Prolific author K’wan is back with a new series. I recently spoke with him about the first book, House of the Rising Sun.
Tell me about your latest book.
House of the Rising Sun is the first book in my Brotherhood of Blood series. It’s about a family that had just moved to small-town Pennsylvania in search of a better tomorrow, until yesterday catches up with them. It’s one of those stories that’ll have you look at your spouse and ask yourself how well you really know them.
Why did you decide to write it?
I decided to write this story because my notoriety has come from gritty street fiction, but that isn’t the whole sum of who I am as a writer. So, I like to show my versatility from time to time by stepping into different spaces. Not in a way where I’m experimenting with something new, but showing my readers that I can proficiently write anything in any genre.
Who is your favorite character and why?
In this story? Artie. It’s hard to say why without giving up the “ah-ha” moment in the story, but I promised this to him long before House of the Rising Sun was ever fleshed out.
When did you fall in love with the written word?
Hard to say. My mother made sure that I was always well read. From the time I understood how to make sentences out of words, she kept a book in my hand. Reading [is] something that has always been with me, and I guess the writing part was a hitchhiker.
If you could pick another profession, what would it be and why?
Honestly? I couldn’t tell you. I was born to be one thing…a writer.
What author would you love to meet?
I think I’ve met most of my goats. Walter Mosley was the high point for me. I’d have loved to have been able to pick Anne Rice’s brain. And Sadly, Eric Jerome Dickey passed before I had the opportunity to tell him what he meant to me.
What books have you read lately and loved?
Recently, I’ve been down the Don Winslow rabbit hole. I started with the Cartel series and have been knocking down whatever I can get my hands on by him. S.A. Cosby is my new goat. I love his work. I started with Blacktop Wasteland and have since read everything he’s released.
What books are you most excited to read next?
I don’t know. I really don’t follow trends with books. If I find an author that I like, just work my way through their catalogs. So, I’m always late to the party when new books are dropping unless its someone I’ve been following closely.
What’s next for you?
Books, television, films…cracking the glass ceiling. I have some stuff I’m working on in other spaces, but on the literary side my next offering will be Troubleman. That’ll be released in June.
Use the Black Fiction Addiction affiliate link to purchase your copy of House of the Rising Sun by K’wan.
To learn more about K’wan, connect with him on social media. Instagram: Kwan_Iamlegend, TikTok: Kwan_Thewriter and Facebook: Kwan_Thewriter