Today I’m fortunate to present Ted Galdi, author of An American Cage.
Hi, Ted, thank you for agreeing to this interview.
Question 1) What part of the world do you come from?
I live in Los Angeles.
Question 2) What do you think makes a good story?
There’s obviously no black-and-white answer to this question. I like stories that are entertaining at a gut level, while also speaking to larger themes that are interesting at an intellectual level. This balance, unfortunately, is pretty rare. Many books with a lot of raw entertainment spark tend to have no larger theme or a bland, recycled one we’ve seen a million times, while many books that address intellectually stimulating topics tend to feature zero drama. It’s about the balance.
Question 3) What inspired you to write your first book?
I’ve always loved writing. My first book, Elixir, wasn’t inspired by a real-life event. The idea seemed interesting to me during the time of my life I was ready to sit down and actually write a novel, so I played with it in my head until the premise was developed enough to fill out a full story. It’s about Ebola…so I guess it’s best it wasn’t inspired by a personal event.
Question 4) What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
Once I have an idea, I think about it for a while without actually writing. Once it has enough shape to be a premise, I’ll write a brief outline, no more than a couple pages. I’ll let that settle in my head for a while, going back and making changes. Only after a couple months of this will I start on the first chapter. I shoot to write 2,000 words a day.
Question 5) What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
When I’m writing dialogue, sometimes I’ll talk it out loud to myself. I’m horrible at accents, but find myself putting them on if the character is supposed to have one. For instance, in An American Cage, most of the characters have some version of a Texas accent. This would sound ridiculous if someone ever overheard me. Good thing I only write at home, instead of public places like Starbucks. People would think I was nuts and call the cops.
Question 6) Give us the title and genre of your latest book.
An American Cage, a thriller about three guys who escape from prison and try to cross Texas to freedom in Mexico.
Question 7) What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?
Since the book features a prison escape, to prepare, I researched a handful of actual prison escapes. In today’s age of high-end cameras, sensors, etc, it’s surprising how many people are still able to break out of jail using really old-school methods.
Question 8) Do you have an excerpt from your current work you’d like to share?
Yes. The first chapter is available for free here:
http://www.tedgaldi.com/announcements/teds-new-book-an-american-cage
Question 9) What can we expect from you in the future?
I have a new book in the works. No plan to stop writing them.
Question 10) What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?
It’s not very expensive to be a writer. If someone is spending a lot of money to be a writer, they are probably doing it wrong.
Question 11) How can we contact you or find out more about your books?
You can check out my website at www.tedgaldi.com, for info on my books, author interviews, trailers, etc. I love hearing from readers. Feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected].
Book Trailer:
http://www.tedgaldi.com/ announcements/book-trailer-an- american-cage
More About The Author:
Ted Galdi is the author of the bestselling novel Elixir, which he published in 2014 at the age of twenty-nine. The book is a winner of a Reader Views Reviewers Choice Award and a Silver Medal in the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards.
Ted is a graduate of Duke University and lives in Los Angeles. He has been featured by ABC and FOX television, iHeartRadio, Examiner, and many other media outlets.
To learn more about him, contact him, and receive updates about releases and special events before anyone else, visit his official website at http://www.tedgaldi.com.
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