"14 Questions with Braden Thompson" by Alden Nagel
An Interview, with One of The Pacific Northwest's Gnarliest Authors
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alden Nagel is the founder and editor of Nut Hole Publishing, and also a writer. You can find him on Instagram: @aldenwnagelw
1. What have you been up to lately, man?
Working on another book(s). I tentatively have next year's lineup planned out—at least one book scheduled for next year. It was supposed to be this year, but I'm extending the gestation period. In it's place, I'll be publishing my first nonfiction thing; my first essay collection, to more closely describe the form. It's a celebratory work, congratulating a very particular auteur on a significant milestone in his career. You already know all about that, but I'm saving details for when it's closer to release (just like you will, Alden).
(The) Diamond Planet was released at the tail end of August, and for my tiny metrics, it has exceeded expectations. It matched Illcontinuum's total downloads in about a week and holds the title for my bestselling physical novel. So that's gnarly. Like with most books, promotion only really begins when it's already out, and there's still many stages left in that book's life cycle. It's not even in physical bookstores yet—but it will be!
There's a whole entire novel of mine that is not and will not be online. That's for someone else to publish, so I continue to be on submission for that thing. I don't really do anything other than write books, so uh... I've been buying VHS tapes at Goodwill for my new/old TV. That's been the primary way I watch movies as of late. Excited for that Snake Eater remake even though Kojima isn't involved so I really shouldn't be. I anticipate it will be bad, but against my better judgement, I will be playing it.
2. What do you think of the resurgent online book movement? I mean —does it remind you of the literature blogosphere from the turn of the millennium in any way?
Weblit or Cyberlit or whatever the hell remains alien to me. In 2003 I was swallowing Lego bricks and installing viruses on my parent's computer. My very first indie lit effort was in 2019(?) and since then, while I think my online presence has grown more confident and worthy to be here, I can't say it's because I understand the social order any more than I did then. We're awash with people who wave the flag of independent voice but it's not like anyone, myself included, would turn down fat publisher money if it were handed to us (if publishers still have fat money to throw around).
At the top of September all the online lit mags reopened for submissions. Flash fictions and the like (I don't write that stuff). I'm certain there's some material gain from getting published by these people, and since begrudgingly returning to Twitter I've noticed people still tack up the @s of all the magazines and newsletters they've been published in like medals on their chest. I should do that, even though none of them have published me. I wonder if anyone would check.
My wish is, if you're going to go through an independent publisher, or even just yourself, it should be because you want to, and not because no one else will take it. You know what we do need is a better congregate website. Substack isn't sexy enough and Twitter is bad. We need something like a Bandcamp, where you can go on a page and see all of an individual or a publisher's releases, read it right there, throw them some money, maybe leave a comment. Search by obtuse and idiotic subgenres. Someone with HTML savvy should get on that.
3. What contemporary authors do you look up to the most, currently?
Many of my loves from the earliest stages of my literary awakening remain so. I adore David Mitchell and Kazuo Ishiguro. People that can do things I can't are a big point of obsession for me; I aspire to write books that would never exist had I not written them and look for that quality in other writers. I don't want books that are only good in ways identical to a dozen other books, and the formers listed do that for me.
4. What good movies have you seen lately?
I thought Challengers was really good, but no one likes it for the correct reason. Ugh. FINE. I'll tell you the real reason it's a good movie. There are scenes set in 2006—2007, and if you pay attention to the brand name food & beverages in the background you will note that all the labels and decals are accurate to the era. The Pepsi is a 2006 Pepsi; the specific Taco Bell bags from the mid-aughts are correct. If that's not worthy of praise, tell me why no other period piece has the nerve to admit 2006 is a period we're nearly twenty years removed from and thus merits an immediate visual distinction. Props department went wild with that one. Ten on ten.
Saw that new The Crow movie. It was bad but nothing worth posting about—see, that's when a movie is actually bad.
Oh! I watched Police Story for the first time recently. That's the kinda movie where you watch it wondering the whole time why every movie isn't like it.
5. What are your thoughts on your book Radiosault? Do you reminisce on writing it at all?
Glad you asked, because Radiosault got a QOL remaster a few months ago and it's available where all Braden Thompson products are sold.
Radiosault drew a line between the sort of book I used to write and the ones I write now. In that way it was essential I did it, as well as at the time I did—my final year of college. Thirty-thousand words, second-person, unconcerned with narrative arch or appealing sentence structure or closure or really anything other than entertaining myself. Call it a spoof of the autofiction. When the book was first published, I printed out physical copies on my own accord and threw them around the city. It made no money but part of the book's identity was that it would be happened upon rather than sought out. It defies advertisement, so I didn't bother. That experiment took the book places I didn't imagine it would ever go.
At the same time it's a book I fear I won't have a capacity to write again. Something tells me I shouldn't; I only write a certain kind of book one time and never again. As I think is proper if one wants to evolve as a writer. Some people rewrite the same book their whole career and it's sad.
6. What non-chef celebrity do you think would make the best blackberry cheesecake?
I pick any current or previous member of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. They aren't online, so idk what else they do all day. Something tells me those guys throw a mean dinner party.
