BREW Brilliance: Insights from Cameron A. Straughan — The Chrysalis BREW Project
Curiosity is one of my main driving forces and I think that is why I got into science; I like to explore, research and attempt to understand.
- Cameron A. Straughan
For award-winning Cameron A. Straughan, curiosity isn’t just a trait-it’s a driving force, propelling him from the serene shores of a conservative lakeside town to the realms of storytelling. Born amidst the quietude of a town with a resolute motto of “don’t change anything,” Cameron’s upbringing, reminiscent of a Morrissey ballad, bestowed upon him a keen sense of observation and introspection.
As a self-professed loner, Cameron’s formative years were of solitary explorations-fishing escapades and woodland adventures that sparked a fervent passion for nature’s mysteries. It was this innate curiosity that steered him towards a career in fisheries biology, leading him on a journey across Canada and into the heart of New York, where he shared his love for the outdoors with at-risk youth.
Yet, amidst the tranquil beauty of nature, Cameron found himself drawn to the human aspect of science-the stories behind the data, the connections between society and the natural world. Fuelled by this newfound fascination, he tackled science communication, earning degrees in Environmental Studies and Education.
His academic pursuits culminated in a poignant documentary on Algonquin Park wolves, showcasing his ability to bridge the gap between complex scientific concepts and mainstream understanding. Transitioning into the role of a teacher, Cameron spent over a decade in England, weaving tales of science and wonder for both secondary and primary school students.
But Cameron’s journey doesn’t end in the classroom. His vivid dreams, steeped in surreal imagery, and his passion for photography and filmmaking have imbued his writing with a distinctive visual flair. Through his blog, “Trapped on a Rock Floating in Space,” Cameron invites readers into his world-a world where the mundane collides with the fantastical, where dreams bleed into reality, and where meaning is found in the most unexpected of places.
His “ The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen” — recipient of the elusive BREW Seal of Excellence — is a collection of interconnected short stories that humorously dissect the chaos and absurdities of modern life. Through off-the-wall humor and satirical wit, the protagonist, Anthony Zen, treks through everyday challenges, poking fun at societal norms, relationships, and the quirks of human existence. With each tale, the mundane is transformed into the fantastic, inviting readers to laugh, reflect, and question the intricacies of their own lives.
With each story, Cameron peels back the layers of everyday life, revealing the surreal undercurrents that flow beneath the surface. In his hands, the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the mundane is transformed into magic. Join Cameron A. Straughan on a journey beyond the ordinary in this exclusive interview-a journey where curiosity reigns supreme and the surreal awaits at every turn.
BREW: How did your background in fisheries biology and outdoor education influence your approach to storytelling?
CAS: I think they influenced my approach in many ways. Many of my short stories, particularly those published in my first collection “Neurotica” (also available on Amazon), feature plentiful aquatic imagery. There is some of this evident in Anthony Zen. Exploring the subconscious and being submerged are themes that run through my work. Also, I do tend to include a lot of scientific words in my work. I have had research published in scientific journals; I think the biggest influence on my writing style is the succinct, matter-of-fact writing style I employed as both a science and a technical writer. Curiosity is one of my main driving forces and I think that is why I got into science; I like to explore, research, and attempt to understand. I think I do the same with my writing; it is a research project in which I try to understand myself, the environment around me, and how I interact with it. Lastly, both fisheries biology and outdoor education honed my powers of observation which is essential to my success as a satirist and absurdist; I often see things other people fail to notice. I think university developed within me a strong critical lens that I apply to all aspects of life — not just scientific studies.
BREW: Can you share more about the transition from a career in science to becoming a writer and educator?
CAS: I’m not a “classically trained” writer — nor do I wish to be. I don’t think someone can teach you to be creative; it’s a muscle you have to develop yourself. I enjoyed writing in Grade 5 but I disliked English in high school, aside from one good teacher. So, for 10 years I basically avoided writing fiction and — come to think of it — read very little fiction. While I completed plenty of writing for my university courses, it was not until I discovered Lovecraft that I decided to start writing fiction. I also started reading more in general, seeking out other fiction and starting a book collection. My short story writing definitely improved my scientific writing, as evidenced in my grades and references. In turn, my scientific writing influenced the style of my fiction writing. The ecology of my writing is such that one thing is intimately linked to another. Each one feeds the other. One cannot exist without the other. In this manner, my writing has evolved over time.
My interest in education started when my biology career veered away from lab work and research and focused more on working with the public. I found myself explaining research to members of the public, either at research sites or at public displays. I started to become more interested in the social and cultural aspect of science — particularly science communication. This led me to do a Master in Environmental Studies degree, where my focus was science communication and my final project was a documentary entitled “Crying Wolf — Perceptions and Realities of Algonquin Park Wolves” (available on YouTube). During my Masters, I did some courses on environmental education and, while working as a Community Educator on Long Island New York for Cornell University, got even more interested in education. I decided to apply to teachers college and was successful. I did the Math, Science, and Technology program at York University (Toronto, Ontario), which perfectly suited my interest in STEM fields. Since then, I’ve dedicated my life to teaching young people about science, how it works, and what it does (or should do) for society.
