This is kind of a boring page. Just my bio. I'll add more later. Maybe.
I was born in
More about me:
Brian the person:
What three words do you think describe you as a human being?
Fun Sensitive Loyal
Three words is a tall order, but I think those sum it up, with lots more falling under each.
I like to have fun, and think that seriousness is highly over-rated. I think we should enjoy life, and stop trying to kill ourselves in the rat race. Life is short. If it isn’t fun, then why waste the time? Unfortunately, it’s easier to say it than live it.
How do you think others would describe you?
Colleagues: Goofy, sometimes too much so. But also talented, creative and intelligent (I hope so anyway).
Friends: Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, fun
My wife: Sensitive, caring, fun sometimes, but also serious and passionate about things that involve our family and our lives; also hard-headed.
My kids: fun, goofy, strict at times, TIRED, creative
Other family: sensitive, talkative, hard-headed
Please tell us what you are most passionate about outside of writing.
First and foremost, my faith in God. Also, my family. They kind of go hand-in-hand. Writing is something I really, really enjoy, but if I had to make a choice between those two or writing, it really wouldn’t be a choice to make. No contest. Family and faith win. And I’m thankful that there’s room for all three.
Do you have any pets? If so, introduce us to them. How about hobbies?
Roxy is our Black Lab Mix. We’ve had her for ten years – when she was a puppy in
Lenny is a 3-year-old cat we picked up in
Kramer is a small black cat that we got from the shelter here in
What is your most precious memory?
Tough one. Lots of those, but I think watching the birth of both my son and daughter. It was just amazing to see those tiny babies, and realize that they were mine to care for. It amazes me even more that despite my best efforts (ha ha), they’re both awesome young people, and we love them more every day.
What is your most embarrassing memory?
You'll have to ask my wife! Hint: It involves the island of Guam, a dryer hose, some boxer shorts and a skittish maintenance worker.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing with your life?
Probably what I’m doing now … working in public relations. When I started this career 17 years ago, I was a writer. I was writing news and feature stories, speeches and also doing some creative writing on the side. But I’ve found that as my career has progressed, the responsibilities have increased, and I just don’t write as much – in fact, it’s hardly at all. I just oversee stuff, and try to help others when I can. I used to like my job a heck of a lot more! Honestly, writing is the one thing I’d do for free, if I could do it full-time. Instead, I do it as I can, when the opportunity presents itself. I wrote two novels. The first one was drafted in three weeks; the second I wrote in six. I did enjoy those experiences, but I think I would have liked them more if I’d had the luxury to not be tired, not be distracted, and not be thinking about WORK so much! There’s an old saying a former mentor left me with: I hate to write, but I love to have written.
In two paragraphs or less write your obituary.
Brian Naranjo died today. And like everyone else, he didn’t take it with him. He is survived by his friends and family, who will keep his memory fresh by talking about him at social gatherings.
Brian the writer:
Can you describe the time you realized you were indeed a “real” writer?
You know, since I was a small child, it seems that I was always drawn to a pen/pencil and paper. I just liked to put sentences and paragraphs down. By fourth grade, I’d already written a dozen short stories, and it was all downhill from there. Of course, I don’t think I ever will consider myself a “real” writer. To do that would to be satisfied, as if I’ve already arrived at a goal. It’s been said that life’s a journey, not a destination. Well I think the same can be said of writing. It it’s easy, you’re not trying hard enough. I believe that it is only through constant practice that a writer can continue to grow and develop in his/her craft; and once you stop growing, you start dying.
What is going on with your writing these days?
I just started a new job a few months ago; and haven’t had as much time as I’d like to spend writing. However, I’ve a partially completed manuscript that I’ve been toying with for the past 18 months; and SEVERAL ideas for books yet to be fleshed out.
What are your future goals for your writing?
Books, book and more books. I’d like to write one a year, maybe more if I can ever do this full-time.
Can you describe a typical writing day for you?
I get any and all routine business out of the way, then I close the door, and just start going at it. Sometimes it’s like climbing a steep mountain, and I can only write in quick sprints – a sentence or two at a time, before I rest. But then, I get lost in the story, and I don’t stop. The day I finished the draft of The Tamale List, I started writing at 6 a.m., and didn’t stop until 7 that evening. And I hardly looked up once. I don’t use outlines or other things, though I do sometimes for memory-sake, tap out a few ideas of things I know must happen to get the plot rolling. However, that’s just a guide; and I’ll insert whatever side-story or circumstance that comes to my mind and falls out of my fingers.
Why do you write?
I write because I can’t help it. It’s a compulsion. Again, I hate to write, but love to have written. I think all people everywhere are born with that compulsion to create, and it can manifest itself up through adulthood. Some people create in the kitchen; others become architects or engineers; I simply write.
What writer most inspires you? Why?
Stephen King. I first read Christine in eighth grade, and I haven’t stopped reading and re-reading his stuff yet. I’m fascinated by his style, his genius. And I love a good scare! Plus, he struggled and persevered for awhile before his abilities were recognized. Though I’m not nearly as talented, I find inspiration in knowing that even someone with the genius he has was rejected time and time again.
Do your family and friends support your writing?
Yes, absolutely. Without their encouragement and support, I don’t think I ever would’ve taken that first step to write that first line, of that first page, of that first chapter of my first book.
In one sentence—what do you want people to say about your writing in fifty years?
“Even all these years later, I can still relate to the hearts of his characters.”
For new readers—what can they expect when they read your books?
I hope that my readers will get lost in the pages, to see the characters the way they were conceived, and to find some common ground – the good, the bad, or the ugly. At the end, I hope they’re just a tiny bit better for having read my work.
In conclusion:
What would you like your readers to know about you and your writing?
I’m just a plain, average American guy, who likes to create characters and situations through words. Writing can be difficult; it can also be painful. But I hope that when you’ve allowed me to share my work with you, you’ll come away with an added understanding of life and the world in which we live.
Pretend you have just 30 seconds to tell a stranger about The Tamale List – what would you say? Favorite character? General flow? A humorous or pivotal moment?
I came up with the title for The Tamale List back in the summer of 2006. I like to make tamales a couple of times a year, and give them out to friends in the neighborhood. I was at work, and this lady gave me some information through an email message. I thanked her in my reply, and told her she’d just made The Tamale List. She asked me what the hell I was talking about, and in my explanation a seed was planted …