The Fatness was the winner in the Humor category of the 2018 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Mark A. Rayner.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The Fatness, November 2017.
What’s the book’s first line?
The weigh-in was a disaster.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
The Fatness is a satire about concentration camps for overweight people and bureaucracy gone mad. (It’s a love story.)
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
Like many of my framing ideas for a book, this one came to me in a dream, fully formed. I should call it a nightmare, as it was terrifying. I started writing this book as a way to exorcise it from my mind. It’s probably no coincidence I had the dream while I was in the midst of reading The Obesity Myth, a great examination of our BMI-obsessed society. I’ve struggled with weight issues most of my life, so I found it quite difficult to write a humorous account of what it would be like to be imprisoned for your weight.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
Keelan’s main characteristics are compassion and charm. He’s a bit like an overweight version of Arthur Dent — an everyman struggling with an absurd world. Unlike Arthur, Keelan is committed to making things better for everyone, and so, he’s a bit more sympathetic as a character.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Readers who enjoy their dystopias served up with a side-order of humor will enjoy this book. I especially think anyone who has had a negative encounter with our the fixation our culture has on body-image will love the book.
If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
The Fatness would make a great movie, I think. I could see 
Seth Rogan playing Keelan (if he was willing to shave the beard). Rosario Dawson or Salma Hayek for Jacinda. Craig Robinson would be a good choice for Greg. Maximilian Tundra is a hard part to cast – but I think if you put a red wig on him Zach Galifiankis could do it. John Goodman would be an excellent Colin Taggart, leader of the evil Heavy Hitters.
When did you first decide to become an author?
When I was nine years old, after I discovered pirate was not a viable career.
Is this the first you’ve written?
Nope. The Fatness is my fourth (published) novel. I’ve also published a collection of short stories, and had some plays produced.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I teach my bemused students at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (at Western University) how to construct social media campaigns and viable information architectures that will not become self-aware and destroy all humans.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
The teaching gig slows me down, but the last few summers I’ve been free from coursework, and I spend about half of each day working on my craft. That probably translates into writing about two months of the year scribbling.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part is having complete creative control, and being able to write weird novels that traditional publishers would never touch. The hard part is sales!
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Hire help with the process. Unless you’re some kind of genius polymath superhero, definitely get professional support with: designing your cover, editing your manuscript, and proofing your work all the way through.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Possibly. It would depend on the contract. If I had enough creative control and a commitment from the publisher to really promote the work, I would consider it.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
A compulsive need to tell stories. A bit of fortune would be nice too.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
My literary hero is Kurt Vonnegut, whom I consider one of America’s all-time great satirists. Vonnegut has a beautiful way of casting the folly of human nature into disrepute at the same time as having great sympathy, and even love, for his characters.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Cat’s Cradle.