Best of Family & Relationships
Best of Family & Relationships
"So Many Books, So Little Time!"
Exclusive Interview with
Roland Allnach
When did you start writing?
I completed my first short story when I was all of 16 years old. Prior to the formality of finishing a short story, I was primarily focused on art, spending a lot of time on elaborate futuristic or fantastical battle mosaics. Formal artistic pursuits involved pen and ink alongside some dabbling in watercolor, acrylic, and oil paint. I just found myself feeling limited with what sort of "story" I could portray in a single still image. A picture might be worth a thousand words, but a short story rings in at a typical 5,000 words.
What makes writing your passion?
My mind is a restless mosaic of query. I'm always curious about how things work, not just in a physical sense, but even more so in a metaphysical sense. That is, the ways in which people interact, the way nature constantly defies scientific query, and the way human experience and nature interact. From a more grounded perspective, I feel there is an endless question of "Why?" to be explored. I feel I get to do that through writing and depicting stories.
How long have you been writing?
Although I finished my first short story at 16 and I'm currently in my later 50's, there's more than those 40 years of writing. Before that first short story I was writing adventures for role-playing games enjoyed by my friends and I. Before that, I toyed with simple stick-figure comics. The art was minimal but even when I was less than 10 years of age I was using those comics to portray characters with dual personalities, cryptic alien invasions, supernatural possession, and some general mayhem and mystery. I was a different kind of kid, you could say.
What was the feeling when you published your first book?
Wow, now there's a moment. I remember when I received my publisher's acceptance letter (my first book was traditionally published). I had gone out bowling with my younger son and some of his friends. I was working midnight at the time, so it was a day without sleep. I came home, checked my email, and saw the acceptance letter. And in a moment of excitement, all I could think was that I had just achieved what was to that point an unrealized dream. That rush of excitement has refreshed with each subsequent book publication.
What’s the story behind your choice of characters?
Because I like to take abstract and surrealist directions in my stories, my characters are most often people outside the mainstream. That's not just for plot or character device, but more so to provide the reader with an insight to a different take on everyday "normality". That distance also provides room to reflect on notions of morality, life philosophy, and general direction in life. As this all suggests, catharsis is a big part of my characters and stories.
What annoys you the most in pursuing a writing career?
The cynical nature of marketing. As an author all you want to do is share a story you found compelling enough to put to words. Once publication arrives, now you have to figure out how to get people who don't know your work (and probably don't know you) interested to the point of reading. It's that flip from the reclusive, insular aspect of writing to the very outward aspect of a marketing approach. It's something I did not appreciate until my first book was published and something with which I am consistently challenged.
How do you get over the “writer’s block”?
I have the rather non-traditional view of writer's block as simply not having the time to write. The traditional view of writer's block, where the words will not materialize, is not something to which I relate. To me, that block is more a lack of focus than anything else. When I run into that I take it as a signal that I haven't considered my story enough to actually start writing. That's fine. While I continue to contemplate that idea, I'll work on something else. You can't force ideas. They have to come on their own, in their own time.
We all know the writer’s path is never easy, what makes you keep going? What advice would you give to new authors?
Writing is not a hobby, it's a compulsion. As authors we write because we believe we have something of value to portray. Getting that in front of readers is a never-ending challenge in the form of marketing. So, in a word, perseverance. There will be dark times when it seems the market has no care for your writing, that the market seems hopelessly skewed against beginners, but there are two things to remember: first, you wrote something because you believed in your idea; and two, no author starts with "fame". There's the old saying that behind every overnight sensation is ten years of struggle and frustration. Lastly, if you have an author group in your area, join the group. There's no substitute for the camaraderie of fellow authors.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Be patient. You have to be patient. Sometimes I was so hungry for publication it would drive me into anxious fits. But what I've realized is that things come in their own time. The literary world moves slowly, by the very nature that reading takes time. There's nothing productive in rushing the writing of a story. Likewise there's nothing productive in trying to take on the marketing landscape in one swoop. Pursue what you can, planting your seeds along the way in the form of reader reviews, interviews, maybe a few awards, book signings, join an author group - whatever the case, but in time things will happen.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad ones?
