Author Interview - Greg Alldredge
We are visiting with Greg Alldredge today on the road to discovering 30 new authors! I asked Greg to tell us a bit about himself and here's what he said:
I guess I said it best on my author page, I’ve had several careers over the past 50+ years. Currently I am a theatre teacher and a writer, this is probably where I will continue to work until I die. Growing up, I was bitten by the travel bug. Since my parents were not independently wealthy, I joined the Navy to see the world. I spent twenty years in the Navy I met and married my wife we adopted our son and we travelled extensively, I also acted professionally from time to time. Once I retired from the Navy I went into the medical manufacturing industry that was great it put my son through college. I came to Texas to retire, I failed at retirement. I began teaching because several people said I would be good at it. After five years teaching in Texas, we decided to travel overseas and teach. While in China I found an outstanding opportunity to write. I had tried and failed to write books in the past, either by location or maturity this time I was able to complete what I started.
We'll be discussing Alldredge's book, “Lights in the Night”.
Plagued by nightmares, Trevor's drawn to Texas by unknown forces. What are those lights? Join Trevor and the quirky town residents as he searches for answers and tries to fill the void in his heart.
Let's take a look inside the book with the first three paragraphs:
Everyone in town called ‘Old Sits’ the crazy old hermit. One of those men that by choice decided to live a life of solitude in the open desert.
Yet, this particular night, he was on a mission. Like a forward observer, equipped with surveillance equipment more suitable to the NSA or catching cheating spouses. Dressed in a ghillie suit, camouflage netting covering his entrenched position. Armed with a high-power camera, hyperbolic microphone and a four-inch tripod mounted telescope all targeted at the distance southern mountain range under observation.
Any rational observer would recognize someone who was spying on someone or something. He chose to position himself here, in this very location watching the same chunk of real-estate for the last four months. Every night from before moonrise to first light, eating cold spam sandwiches and drinking vodka, waiting for anything to happen.
That brings us to the best part of any interview - the questions and answers!
Question: What genre would you say the book falls into?
The simple answer would be science fiction. I’ve never been great at being simple. There’s some mystery, there’s some suspense, and there’s some humour. I think the readers will determine if it science fiction or not.
Question: Are there any trigger warnings and/or explicit content readers should know about?
No. There is some drug use but it’s mostly a family-friendly book.
Question: What is your favourite Quote?
“The bad is what makes us enjoy the good. If you are so worried about how bad things are for you, how can you ever accept when something good comes along. You keep worrying about everything you don’t have, you will die old and alone. Start appreciating the good in your life.”
Question: What advice do you have for new writers?
Get off your butt and write. Even if your writing sucks the only way to get better is through practice.
Question: Where do you write?
The funny answer is China, but it really depends on where I am. I normally either sit at the kitchen table or my desk in my little office. Since I do live part of the year in China and part of the year in Texas I really will write where I can.
Question: Are your characters real to you? Do you speak to them?
In a sense, all my characters are real. When I’m typing them, or speaking for them, I can hear their distinct voices in my head as I’m writing. I’m not sure if this is because I’m slightly insane or I’ve just seen so many movies and worked in so much theatre that now I tend to create characterizations as I’m writing.
Question: What piece of advice from other authors do you hear the most but choose to ignore?
The same advice I gave above. “Get off your butt and write.” I can be the largest procrastinator on the face of the earth. There are so many things vying for our attention, it makes it incredibly hard to focus and write.
Question: Which do you prefer Novels or Novellas and why?
I prefer novels. I think it gives me a larger opportunity to get my point across to. I will be writing a short story in a few days, I’m curious if I will be able to keep it under ten thousand words.
Question: Are there any Easter eggs in your book(s)?
The closest thing I would call Easter eggs are references for people over the age of thirty or maybe even forty. I grew up in the 70s and 80s I’m sure there are some jokes that will be missed from a younger generation.
Question: What's your favourite food? Have you ever mentioned it in your book(s)?
I have so many favourite foods it’s hard to pick one however, there is a Chinese pastry called baozi 包子which I love and is in my current work in progress.
Question: Do you have a writing Motto?
Get off your butt and write.
Question: If you could change the date to any year past or future, what date would you change it to and why?
I would have to say the fifth century BC, in ancient Greece. I would want to see the beginnings of Western theatre. There are so many questions I have about how it all started. Out of a hundred years of plays performed at the city of Dionysus we only have thirty-seven. Even if I couldn’t understand a thing they were saying it would be thrilling to see how the plays were performed and how everything interacted with the beginning of democracy.
If you would like to check out Greg further follow the links!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071ND2SMF
https://www.facebook.com/G.Alldredge/
https://www.greg-alldredge.com/
Happy Reading!
