Ask the Author: Gerald Elias
Answered Questions (10)
Gerald Elias
This story isn't exactly two sentences. It's more of a visual. Can you figure out what happened?
A FAMILY PLOT
ABSALOM SEWALL PIKE
Husband and Father
September 27, 1629-September 27, 1674
The Hand of Death
Is never Known
Till too Late
Man’s Dust is Blown
MEHITABEL SEWALL PIKE
Wife and Mother
May 9, 1623-September 27, 1674
Our Sins We Carry
To the Grave
May it please the Lord
Ye Shall be Saved
Our Lord alone
Knows him He’ll save.
But Worms will crawl
Into each Grave
ABIGAIL SEWALL PIKE
Daughter
August 14, 1662-September 28, 1674
Though Misdeeds
may not be Blest
All Mortals
Seek Eternal Rest
UNNAMED
September 24, 1675-September 26, 1674
A Life so Brief
Yet filled with Grief
#####
A FAMILY PLOT
ABSALOM SEWALL PIKE
Husband and Father
September 27, 1629-September 27, 1674
The Hand of Death
Is never Known
Till too Late
Man’s Dust is Blown
MEHITABEL SEWALL PIKE
Wife and Mother
May 9, 1623-September 27, 1674
Our Sins We Carry
To the Grave
May it please the Lord
Ye Shall be Saved
Our Lord alone
Knows him He’ll save.
But Worms will crawl
Into each Grave
ABIGAIL SEWALL PIKE
Daughter
August 14, 1662-September 28, 1674
Though Misdeeds
may not be Blest
All Mortals
Seek Eternal Rest
UNNAMED
September 24, 1675-September 26, 1674
A Life so Brief
Yet filled with Grief
#####
Gerald Elias
The Inspector Brunetti series by Donna Leon is one of my favorites in so many ways, one of which is that the mysteries take place in Venice, one of the true wonders of the world. Even though the city is now primarily a tourist destination, I'm sure Guido Brunetti would be more than willing to show me the restaurants where the true Venetians dine. Maybe in one of my next books I'll have take one of my characters there so I can vicariously experience some of their exquisitely fresh seafood.
Gerald Elias
Marie, like the answer to most questions, "it depends." The ones listed on Goodreads--Rogue Wave, Red Dawn, Windward, and COMING SOON, my short story mystery, "Sleeping Beauty" in Noir at the Salad Bar--are anthologies published by Level Best. You can find them at their website, https://levelbestbooks.com/ or on Amazon.
But I also have short stories published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and an anthology called Kwik Krimes, edited by Otto Penzler. These are most easily found on Amazon as well.
But I also have short stories published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, and an anthology called Kwik Krimes, edited by Otto Penzler. These are most easily found on Amazon as well.
Gerald Elias
The first four books of my Daniel Jacobus mystery series were based upon musical compositions whose theme was death: "Devil's Trill," "Danse Macabre," "Death and the Maiden," and "Death and Transfiguration." The background of the fifth "Playing with Fire" and sixth, "Spring Break," which is my most recent mystery, were based upon two of Vivaldi's Four Seasons (Winter and Spring). I'm planning on completing the series with the two remaining seasons. The idea for the plot of Spring Break, sadly, comes from so much recent news reporting of sexual harassment on college campuses. I typically don't get into politics with my books, but as a university professor myself, the issue is never very far away, and I hope that by writing about it I in some way am helping broaden the awareness of this troubling issue.
Gerald Elias
I can't say that I truly "get inspired" to write. Ideas come to me from time to time. Sometimes it's from reading a story in the newspaper, maybe even just an interesting name. Other times I'll be driving on a lonely highway and allow my imagination to wander. Or even, though I shouldn't admit this, while I'm at an orchestra rehearsal. I develop ideas in my mind, and when I feel I've got something interesting to say, I write it down; sometimes as paragraphs, others as just a few phrases or sentences. The ideas might lie dormant for days or weeks until I start seeing how they can be developed and connected. Perhaps that's a definition of inspiration. I see it more as the pleasure of creating something from nothing.
Gerald Elias
Right now I am in between novels. My most recent mystery, Spring Break, will be released in the US on August 1. I plan on starting my next one in the fall. It will be based on Vivaldi's concerto "Summer" from the Four Seasons, and will most likely involve a murder at a music festival. In the meantime, I've been working on a couple of short stories to keep me busy. "Silent Sonnet" is a contemporary Western in which the literary agent of a famous Wallace Stegner-like author is mysteriously murdered at a wilderness campground. In something totally different, I'm polishing off a short story called "Tutti Frutti," based upon my real life visit to the Social Security office. One never knows from what font inspiration will flow!
Gerald Elias
My advice for aspiring writers is the same as for aspiring musicians: Have as broad and varied a world view and experience as you can. The rewards are many. It will make life more interesting by opening your eyes to different cultures and ways of thinking. It will create deep, lifelong relationships. By providing you with rich and unusual material, it will make you a better author/musician. Finally, you have to think pragmatically: Because careers as writers and musicians are so competitive and the chances of success (however one defines it) are not in any given person's favor, the broader your world experience, the more options you have to find a path that will give you joy.
Gerald Elias
I spent decades as an orchestral musician in the Boston Symphony and Utah Symphony. As great as the music was, there was always someone (the conductor) telling me how HE wanted things to go. Plus, I had 100 other musicians with whom I had to fit in. Plus, I had management telling me when and where I had to do my job. As a writer, I can write WHAT I want, WHEN I want, and WHERE I want, and no one can tell me otherwise!
Gerald Elias
Fortunately, having two simultaneous professions as a writer and as a musician, if I get stuck with one I just move over to the other, because there's always an interesting project that can get me going. And in music, that might mean performing (on violin), conducting, composing, or research. So I guess my advice about writer's block is: Don't worry about it. Go do something else creative that motivates and engages you, and while you're at it, I'll bet the book ideas will start to flow again.
Gerald Elias
I've got an eclectic mix on my docket this summer. Right now I'm finishing "Ishi, In Two Worlds" by Theodora Kroeber from 1961. It's a fascinating "Biography of the Last Wild Indian in North America." Then, "Finders Keepers" by Craig Childs, a nuanced debate about the plundering of Native American archaeological relics. Changing directions, I'll be reading "Indivisible by Four," a real down-to-earth exposition of what it's like to be a member of a great string quartet. The author is Arnold Steinhardt, who was the first violinist of the Guarneri String Quartet, one of the greatest chamber ensembles of the 20th century. (He was also one of my chamber music coaches when I was a college student!) Finally, I have a wonderful audio book on tap: "The English American," a fictionalized autobiography by Alison Larkin. I have a personal interest in this one. Alison is not only a gifted writer, book narrator, and comedienne. She's also the producer of an audio book, "Devil's Trill," of which I'm the author. In addition, on the audio book I'm performing excerpts of the music that provides clues to the mystery which are ingeniously interwoven into the expert narration by Jim Frangione.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more