I always read reviews of my books. I don't have an MFA and although at this point I feel I have a good command of vocabulary and the mechanics of grammar and narrative structure, the final verdict on how well I'm executing the portrayal of my stories is how readers respond. In regard to a "bad" review, I always look at reviews from two aspects - criticism of the story/genre and criticism of my characterization and narrative. The first is a matter of taste and is entirely subjective. The second is always something for objective consideration. As the saying goes, you can learn more from your mistakes than your successes.
What is the feeling when you get a good review?
Elation. Satisfaction. Pat myself on the back for a job well done. I am very selective in what ideas and stories I choose to write. After I've made that commitment to write and publish a particular story I'm always aware that as much as I wanted to write the story it's somewhat pointless if no one is interested while reading the story. So hearing that a reader found a story I wrote to be a satisfactory or even compelling experience is a real treat.
Have you ever incorporated something that happened to you in real life into your novels?
Well, that gets tricky. In some ways, of course, things I've encountered in life find their way into my stories. At the same time, I try to be very conscious of the fact that I'm writing my character's story, not my story. From that perspective I use my real-life experiences as emotional touchpoints. The circumstances in a story might be completely different, but the emotional context can be the same. I can then use that relation to convey emotions I've known. Likewise, and often of greater interest, I can invert the experience to portray its polar opposite.
Which of your characters you can compare yourself with? Did you base that character on you?
I will start by saying that there are aspects of me in almost all my characters. People who know me personally have at times commented that aspects of a certain character are more pointed extensions of myself, at which point I usually point out that the character did something I would not consider.
What do you think, the book cover is as important as the story?
Common wisdom says not to judge a book by it's cover, but it's human nature to do exactly that. From a marketing perspective a case can be made that the cover is more important - if it's not captivating, no one will ever know what's beyond that book cover. At the same time, as captivating as the cover may be, if the story is a mess, negative reader experiences will sap any benefit bestowed by the cover.
Do you connect with your readers? Do you mind having a chat with them or you prefer to express yourself through your writing?
As with reviews, reader feedback is I believe an essential part of an author's growth experience. I'm always curious to hear what people have to say about my writing as a measure to how well I executed my narrative. It's also fun just to talk about writing. At book signings there have been numerous occasions where conversation has drifted from my books to the craft of writing in general. Those conversations are always of great interest to me because it's an opportunity to share a creative pursuit that has filled so much of my life.
How do you feel when people appreciate your work or recognize you in public?
Appreciation is great as a marker that I did a good job with my writing. Public recognition, in terms of speaking engagements or meeting someone at a signing table who previously read one of my books, imparts the satisfaction that I have in fact achieved this dream of being a published author. Other than that, I'm not one to seek attention. I'd rather let my work speak for itself. After all, in my view, the point of publication is my writing, not me as an individual. I say that because I want people to read my books for the books themselves, not as extensions of me or my beliefs. Artists should stand behind their work, not in front.
Who is your favorite author? Why?
That's a tough one. I read so many different things. In terms of my writing, and what I look to convey in my writing, I would say Tolstoy. Tolstoy can have three pages about someone tying their shoes and it's fascinating because of the characterization. I firmly believe that it's characters that endear a story to a reader, more than the story. As a writer I also find it more interesting contemplating how my characters react and interact with plot events rather than the events themselves.
What’s the dream? Whom would you like to be as big as?
The dream? I can dream big, but I'm also a pragmatist. More than a decade of book publishing has taught me the harsh reality of the publishing world. I'm not looking to measure fame against anyone else because everyone has a different idea and interpretation of fame. I didn't go into this for fame. I got into this to share stories I believe are worth portraying. As the author of those stories, if that imparts some kind of social meaning to my name, well, I guess that's part of the deal.
Would you rewrite any of your books? Why?
Rewrite a book - no. Go back and do an edit - absolutely. I often go back and read my earlier published work as a way to gauge how my writing has developed and how what I'm writing has changed as I've changed with life. So I wouldn't want to tamper with stories I've previously published. To me, they are time capsules, reflections on what was going on in my private life at the time of their writing. That said, like most authors, I sometimes shake my head thinking how I could polish some of my older writing.
