How Acclaimed Debut Novelist Brendan Slocumb Writes

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

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Violinist and lauded debut novelist, Brendan Slocumb, spoke to me about how both music and writing saved his life, the darker side of the classical music world, and his debut "The Violin Conspiracy."

Brendan Slocumb is an accomplished violinist and concertmaster who has performed with major symphonies, has a degree in music education, and has over twenty-five years of teaching in the classroom and in his private studio.

His critically acclaimed debut novel, The Violin Conspiracy, has been described as, "Part mystery thriller, part character study of a young Black man trying to make his way in the world of classical music..." It was a GMA Book Club Pick and named a Publishers Weekly Top Ten Mystery/Thriller, NPR’s Books We Love 2022, Audible’s 13 Best Debuts of 2022, and earned two Goodreads Choice Award nominations for Best Debut Novel and Best Mystery Thriller.

Publishers Weekly called the book "[A] gripping debut. . . . Slocumb sensitively portrays Ray’s resilience in the face of extreme racism. The author is off to a promising start.”

Brendan hosts the podcast How Music Can Save Your Life, is a Nobel Teacher of distinction, and serves as an educational consultant for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Stay calm and write on ...

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In this file Brendan Slocumb and I discussed:

• How he finds time to tour, write, practice for his string quartet, and teach students for an upcoming recital
• Why the Pandemic forced him to become a prolific novelist
• What it's like to sign your first paperback for a fan
• The importance of practice, routine, and banging out 3000 words a day
• Why writers need to walk, stretch, and hit the gym
• And a lot more!

Show Notes:

• brendanslocumb.com
• The Violin Conspiracy - By Brendan Slocumb (Amazon)
• How Music Can Save Your Life Podcast
• Brendan Slocumb on Facebook
• Brendan Slocumb on Instagram
• Brendan Slocumb on Twitter
• Kelton Reid on Twitter

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