BREW: What role do dreams play in your creative process, and how do you translate them into compelling narratives?
CAS: Dreams play an enormous role in my creative process. I used to keep dream journals and the style in which I recorded those dreams — a succinct, straightforward account of bizarre events — greatly influenced my writing style. I’m lucky in that my dreams are vivid; sometimes they are like films. I also have lucid dreams, and I am able to remember them in detail. The imagery sticks with me, even if I don’t write them down. Some of that imagery can make its way into my stories. Translating them into compelling narratives is tricky. As I mentioned, some dreams are like films — with a clear beginning, plot development, and an end — in which case the entire dream can become a story, as it did for the Anthony Zen story “Turtle Girl”, to give one example. At other times, I incorporate certain elements from dreams. I think most importantly writing down my dreams, and studying them, has given me a style in which I can write as if it was a dream; I think this is my one of my main strengths as a writer. I’m also lucky in that I have a knack for bringing together many seemingly incongruous elements into a story and tying them all together at the end so it makes sense, in its own absurd way.
BREW: Could you elaborate on your decision to shift from mimicking Lovecraft’s style to embracing your own unique storytelling approach?
CAS: Lovecraft was my biggest inspiration — particularly “Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath” (which I named my small press after). If I had not discovered his writing back in 1989, I most likely would not be writing today. He was an expert at exploring the unseen horrors lurking beneath small town America; I find him similar to David Lynch in that regard. Both of these artists used a stylized process to dive into the darkness of the American psyche. I think it is significant that Lovecraft, like Kafka, is believed to have been autistic; perhaps that is why I gravitated to their work early on (I was not diagnosed with autism until years after discovering them).
The transition from my “Lovecraft style” to my current style was abrupt. It was very early in the morning and I was growing tired of re-writing my Lovecraft clone story. In a playful state of mind — owing to the early hour — my mind wandered to Halloween, which was around the corner. I thought about doing an absurd Halloween story. I decided that humor came more naturally to me; it was less work than horror. Also, having written about five Lovecraft clones, I think it ran its course; it was time for me to change my style and themes. That absurd Halloween story paved the way to Anthony Zen. I decided that my odd sense of humor was my main strength — not mimicking a style of horror. I decided I was onto something and should change direction entirely. I never attempted another Lovecraft clone again.
BREW: What inspired the creation of your protagonist, Anthony Zen, and the surreal adventures that unfold in your stories?
CAS: When I started writing the stories, and recurring themes surfaced, I felt I could write a series but needed a character for everything to pivot on. Anthony Zen was that character. When friends of mine read the stories, they often mentioned that Anthony was my “alter ego”. I never used to be comfortable with that but now I am; I am, in fact, writing about myself via Anthony Zen. I recall thinking very carefully about the name I wanted. I wanted the first name to be three syllables and rather prestigious — like my own name — but the last name to be one syllable and suggest something “different”. I think I happened upon the first name then came up with “Zen”, which immediately fit perfectly. I didn’t know anything about Buddhism when I created the character (since then, I have tried Buddhist meditation and done a lot of research on it) but the last name was perfect since there are some Buddhist ideas in the stories. Also, I greatly appreciate the Buddhist emphasis on the importance of humor in reaching enlightenment; this is why there is a Buddhist quote at the beginning of my book.
The surreal adventures were inspired by several things. Firstly, my state of mind at the time of their creation; I was up late working on a Lovecraft-inspired piece, so I was in a dream-like state of mind. Ideas started to flood forward. The stories wrote themselves and I recall laughing out loud at what I was coming up with. It was a special moment — very hard to replicate. Secondly, they were inspired by my life-long interest and appreciation of unusual comedy and satire, which I understand is a common interest amongst fellow autistic people. Lastly, while I did not know anything about surrealism when I first started writing the stories, I came to realize how I was practicing automatic writing — a technique used by the surrealists to embrace the subconscious and create one-of-a-kind texts. The more I learnt about surrealism, the more inspired I was. I often wish I lived in the 1920’s and could be part of a movement like that — the camaraderie of like-minded individuals. I don’t think the surrealist movement could happen in this day and age, for the same reasons that humor is currently under fire. So here I am — alone, but doing my own thing … and enjoying it.
BREW: How do you infuse humor into your writing while exploring deeper themes and surreal elements?
CAS: This is a difficult one to answer. I think because this is often an organic process with me; the words seem to flow from me, naturally. I’m having trouble recalling what came first — the humor, deeper themes, or the surrealism. I think it varies with each story, but perhaps the surrealism comes first which in itself creates a great deal of the humor. I don’t tend to write down jokes to be inserted later, nor do I tell other people’s jokes; my humor is very spontaneous and of the moment — very individualized.
Lastly, I usually take a risk and leave it up to the readers to discover the deeper themes, by interpreting my stories. I usually avoid being too obvious with themes; I like readers to go on a bit of an adventure and find the themes themselves.