If you could switch places with any author – who would that be?
Switch places with another author....no thanks. We're all different. However, would I like the larger reader following of some authors? Of course; who wouldn't want a larger reader following. That's the point of marketing and believing in your stories.
What would you say to the “trolls” on the internet? We all know them – people who like to write awful reviews to books they’ve never read or didn’t like that much, just to annoy the author.
Get a hobby. Misery feeds into itself. Rather than vent misery on someone else, I would hope such people can find something that brings some joy in their life. I've dealt with some people with less than positive attitudes at book signings. Fine, be miserable and negative. At the end of the day, I'm still on the author side of the table doing what I can to the best of my ability. And I for one would never criticize someone for trying their best.
What would you say to your readers?
Thank you for investing the time and interest to read my work. I know that what I write doesn't fit neatly in the landscape of delineated genres, so I appreciate your willingness to entertain curiosity for my strange stories.
Share a bit about yourself – where do you live, are you married, do you have kids?
Yes, happily married, with two sons of whom my wife and I are very proud. We live on Long Island, away from the hustle and bustle of New York City.
What is your day job if you have one?
Although writing has been a decided part of my life since my teens, I was pragmatic enough even at a young age to understand I wanted a stable job and the accompanying income stability. After college my work life was in healthcare.
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your free time?
Creativity can take many forms. For me, of course, writing is the big pursuit. I also enjoy woodworking. After writing my biggest creative pursuit is building scale plastic models. I even started a Youtube channel, Practical Plastic, to show my builds and share the hobby - one I've enjoyed all my life. I also enjoy a good walk in the woods. Nature, quiet, and fresh air help me contemplate ideas.
Did you have a happy childhood?
I had an interesting childhood. There were at any point in time a number of things going on around my immediate family, imparting the sense that my immediate family was a little island of stability in a chaotic world. Has that played its part in my writing? You bet. And I am happy with my childhood in that it is inseparable from who I am as an adult.
Is there a particular experience that made you start writing?
No particular experience, but more a sense that I wanted to portray something more than I could portray in art. I'm also an avid reader and in my youth I always wondered what it would be like to write a story of my own.
Do you have unpublished books? What are they about?
I have a backlog of titles I want to see to publication. For years I was writing faster than my publication/promotion cycle and, when the COVID lockdown hit, all my marketing activities, which were based on public appearance, came to a screeching halt. Following that I took a little time to consider how I wanted to jump-start my author pursuits. At present, ten titles sit ready to go: a sci-fi adventure trilogy, an Orwellian trilogy, a stand-alone dystopian novel, two mainstream novels, and a poetry/short story collection. I also have forthcoming a science fiction novel, "Advent Blue", on track for 2025/2026. It's a paranoid tale of a recluse who gets entangled as accomplice to a tech conglomerate's artificial intelligence.
What do you think should be improved in the education of our children? What do we lack?
I'm old-fashioned in regard to education. My mother was a teacher, so I got to see behind the curtain of education, so to speak. I think we need to get back to the basics - reading, writing, and arithmetic. I also think all skills should be taught the old way, workbooks, pen/pencil and paper, essays, followed in high school by education in how to transpose those skills to the digital age. I may be wrong, but statistics paint a grim picture. Most college graduates can't write a resume without the help of AI. That's a problem. And people don't read. That's a huge problem for any society. Failure to understand the subtleties of history, philosophy, sociology and politics means we are stuck in the cliche doom of repeating all history's mistakes.
If you were allowed 3 wishes – what would they be?
Three wishes? Wow. First, health, for me and my family, as we have had our challenges. As for the other two wishes, when the health wish is fulfilled, I think about those wishes at that time.
What is your favorite music?
I prefer rock or classical. I don't like mass-produced music. I want feeling in what I write, so I want to hear feeling in the music I hear.
Share a secret with us 🙂
My imagination is my secret. When I first started getting my short stories published the common response from my friends was, "Where did that come from? You seem so normal." There was a thing on Facebook years ago as to what sign you would have on your desk. Mine would be simple. "Don't be fooled by the calm exterior."