An Interview with Kenny Penn

Kenny Penn lives with his wife and three children in Greensboro, NC. His stories often wander through long-reaching shadows but refuse to stay there, exploring the dark complexities of human nature and collecting the hidden gems of hope buried in the darkest corners. Before crossing into the realm of novel-writing, he published several prize-winning short stories in dark fantasy and horror. An avid reader and lifelong gamer, he’s especially fond of the Final Fantasy and Silent Hill series. When his kids let him watch TV, he enjoys shows like The Haunting of Hill House and From.

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

Believe it or not, the title was the easiest part! It came to me while I was researching hate groups in Mississippi. I found out that the Klan has ranking members called “Grand Wizards.” The connection to Mississippi Wizards was easy from there.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

Ah, man. It was the best feeling in the world to hold that book in my hands. The cover was just beautiful. I had other ideas for the cover, but I was really happy that the designers at Atmosphere Press helped me land on that one. The red overlay really gave it a creepy tone, and I’ve had a lot of people say so as well.

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

I remember wanting to write a book ever since I read The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks when I was ten. It was the first time I had read an epic, and I knew I wanted to create something like it. By the time I was a teenager, I had read Stephen King’s It and The Stand, Terry Goodkind’s The Sword of Truth, and, my all-time favorite, Robert Jordan’s The Eye of the World. In my adult years, I started liking dark fantasies like those told by Brent Weeks and Edward W. Robertson, and I’ve forever been entranced by the horror novels written by King and, recently, his son, Joe Hill.

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

I have spent most of my adult life working in some IT profession or another, but for a long time, I worked as an agent representing cargo ships offloading in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

Just having it done and out in the world is a fantastic feeling. I’ve been writing since I was twelve. Once I turned forty, I asked myself if I was going to keep dreaming or if I was going to make it a reality. The reality is so much better than the dream.

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

That’s a great question, because my editor talked me out of including excerpts from a few songs I had wanted to put on the first pages of each part, similar to what Stephen King does in his. But, as my editor pointed out, we can’t all be King. My list included Jon Secada’s If You Go, Phil Collins’ I Don’t Care Anymore, DMX’s Damien, The Beatles’ Yesterday, Evanescence’s My Immortal, Bob Dylan’s Mississippi, Godsmack’s I Stand Alone, Guns N’ Roses’ Used to Love Her, and Rhianna’s Umbrella.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

The one thing I hope readers take from my story is that, in the face of hatred and bigotry, we can overcome if we stand together.

What creative projects are you currently working on?

Now that my first horror novel is out of the way, I’m working on an epic dark fantasy trilogy!

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

Atmosphere Press has been nothing short of remarkable. There’s a lot of value in the money they charge, not least of which is editing and cover design. If you’re looking for a great team of people who want to see you succeed, look no further.

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