the end, I’m ok with being a little theme heavy because I want my stories to be meaningful and thought-provoking.
So great question, finding balance in storytelling is tricky and difficult, but it’s also what makes writing fun for me. As writers, we may not always achieve the right balance in our storytelling, but if we want our tales to connect with readers, we must keep seeking that elusive literary harmony!
I love books where the story turns into a movie in my head and that’s what I attempt to do with my writing. To make this happen, you must trick the readers brain into temporarily suspending belief and avoid anything that reminds them it’s only a story and that the characters are puppets. Anytime the narrator tells the reader what a character is feeling, you’re reminding the reader that it’s just a story. So character’s intentions, motives, and feelings should be shown through their actions and dialog. However, showing too much slows the story and action down. As a reader you don’t want the details of everyday life described minutely, you want the detailed action and dialog around the important parts of character development and plot. Finding that equilibrium that moves the story along, but make the character and plot come alive is more art than science and takes practice and experience.
As a reader, I want settings to be vivid and interesting. I want characters to be distinct with clear, consistent traits and motives. But I don’t want to wade through massive narration that over describes locations and explains vast amounts of character backstory. Finding the right level of description that anchors a reader, but also leaves room for their imagination to fill in the gaps is challenging.
Balance is also required to make a story meaningful. I tend to be a little too obvious with themes. This can come across as preachy or ‘on the nose’ as some people call it. I believe readers want a strong, important theme, but they want the story and characters to reveal those insights. They want the characters to reveal themes by overcoming challenges and showing personal growth. However, if the author is too delicate or subtle the themes can be missed or lost. In the end, I’m ok with being a little theme heavy because I want my stories to be meaningful and thought-provoking.
So great question, finding balance in storytelling is tricky and difficult, but it’s also what makes writing fun for me. As writers, we may not always achieve the right balance in our storytelling, but if we want our tales to connect with readers, we must keep seeking that elusive literary harmony!
Kevin A. Kuhn
Often, if you request it specifically, the library will order a copy. It's in many libraries, but certainly not common place. I hope you're able to track down a copy. :)
Kevin A. Kuhn
Peter, thanks for the question, although it’s not an easy one. My ideas for writing are typically tied into something I’m currently dealing with in my current life. For my debut novel, “Do You Realize?”, it started with a mid-life crisis. I hit fifty and the realization that half my life was over hit me hard. I first began to think about the meaning of life and then that evolved into thoughts about what was important in my past. I found myself considering what were the most significant events in my life, what were the most important days. I asked myself what if I had the opportunity to relive ten days in my life. “Do You Realize?” sprung from those thoughts.
My second book, “Ten Tales of a Dark Tomorrow” is a collection of short stories. Their inspiration is varied, but I try to address the origins in a short introduction to each story in the book itself. Rather than repeat myself, I’ll just encourage you to pick a copy. I sincerely hope you enjoy my stories!
My second book, “Ten Tales of a Dark Tomorrow” is a collection of short stories. Their inspiration is varied, but I try to address the origins in a short introduction to each story in the book itself. Rather than repeat myself, I’ll just encourage you to pick a copy. I sincerely hope you enjoy my stories!
Kevin A. Kuhn
As of mid-September 2019, I'm wrapping up editing on a short story collection that is inspired by the original Twilight Zone television series. Hopefully, this project will be hitting the streets right around Halloween. The title of the collection is "Ten Tales of a Dark Tomorrow". Stay tuned for a cover reveal and additional information!
Kevin A. Kuhn
Thanks Dr. Davis - I lived in Lake Zurich and commuted downtown using the Metra. I believe I picked Crystal Lake to give George and Shiloh a little more time to talk. My family and I enjoyed our time in the Chicago suburbs. So glad you enjoyed the book.
Kevin A. Kuhn
I want a reader who’s ready to leave their day behind, take my hand, and lose themselves.
I want a reader who can see the possibilities but is willing to travel my path.
I want a reader who’s willing to laugh out loud in a crowded, quiet room.
I want a reader who seeks the inferences, and the connections, and the questions.
I want a reader who writes in the margins and underlines their favorite phrases.
I want a reader who’s brings their own lens and finds their own interpretations.
I want a reader who's open to new perspectives and finds themselves a little changed at the end of the journey.
I want a reader who can see the possibilities but is willing to travel my path.
I want a reader who’s willing to laugh out loud in a crowded, quiet room.
I want a reader who seeks the inferences, and the connections, and the questions.
I want a reader who writes in the margins and underlines their favorite phrases.
I want a reader who’s brings their own lens and finds their own interpretations.
I want a reader who's open to new perspectives and finds themselves a little changed at the end of the journey.
Kevin A. Kuhn
I am working on a very different novel now that is more straight contemporary fiction instead of Science Fiction. I'm not ruling out returning to a prequel or sequel to "Do You Realize?" but it will likely be sometime before I get to that. I still have a full-time job, so the writing has to take a back seat to that right now. I did enjoy the complexity of time travel, so it would be fun to return to it one day.
Kevin A. Kuhn
I began a serious novel set in a downtown Minneapolis tavern. I've outlined the story, created some character backstories, but then decided to put the whole thing on hold. I don't have the right contiguous time and energy with my current job and family responsibilities. So, which I still jot down notes about that novel, I'm currently working on a young adult sci fi novel. It's set on a world with very limited resources, and follows a group of early teens through their training to survive in this cruel world. I'm also writing a series of Sci Fi short stores when they come to me, intending to produce a complication at some point.
Kevin A. Kuhn
"Do You Realize?" - it's a fictional novel with light sci-fi elements.
Kevin A. Kuhn
A novel is a magic trick. It’s an illusion. As a writer you get to take as long as you like to develop your story. You get to agonize over a chapter, or a paragraph, or a single sentence for days or weeks or months. You get to rewrite over and over and over. Like a painter, you can create your base story and then add more depth and details over time. You get to find *most* of your mistakes and your inconstancies and fix them before a reader sees the first word. But the reader gets it all at once. They have the illusion that you created it in a single stroke. That the story and characters just flowed out your fingers in a single moonlit evening. That is the trick. And that is, at least for me, one of the best things about writing.
Kevin A. Kuhn
My advice is to start writing immediately. If you’re not ready to begin your short story, novelette, or full novel, just write about your life. Write about your aspirations, your dreams, and your fears. Write down every original insight you uncover. Writing is a skill you develop and if you want to write, you should do it as often as possible. You will be surprised how much of what you write has potential as material for your stories. Don’t let your fears slow you down. The biggest part of writing is rewriting. So there is no reason not to start. Get moving! Now!
Kevin A. Kuhn
When I hit 50, I had a bit of a mid-life crisis. I thought about my past and considered what were my favorite days over the last 50 years. It was difficult for me to nail them down and it made me think about my life deeply. What if you could go back to ten days in your past. Which ten days would you choose? Would reliving them be as satisfying as the first time? At the same time, several of my friends were going through personal tragedies. I also began to consider how I would respond to my own greatest fears. Those two themes were the backdrop for this novel.
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