I guess I said it best on my author page, I’ve had several careers over the past 50+ years. Currently I am a theatre teacher and a writer, this is probably where I will continue to work until I die. Growing up, I was bitten by the travel bug. Since my parents were not independently wealthy, I joined the Navy to see the world. I spent twenty years in the Navy I met and married my wife we adopted our son and we travelled extensively, I also acted professionally from time to time. Once I retired from the Navy I went into the medical manufacturing industry that was great it put my son through college. I came to Texas to retire, I failed at retirement. I began teaching because several people said I would be good at it. After five years teaching in Texas, we decided to travel overseas and teach. While in China I found an outstanding opportunity to write. I had tried and failed to write books in the past, either by location or maturity this time I was able to complete what I started.
We'll be discussing Alldredge's book, “Lights in the Night”.
Plagued by nightmares, Trevor's drawn to Texas by unknown forces. What are those lights? Join Trevor and the quirky town residents as he searches for answers and tries to fill the void in his heart.
Let's take a look inside the book with the first three paragraphs:
Everyone in town called ‘Old Sits’ the crazy old hermit. One of those men that by choice decided to live a life of solitude in the open desert.
Yet, this particular night, he was on a mission. Like a forward observer, equipped with surveillance equipment more suitable to the NSA or catching cheating spouses. Dressed in a ghillie suit, camouflage netting covering his entrenched position. Armed with a high-power camera, hyperbolic microphone and a four-inch tripod mounted telescope all targeted at the distance southern mountain range under observation.
Any rational observer would recognize someone who was spying on someone or something. He chose to position himself here, in this very location watching the same chunk of real-estate for the last four months. Every night from before moonrise to first light, eating cold spam sandwiches and drinking vodka, waiting for anything to happen.
That brings us to the best part of any interview - the questions and answers!
Question: What genre would you say the book falls into?
The simple answer would be science fiction. I’ve never been great at being simple. There’s some mystery, there’s some suspense, and there’s some humour. I think the readers will determine if it science fiction or not.
Question: Are there any trigger warnings and/or explicit content readers should know about?
No. There is some drug use but it’s mostly a family-friendly book.
Question: What is your favourite Quote?
“The bad is what makes us enjoy the good. If you are so worried about how bad things are for you, how can you ever accept when something good comes along. You keep worrying about everything you don’t have, you will die old and alone. Start appreciating the good in your life.”
Question: What advice do you have for new writers?
Get off your butt and write. Even if your writing sucks the only way to get better is through practice.
Question: Where do you write?
The funny answer is China, but it really depends on where I am. I normally either sit at the kitchen table or my desk in my little office. Since I do live part of the year in China and part of the year in Texas I really will write where I can.
Question: Are your characters real to you? Do you speak to them?
In a sense, all my characters are real. When I’m typing them, or speaking for them, I can hear their distinct voices in my head as I’m writing. I’m not sure if this is because I’m slightly insane or I’ve just seen so many movies and worked in so much theatre that now I tend to create characterizations as I’m writing.
Question: What piece of advice from other authors do you hear the most but choose to ignore?
The same advice I gave above. “Get off your butt and write.” I can be the largest procrastinator on the face of the earth. There are so many things vying for our attention, it makes it incredibly hard to focus and write.
Question: Which do you prefer Novels or Novellas and why?
I prefer novels. I think it gives me a larger opportunity to get my point across to. I will be writing a short story in a few days, I’m curious if I will be able to keep it under ten thousand words.
Question: Are there any Easter eggs in your book(s)?
The closest thing I would call Easter eggs are references for people over the age of thirty or maybe even forty. I grew up in the 70s and 80s I’m sure there are some jokes that will be missed from a younger generation.
Question: What's your favourite food? Have you ever mentioned it in your book(s)?
I have so many favourite foods it’s hard to pick one however, there is a Chinese pastry called baozi 包子which I love and is in my current work in progress.
Question: Do you have a writing Motto?
Get off your butt and write.
Question: If you could change the date to any year past or future, what date would you change it to and why?
I would have to say the fifth century BC, in ancient Greece. I would want to see the beginnings of Western theatre. There are so many questions I have about how it all started. Out of a hundred years of plays performed at the city of Dionysus we only have thirty-seven. Even if I couldn’t understand a thing they were saying it would be thrilling to see how the plays were performed and how everything interacted with the beginning of democracy.
If you would like to check out Greg further follow the links!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071ND2SMF
https://www.facebook.com/G.Alldredge/
https://www.greg-alldredge.com/
Happy Reading!
No comments have been added yet.
