Interview with Kenneth L. Capps, author of Shadows at War

What can you tell us about your new release, Shadows at War?

I am glad to have it done! This is the first book that I came up with in my foggy head. It has been bouncing around in there for more than 30 years. It is an amalgamation of everything that happened to me as a Marine from day one. All the stories hearken back to things I have seen, done, laughed about, and cried over. I started it and then put it away because I couldn’t come up with an ending. And when my very best friend in this whole world, Lieut. Col. Mitchell Bell shined a bright light in my eyes, it just came to me. As in I mean the ending came to me. And it wasn’t going to be easy either. You as a reader of this book may think you have it figured out, but you have no idea. I am the only one who knows how the series ends. Which is strange because if I get the right amount of high octane liquor in me I tell everything I know. Not even my lover knows the truth about what my characters are up to.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I had a friend corral me into saying it was the money and for a short time I believed that, but it’s not true at all. The fact is I don’t give a shovel full of dirt about money and never will. Chasing money is like chasing a rabbit in a field full of holes. I have seen what money, or is it big money does to people. I write to express myself. I get bored easily and try not to have any idle time on my hands. Now I know that is one sorry answer to the question but the truth is I don’t see myself as an author, writer, or anything else but me. Just me, little old happy me.

What’s on your top five list of best books you’ve ever read?

Now you’re going to think I am throwing the interview. I don’t read. I am serious. When I was a little kid in school reading was extremely difficult for me and I didn’t find out until later in life that I am somewhat dyslexic, and extremely easily distracted both mentally and physically. I can think about a turning wheel in my head and what it can do and then be severely distracted by something moving outside of the window that I so desperately want to be next to or out of. To this day I am the same way. Anything and everything I write is extremely difficult for me. I can’t spell, again very seriously, I can’t spell at all. If it weren’t for writing programs you would never see my works. I am very embarrassed when people pick up something I’ve written that has not been edited and they realized how bad it really is. When I turned 50 I decided I was old enough not to give a damn anymore. I wanted to write. So I pushed through it and I will continue to push through it. It is not a secret I keep anymore is the reality that is me and I am comfortable with it.

I have only read a handful of books. And most of those were shoved in my face in some sort of class at school I attended either in high school or the Marine Corps. There was a time I did a little reading to pass the time but I couldn’t tell you who the authors were. The only time I read anything is if it involves a cooking recipe or assembly instructions for some expensive item I had purchased. However even then I skipped the reading unless I crammed myself into a mental conundrum during the assembly process, but let’s face it there are lots of pictures in the diagrams.

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask them?

Okay, now you’re stretching it. I would never do such a thing or be qualified for that matter. I barely got out of high school. My grade average wasn’t enough for a trade school. So needless to say I didn’t have colleges knocking down my door begging me to be their poster boy. I’m a bit of a renegade and have a tendency to “tell it like I see it.” I’m not politically correct, and carry a gun with me at all times. However in order to humor you I will wade into the waters just deep enough. It would definitely be Harper Lee. I am very fortunate to know her caretaker before she died. I asked her if she would give Harper one of my books not to have her sign it and return it, I just wanted her to have it. She informed me that Harper rarely reads people’s books and it would just be put in a box that would eventually be shipped off somewhere. I did receive an update from Harper Lee’s caretaker saying that she is reading your book. I see it move from coffee table to end table to bedside table so she is definitely reading it. That was good enough for me. If I can ask her one question it would be did the tears of joy fall from your cheeks onto the pages of the original copy of To Kill a Mockingbird when you realize how wonderful of a story you had written?

Or perhaps I would ask a famous author that lives up the river from me if he remembers the person that put out the fire in his garage that almost burned down his multimillion dollar mansion. I don’t need to tell you his name he doesn’t need any more fame crammed into his head.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

Freedom. The total freedom to express my imagination. When I write a story I am very selfish. I do it to make me happy. It makes me happy. If someone else likes it, then all the better. I don’t do it for the money, I know I’ve said that before and if you’ve ever written a book thinking you’re going to get rich you’re a fool. Yeah, yeah I know that is a BS answer but it is the truth someone wants to psycho analyze that in order to say I am wrong, well you go have a good time with that one.

What scene in Shadows at War was your favorite to write?

That would be the one where Anita asks Scott what it was like to kill someone. I went to a place within me that was vulnerable, emotional, and extremely honest.

Do you have a motto, quote or philosophy you live by?

This one comes straight from my mother and father, who just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary last week. Never sleep with the bitter taste of a lie on your lips. If you do your tongue will have to dance around it in the morning and tell two more. I have done many, many stupid things in my life. And I have told the truth about them when asked. It cost me a lot and set me back in many ways, but I was always able to overcome and keep on heading down the road because I got a good night’s sleep and didn’t have to remember the sequence of lies told to cover up my stupidity.

Kenneth L. Capps is the author of the new book Shadows at War. 

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