Brian Malachy Quinn

Brian Malachy Quinn spent way too much time in Academia in Physics as a graduate student, a researcher and a professor before moving onto finance nine years ago. He started writing and illustrating in 2017 and has sold ten short stories and thirty-two magazine and book covers. His goal is to move on full time to illustrating and writing within the next two years.

His on-line art portfolio can be found at brianquinnstudio.com.

Get to know Brian...

Birthdate?

October 13 – not born on a Friday – you can’t have it all! I sign my B’s like the number 13 so people call me 13. Apropos that I write horror, dark fantasy and dark sci fi. My art is the full spectrum not just limited to what I write.

When did you start illustrating and/or writing?

I was full of self-doubts about illustrating and writing but took the plunge in 2017 and gave it a try and a couple months later sold both illustrations and a story.

When and what and where did you first get published?

I sold my first story to Fun Dead Publications “The Parson” in the beginning of 2017 for their Salem Anthology. I sold four illustrations to Zoetic Press for their Poe Anthology in February of 2017 - they were in black and white and very dark in tone.

Why do you create through writing or illustrating?

It is necessary to maintain proper brain chemical balance (the clinical answer). I’m bipolar and the act of creating has always been therapeutic and helps me relax. Actually, I love doing it and if I don’t find time every day to do it – writing or illustrating (I usually do both) I feel out of sorts – if not downright miserable and usually have great difficulty sleeping that night.

Why do you enjoy illustrating Science Fiction and/or Fantasy?

I enjoy writing and illustrating Speculative Fiction because you can’t be fact checked – you create your own worlds. You are the Prime Mover. There is no right or wrong. You immerse yourself in your world and everything that normally consumes you – all your anxieties, concerns, problems – disappear.

Who is your favorite artist? Your favorite artwork? Your favorite author? Your favorite story?

I learned to draw from Leonardo’s sketch books so he will always be up there on the list but N.C. Wyeth is probably my favorite illustrator. His illustrations for classic literature are magical.

I started reading Stephen King when I was twelve – not sure why my parents let me but I was an excellent student, so they rewarded me by buying me books and they probably thought at least I was reading. So, I will always give him credit for influencing me into getting into horror. I’m easy prey for a good vampire story – King’s “Salem’s Lot”, Stoker’s “Dracula”, (he has several really good vampire short stories too) and all Anne Rice’s books – she made the undead sensual.

What are you trying to say with your fiction and/or your artwork?

I think in my art I am trying to show the combination of mystery and beauty that if you only look at life you can find, though it seems to get tougher these days to find it. My writing is different – the darkness in it might be the pervasiveness of my psychiatric condition – and embracing who I am. Maybe a conflicting yin and yang relationship.

If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?

I would post one of my paintings, no words. Maybe “The Fury”. One with both beauty and anguish, but one that ultimately would leave the observer asking many questions. Isn’t that what life is about?

Do you blog?

No. I don’t have the answers even for myself so I wouldn’t be of much help for anyone else.

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