Contributor Interview: Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown's "King of Infinite Space" can be found in the Summer 2026 issue of Broad Ripple Review.
What is a literary hot take you have?
We are long overdue for more stories told from the perspectives of animals. Whatever happened to those? Seems like there was a solid stretch of time where we could reliably jump from Call of the Wild to Animal Farm to Watership Down to Heart of a Dog or The Master and Margarita. Granted, that last example isn't told from an animal's perspective, but it has a talking cat, and I defy you to show me a story that wouldn't benefit from the addition of a talking cat.
As we get more and more self-involved as a society, losing ourselves in online echo chambers or having our interests catered to by AI and algorithms, I think being forced out of our comfort zones is more important than ever—and few things do that better than stories that put us in the minds of characters that are as far removed from us as possible.
What inspired you to write “King of Infinite Space”?
My inspiration for this story very much came from the experience of looking out plane windows whenever I'd fly in or out of the Southwest. For hours and hours, there's nothing but an endless, desolate expanse of scorched rock stretched out to the horizon, beautiful and bleak all at once. As alluded to in the story, though, every once in a while, you'll catch something down there among the bare hills and arroyos. Maybe the roof of some lonely building, or the glint of a car threading its way up an access road, tugging a cape of dust along behind it. Maybe even a whole cluster of buildings nestled up against a few blue patches of water or green strips of farmland. Wondering about those places and the people that live there led me down a rabbit hole that eventually became this story.
What is a change in the writing or publishing industry that you have enjoyed this year?
With so much going on, it can be tough to choose. We've got a wave of union victories in the publishing world (not nearly enough, but it's an encouraging start). We've got an increased appreciation for translated works and for the incredible folks doing the actual work of translation. While the free speech battles are raging in campuses and courthouses across the country, we've seen wins there too, and (at the time of writing, anyways), the side of censorship and book banning feels very much like they're on the back foot, even if they're not yet on the ropes. But by far and away, what's given me hope is watching the collective response writers, editors, and publishers alike have had in linking arms against the clankers. I don't think anyone was prepared for how much of a threat generative AI would be, or how quickly it'd spread, but seeing so many people working together to keep human expression human should make anyone proud.
I saw that your work has been featured in Weird Horror Magazine. Is horror your favorite genre?
I have a soft spot for horror, and even while the genre is having a moment, I still don't think it's getting the full appreciation it deserves.
Horror, for better and worse, has to reach a higher standard than some other genres in order to work well. A good horror story needs a strong atmosphere. It needs characters you care about (especially once they're put in danger). It needs inventive scares that catch the reader from unexpected angles. It needs pacing that doesn't rush too fast or linger long enough for you to lose interest, and it needs to keep all of those elements working constantly or else risk breaking immersion and tension. Flubs and missteps that could be overlooked in other genres are utterly disastrous in horror narratives, and make no mistake, there are plenty of botched horror stories out there that feel even more disappointing as a result. But when a horror story manages to hit all those markers, you're left with an absolute masterpiece.
What unique experiences have you had as a Syrian writer who moved to America? Do these experiences influence what you write about?
Like many people who grow up between countries and cultures (feeling part of both while belonging to neither), the position I write from is that of a perpetual outsider. In the Middle East, despite spending the first seventeen years of my life there, I was always aware that I was an 'ejnabi'—a 'foreigner.' While moving back to the United States for college as a seventeen-year-old meant I was able to blend in, I could never forget that America was a world I'd only ever known from movies, books, and fleeting visits. That experience of never truly belonging has always made me want to tell the stories of people who likewise don't "fit"—who live out on the outskirts, either metaphorically or literally.
As a comparatively young writer, I wish I could say there was a "was" when it came to entering the American literary scene, but the truth is that searching for my place is still very much an ongoing process, and likely always will be.
Now that “King of Infinite Space” has wrapped up, what’s next on the writing docket?
I'm currently working on a draft of a Christmas-based horror novel, along with help from my long-suffering critique group, who somehow manage to put up with my endless descriptions of snow.
Do you have any advice for upcoming writers looking to get their work published?
Fail early, fail often. Your ability to get up after being knocked down is as critical to your success as skill is (likely even more so). Rejections will happen. They're an inevitable part of the process, and while they'll always hurt, do it enough, and you'll be able to shrug off those punches like they're nothing. Once you've grappled with your fear of failure (and put that squirmy bastard in a chokehold), you'll likely find yourself taking bigger chances in both your work, where you send it, and how often you submit—and it's here where you're most likely to truly come into your own voice and find places where that voice has a home.
About the Author
Gordon Brown grew up in the deserts of Syria and now lives in the deserts of Nevada. Since arriving in the New World, his work has appeared in McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Weird Horror Magazine, Hunger Mountain Review, and elsewhere.
About the Interviewer
Ollie Sikes (they/them) is an evolving queer writer, editor, and creator based in Dallas, TX. They completed a double BA in Creative Writing and Theatre at Butler University. Besides volunteering with Broad Ripple Review, they also serve as Content Creator for the little things literary magazine. Their poetry has been published with Synchronized Chaos. You can follow them on Instagram @ollie.sikes.
