About Antonio Galarza:
Antonio Galarza is the author of Warlocks & Sorceresses: The Timeless Grimoire, the first book in the Division of Global Magic Affairs series. Fantasy, Supernatural, Romance, and Adventure stories fuel this author's soul. Devoted introvert. General music aficionado. Creator. Infuriatingly humble TV fan. Corn-flake lover and friendly troublemaker raised in southwestern Puerto Rico. In the Land of Coffee, Yauco.
What inspires you to write?
We have always written in school for many hours. It was something I grew up NOT liking. However, in middle school, I decided why not create my own stories? At that point in time, I didn’t have a computer. There was no internet at home. But that didn’t stop me from picking up a blank sheet of paper and pencil and writing a story with all my favorite cartoon characters on it. It was crazy and I can hardly remember the plot anymore.
But over the years I discovered the internet, and what fanfiction was. Yes, it’s something you shouldn’t do. But I liked it and it also served as practice. I don’t condemn those who want to write stories about their favourite characters. As a reader, I might be guilty of that.
Years later, I wrote my own stories in a school notebook. In fact, I have three or four notebooks filled with outlines hanging around the house. But it all came about when my friend John told me the story was good and why not take my chapter outlines and convert them and publish them as a book. Which I did, and here we are.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Oh, my God, I have too many. But to give you the short version in no particular order, Mark Lawrence, John Gwynne, Stephen King, H.C. Newell, George R. R. Martin, Arthur Conan Doyle, Cassandra Clare, Engle Jaimie, Stephenie Meyer, Anne Rice and many more I can’t remember off the top of my head.
Tell us about your writing process.
There is not much to say about the process, really. It was a straightforward decision for me, actually. Apart from the fact that my ghostwriter, B. Steed, ghostwrote part of the story of my first book, which is no secret, really. I’ve to say I’m very grateful and proud of him. Such a wonderful soul.
During this time, I focused the process on creating a single story. But eventually I said to myself, this will not work, so after parting ways with my ghostwriter, the current story emerged. I didn’t end up using all the material he produced, which was a disappointment for me not to include. On the creative way, rather than financially for me. It thought about it, like a lot, but in the end it was something the story didn’t need.
In the end, I went down the path of multiple protagonists. It was the only way the story was going to flourish and progress. I wanted that cinematic feel to it.
There are nine protagonists in Warlocks & Sorceresses: The Timeless Grimoire. Actually, there are ten but one of them has only one chapter in the story, the prologue, in which this old man narrates the start of the entire story from an almost omniscient point of view.
I started destroying and rebuilding the old outline I had with my ghostwriter. From a story focused on one character, it became the story of ten characters with different backgrounds, goals, and personalities.
My nutshell process involves creating an outline along with a timeline with important dates for each day in the story. Then each chapter has its own document, where I make another outline. Yes, it’s funny, even my outlines become many small outlines which then have outlines of the scenes. A lot of research comes with it and don’t be afraid to ask for help on the web. If you become lost about a subject and need help, all the wonderful people that pass through Reddit are there for you.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
This is a question I have asked myself many times. And even asked in social groups and many authors agree on the same. Yes, I talk to my characters often.
What advice would you give other writers?
Did you know that if you open a blank page and write 500 words every day, in one year you will have created enough words for two books?
How did you decide how to publish your books?
Honestly, I tired of waiting for a publishing house to send me a friendly message. The rejections didn’t affect me as much as I thought they would. I just wanted to publish my book to tell a story that I think I could tell.
The story may seem very familiar to other stories, but I assure you it is only the beginning and by the end of the series it will not be saying the same thing.
I really didn't expect so much reception in such a short time, almost 90 downloads in just three weeks. The story is still something I want to do, even if I don't achieve anything financially, I will publish the rest of the story until the end.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I don't know what the future of self-publishing is. But I do know that it is here to stay.
What genres do you write?: Dark Fantasy YA, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Adventure, Sci-Fi
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Antonio Galarza Home Page Link
Link To Antonio Galarza Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
