Interview with Gabriel Constans

Interview with Gabriel Constans

Gabriel Constans has written for numerous journals, magazines, newspapers, ezines, and websites in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa and has 15 books published in the U.S.

What got you into writing, and what do you enjoy most about it?

I first got into writing as an editor and writer for an alternative newspaper in high school. We put out a paper that talked about the war in Viet Nam, sex and birth control, and different kinds of education. It had an impact, and the school tried to ban it. What I enjoy most about writing is when it gives someone a new perspective, takes them somewhere they would never go, and touches their emotions.

Which writer influenced you the most?

James Baldwin has probably influenced me more than any other writer. Others are Nora Zeale Hurston, Alice Walker, Wallace Stegner, Chitra Divakaruni, and Isabel Allende.

What turns a good story into a great one?

A story becomes excellent when a character’s actions and reactions match their portrayed inner emotional and intellectual outlook. When a story feels true to the bone.

How do you balance your schedules and artistic goals with everyday life?

The routine I’ve developed over the years is to get everything in the house completed, work-related issues done, and in the past children off to school, then sit and write, edit or think of a story (fiction or nonfiction).

What do you aim to evoke in the readers of your books?

I don’t try to evoke anything in readers. Their experiences or responses are beyond my scope and dependent on their backgrounds, personalities, and take on the world. If they have a strong emotion, an unexpected thought, or surprise with a twist they didn’t see coming, that will suffice.

Please, tell us about your latest work, what inspired you to write it, and the research involved.

My latest work is a screenplay based on my book The Last Conception. It is presently in post-production with Poison Pictures. I was inspired to write the story, and the script, by an idea that came to mind when I wondered how someone would react if they were pregnant and their child was expected to be (or was) the next Buddha, Jesus, or a well-known historical savior. Since the book and movie involve IVF and sperm donation, I looked into the experiences of each of my adult daughters (who have experienced both) and visited a fertility clinic lab in the Bay Area.

Can you give us a story outline of your book?

Here is a brief outline of the book and movie of The Last Conception.

Embryologist, Savarna Sikand, is in a relationship with two different women when her parents tell her that she is the last in a line of a great spiritual lineage, and MUST have a baby, whether she is married or not.

What was the most challenging part of writing this particular book?

The most challenging aspect of writing this book was making it believable and coming up with just the right ending. In the book, the finish is purposefully nebulous, and in the film, it is evident.

Can you tell us about how you had your book edited, published, and its cover art created?

For my last book of fiction (The Last Conception), the publisher (Melange Books) and their editors edited the manuscript and published the book. I found the cover art, and they put together the front and back cover picking out the coloring, typography, and layout.

My last work of nonfiction (A Brave Year: 52 Weeks Being Mindful) was also edited and published by the publisher (Fountain Blue Publishing). Again, I looked for and found the picture for the front cover, and they worked on the layout, coloring, and font.

What made you ultimately decide between self-publishing and conventional publishing? And will you use the same procedure for your next publication?

Small publishers published both of my last books. Out of the fourteen works I’ve authored, about half are published by small, medium, or large traditional publishers, and the rest were self-published. Since I’m primarily working on screenplays these days, I’m not sure which route I’d go again if, and when, I wrote another book.

How can our readers contact you?

Readers can contact me through any of the social networks below.

Facebook – Twitter – LinkedIn – Website