BREW: Your blog, “Trapped on a Rock Floating in Space,” offers insights into your view of life. How does this perspective influence your storytelling?
CAS: My blog has become as essential as the air I breathe. The ability to express my innermost thoughts and feelings has helped me cope with several issues, and I like to think that some of my writing may help others — or at least entertain them. The blog was originally created to highlight my absurd sense of humor and my view of life as fundamentally absurd — specifically by making light of weird news headlines. I think I am also a pessimist by nature and being critical of mainstream culture comes naturally to me — as does sarcasm.
As evidenced in my blog, my view of life is influenced by the “three isms” — surrealism, absurdism, and autism. I think all these perspectives combine to influence my storytelling; this is why my writing is laced with absurdity, dark humor, and satire. But my blog also points out that there is light at the end of the tunnel; much of my blog deals with how I manage my autism in my quest for peace and comfort. I think this — dare I say — “optimism” also flavors my stories. Lastly, my blog is highly individualized and portrays me as an independent thinker, which I also think permeates my writing.
BREW: Can you discuss the significance of receiving the BREW Seal of Excellence for your book?
CAS: It feels wonderful to be acknowledged and I greatly appreciate this honor. It is significant because writing is a solitary pursuit and sometimes it feels I am flinging my thoughts into a void. Also, my confidence is a roller-coaster, with more troughs than peaks. This award has boosted my self-confidence and made me realize that some of my thoughts are in fact landing safely, down here on Earth. I am glad that I am not being misunderstood, or disregarded, and that my intentions and themes are being clearly communicated. This success motivates me to keep going, sharing my thoughts to the best of my ability.
BREW: In what ways do you hope your writing resonates with readers, particularly in conveying themes of absurdity, imagination, and humor?
CAS: I purposely wrote the stories using every type of humor, with the hopes that some of the jokes would land — rather like the rapid-fire style of “Airplane” or “Top Secret.” I tried to include something for everyone, whether it is intellectual or spiritual — conscious or subconscious. But I always ground the humor in everyday mundanities, which I think sets my stories apart. I hope people can relate to Anthony, as he deals with seemingly banal events that spiral into surreal chaos. Readers have to recognize something of themselves in the stories, in order to laugh.
I fear that the absurdity of Anthony Zen may not resonate with all readers because readers may not know about Albert Camus or the philosophy of absurdism — only the ridiculous style of humor that “absurdity” implies. But that is not the fault of the readers. Again, I leave my writing open to interpretation — with the hope that readers can flush out the themes and realize how absurdity works in my stories.
Anthony Zen features three levels of absurdity. Firstly, there is the absurd or ridiculous humor. Secondly, there is the philosophical stance that life is a meaningless series of random events but Anthony finds happiness despite this. Like Sisyphus, Anthony has a dull, repetitive job but we have to imagine him happy and content. Lastly, the structure of the book is itself absurd — interconnected stories with no overall narrative arc. With regards to the absurd quality of the stories overall, one reviewer said that my choice of structure was both a strength and a weakness, but that is a risk I am willing to take to get my point across.
BREW: Looking ahead, what upcoming projects or endeavors are you excited about exploring in your writing journey?
CAS: I tend to be very industrious. I take writing seriously; I have other hobbies but I enjoy writing the most. As a result, I have five upcoming projects: a novella, a novel, a children’s book, a graphic novel, and a sequel to “The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen.” The sequel will be a novel entitled “Citizen Zen” and it will pit Anthony’s playful, child-like sense of wonder and free-spirit against an uncaring bureaucracy. The graphic novel is entitled “Bear Mask”. “Bear Mask” began life as a play script that I wrote as part of a special workshop in London, UK called “Mainspring” — created for autistic writers. Part of the play was presented at the Autism Arts Festival at University of Kent, Canterbury. While it seemed to gain momentum, with people interested in directing it, a move back to Canada and COVID put the kibosh on those plans. Not one to let something go to waste, I decided to turn the script into a graphic novel, with help from Pradipta Mukherjee who, once again, is my artist of choice.
I hope people can relate to Anthony, as he deals with seemingly banal events that spiral into surreal chaos.
- Cameron A. Straughan
About “BREW Brilliance”
Our ‘BREW Brilliance’ series is your gateway to the brilliant world of The Chrysalis Books, Reviews, and Everything Written (BREW) Project’s talented award winners. Find a treasure trove of insights, articles, announcements, and exclusive interviews showcasing the stellar qualities of BREW book, blog, and poetry award recipients. From illuminating behind-the-scenes glimpses into their creative processes to thought-provoking discussions on literary themes, ‘BREW Brilliance’ invites you to explore the diverse voices and innovative works that define the forefront of contemporary literature. Join us as we celebrate the passion, dedication, and sheer brilliance of the BREW community, where every page turned, every word penned, reveals a new dimension of literary excellence.
Originally published at https://thechrysalisbrewproject.com on July 8, 2024.