8. If you had to go attend one kind of worship center once a month, which would you pick?
Shinto shrine, easy. And no, it's not because of an anime, or because I picked one of the third-party religions to be funny. I've just seen the pictures and whoever decides where to put those has impeccable taste. The number of ugly churches just in Seattle is enough to make anyone worship godless science. No moss, no twirly tree branches, no quiet streams. Plus I bet you aren't expected to do a whole lot when you go to one of those shrines, least of which donate money.
9. What’s the most annoying and/or frivolous thing in the world to you?
Okay, so, if you have an Nvidia graphics card in your computer, there are one of two ways to install game drivers—download them direct from the Nvidia website OR, and this is the one they INSIST on, you download the GeForce Experience console, ooooohhhhh... it's yet another thing to have running on your computer at all times for the myth of convenience.
First off, you need to set up an account. Already hate that everyone wants you to give them your email, but something about setting up an account just to install drivers on hardware I already bought feels that extra bit insulting. I do not comprehend why simply updating your graphics card requires you install another thing that needs to be logged into. You may circumvent this by downloading drivers direct from the Nvidia website but be careful, because every install comes with GeForce Experience, which it will attempt to also install on your computer unless you uncheck the box that is already checked.
I will hear nothing about it! I hate GeForce Experience.
10. We both went to The Evergreen State College. Do you ever judge people from your time there? I mean, does it stick with you still in your mind?
My time at Evergreen was divided by Covid, so when I eventually went back for my final two years it was with a very different perspective on what I wanted out of the school. I went to write, I went to learn how to write better, and 99% of my time was dedicated to accomplishing both.
Evergreen isn't actually so different from other colleges, I don't think. Do they wanna hear that? Probably not. What I mean is you're gonna get out what you put in. If you go there with the intent to do and cultivate certain things, the burden of effort is on you. They have resources, and great professors, and quiet places to work, and you will never be surrounded by more people your age endeavoring to create art ever again—even if you move to Portland. I've been out over a year now, and the number of times I wish I still had my JSTOR access, or could rent actual film equipment, or still had my 1000 printer credits makes me sometimes, in my darker moments, consider grad school.
If you're asking about the social climate, you're asking the wrong guy. You knew me then. My life, my love, and my lady is the sea.
11. What are your thoughts on the streaming service Crunchywrap?
Why, yes, two crunchwrap supremes is my Taco Bell order. How astute.
If you're asking me about Crunchyroll? Never touch the stuff. Americans aren't supposed to buy anime. They're supposed to watch non—sequential episodes uploaded to YouTube in 240p with hardcoded Spanish subtitles and a video description like "no copyright intended!! !"
It is cool that anime is more or less acknowledged as a real money maker overseas, and maybe less kids will be bullied for watching it. For me, I think some of the appeal was the work you had to put in. Had to wait until mom & dad were definitely asleep before you could creep out to the living room and peep Toonami or something. Much has been said about the impersonal quality to streaming shows and movies; binge—watching, as it were. Same applies to anime. When I see that horribly ugly Netflix adaptation of Cowboy Bebop—the one that looks like a YouTube skit from 2009 called "Cowboy Bebop in Real Life"—I wonder who spilled the beans.
12. What was the last dream you can clearly remember?
I was hearing very distinctly the Silver Mt. Zion track 13 Angels Standing Guard 'Round The Side Of Your Bed, and I was outside the house I lived in from 2001—2011. I have a lot of dreams where I'm standing in the front yard of that place. Seaplanes were flying low over the roof and landing on the water. It was one of those late Autumn morning where we go to school when it's still dark and the grass is wet. I don't remember much happening but my dreams are rarely anything happening. I might think too much during the day and exhaust my brain.
13. Do you still go swimming regularly, like you did in high school? A past roommate of mine, you know the one, thought he used to see you at a public swimming pool way back.
I didn't go swimming regularly in high school, so you may be thinking of someone else.
I'll tell you what I did do in high school that I don't anymore: skateboard. That's reason number one I should be dead, which is saying something. We did not wear helmets and we'd cross the open street at will. And you know the topography of where we live. It's not a climate built for skateboards.
Recently went through storage and found all—my old skateboard stuff. Might take it more casually this time—helmeted, critically. We were only just getting around, back then. Never bothered to learn tricks, but maybe I'm too old for something. That'd be a first.
14. What do you believe about Tao Lin as a writer?
Everyone talks about that guy. Most popular kid in school.
I submitted to one of Muumuu House's last few calls, at your recommendation. Never heard anything back but I'm not sure what I sent is worth getting back to about. It's a cool project, though. Great little icon.
As for what I believe about him? He seems to be holding down his niche. Writes frequently. He sells books and maintains a genuine fan following. What can I say? Even if I were in love with him to an exhaustive degree, I hesitate to heap praise or scorn on anybody. It would do him no favors to sit here and try and score points with him or his fans by professing an unconditional love I do not have for any writer. I'd like him to stay hungry; there's still people left to impress.