Shawn Pryor’s (he/him) work includes the upcoming middle-grade graphic novel Fast Break (FSG/Macmillan, 2026), Kaiju Unleashed (Quarto/Epic Ink), and Who Is Shaun White? (Penguin Random House), The Great Explorer of Mammoth Cave: A Graphic Novel Biography of Stephen Bishop (Capstone), the hi/lo reader series The Gamer (Capstone), Cash and Carrie (Action Lab Entertainment), and several books for Capstone’s Jake Maddox Sports and Adventure series, Graphic Library, and the Kids Sports series. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking, listening to streaming music playlists, and talking about why Zack from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is the greatest Black superhero of all time. He is represented by Kelly Sonnack of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.
The Process: How I Work
I play up-tempo R&B from the ’80s and ’90s when I write middle-reader books. If I write a novella, I’ll play something by Sade or George Benson. If I write a graphic novel, the sounds can range from Kendrick Lamar to Luke James, Coco Jones to Victoria Monet.
But, when I wrote Kaiju Unleashed: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Strange Beasts, I played a lot of soundtracks and musical scores from Godzilla films of the 60s, 70s. and 80s.
Kaiju Unleashed is different from the other books I’ve written in my career; this book not only focuses on the creation of Godzilla and the history behind the popular Kaiju (Giant Monster) but also talks about the other Kaiju in foreign and American cinema, as well as other mediums. The process was very extensive. I recall the outline being so long and detailed that even my editors were unsure I could insert it all into the book, but I found a way.
Outlining and research are the major keys for me when writing. They help me find my focus and keep me organized so that I can write the best book possible, no matter the genre.
The Inspiration: Who Inspired Me
In my childhood, my parents influenced my love for reading. My family had little money when I was young, but they had library cards. Every Saturday, we would go to the library, and I would get as many books as I could carry. My mother and father would also take me to the comic book store (during the 80s, comics were very inexpensive), and it was there that the love of the blending of sequential art and words became everything to me. It was, and still is, my favorite form of literature.
My mother and father always helped me realize the importance of storytelling, the power of imagination, and how it can change minds, hearts, and the world. And in these dire times, we need stories more than ever.
The Journey: My Path to Publishing
I started my journey independently, publishing my own comic books and hosting them on the internet in 2008. From there, I worked in the comic book industry for a decade. My time as a writer, editor, and executive was filled with microaggressions and unnecessary stress, which, on multiple occasions, left me in a state of mind where I didn’t want to create anything anymore.
In 2018, I received a work-for-hire project to write a novella for Capstone Publishing’s Jake Maddox line. Jake Maddox is the brand name for their sports and adventure novellas and graphic novels. It was such a great experience that I have written multiple books and series for Capstone ever since. It also helped give me the confidence to pivot to the book market to tell stories and find a literary agent.
The Buzz: Reviews and Media Links
- Geek Pick of the Week – Kaiju Unleashed: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Strange Beasts (review from Jordan Maison of Cinelinx)
- https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/the-rack/geek-pick-of-the-week-kaiju-unleashed-book/
As the title implies, this book is all about giant monsters and their many incarnations. More than simply walking readers through their various appearances and set of powers (though that information is also fun to read about), the book dives into where they fit within film history as well. This includes quotes from a number of filmmakers who worked on these films, and references to previous archive materials as well. The result is a reference book that works for casual fans of Kaiju in general, while also appealing to cinephiles who want to dive deeper into their history/impact within the industry.
These books look so fun! It’s exciting to see books from one author with such range – from history to mythic monsters to gamers and daredevils.