An Interview with Brandon Lennon

Brandon Lennon is a 23-year-old novelist raised in Dublin, based in London. He started writing novels at the age of fourteen out of an intrinsic need to express himself through storytelling in all things. Most recently, he has been working on his MA degree from London while wrapping up his manuscript, June Gloom, his strongest vision to date. Lennon’s influences range from cyberpunk to literary fiction, from prestige television to experimental horror flicks, and from classic rock to new-age witch-house. His writing is fuelled by the many weird and wonderful realms of art that he has embedded himself in across his life, and he promises this unique synthesis in his story.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

A cop-out answer, maybe, but my primary school English teacher(s)! As a kid, I was quite unsure of myself, probably had an early-onset case of the impostor syndrome blues. I was the English teacher’s best friend time and time again, and nothing could have been more important at that time in my life than to know that I was good enough to pursue something I loved. For me, having the passion is not entirely enough, I need to know it’s a worthwhile endeavour. Bonus answer—Lady Gaga! My childhood hero, her art left a mark on me that stays to this day. Her artistic vision was completely hers, completely fearless and completely strange, traits I would point out in my own work, even now.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

I always knew I wanted to write—but for me, the challenge I faced for the longest time was finding my genre. My writing naturally veers towards literary fiction, though I find writing in the “real world” incredibly boring. I love fantasy, but not enough, and I’m not particularly angled towards heavy sci-fi. Then, in 2020, I found myself stuck in lockdown with a new addiction—Cyberpunk 2077, my future favourite video game. From there, it was a rabbit hole of late nights with William Gibson, countless rewatches of Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell, and I knew what I wanted to write—cyberpunk with a literary, character-driven edge. And so, June Gloom was born.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

Whether it be the book title or my chapter titles, I always veer towards something mood-driven. My authorial voice itself is very heavy on mood, and I wanted to make sure I was getting that point across, so that people didn’t expect some high-action, high-stakes first-person-shooter in writing form. For that, I wanted to choose a title that encapsulated the style of the novel as opposed to anything, because it’s not genre fiction. Fun fact—my other option was “Caged Anomaly,” a motif that shows up through the story, but June Gloom felt like it got the soul of the story down better.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

I love this question! Music is one of—maybe even my biggest—artistic influences. There are a few named tracks throughout the novel as is: “Right Where It Belongs” and “The Hand That Feeds” by Nine Inch Nails, “House of the Rising Sun,” Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” and “How Soon Is Now?” by The Smiths. I have some headcanon ones too, though, for sure. “I am not a woman, I’m a god” by Halsey, “cyber meat” by yeule, “Backseat Girl” by Jane Remover, “Before The Fever” by Grimes, and “N’attends pas mon sourire” by Ariane Moffatt, to name a few.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

Currently, I am working towards my MA degree in Public Relations and Media Strategies. Since before even taking on my undergraduate, I knew I eventually wanted to go towards PR—to me, the world of PR feels almost the same as managing an ensemble cast in a story, it’s all about opinion, image, reputation, relationships. Besides that, I used to work in an escape room! A really fun experience, and felt quite apt to be part of a live-action, immersive story.

What books did you read (for research or comfort) throughout your writing process?

Plenty of William Gibson for that cyberpunk edge, though less for the action and more for the style. A little bit of Murakami, a little bit of Ishiguro. Plenty of memoirs and non-fiction, too. I wanted to tell this story through a deeply human lens. Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner comes to mind, even The Body Keeps the Score.

What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?

Be your own Gaga! As a kid, she was my biggest inspiration, and throughout this process I completely understood why. Be fearless in your style, write the way that feels correct, the way that it comes out of you naturally. Go for those weird choices you were considering but thought “people might think this weird” or “people won’t get it.” Trust your readers! Your story will find the right eyes that will love it for its weirdness, depth, and all of the strange little choices you make that no other writer would.

What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?

No matter what the world around us looks like, humanity persists in all of its forms—and it will be broken, it will hurt, it will love and fight and suffer and it will be the bane and the boon behind everything. The world I have designed in my story is larger-than-life, futuristic and slightly surreal, but every story beat, arc and subplot is the product of the characters and their persisting humanity, despite it all.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.