Ask the Author: Daniel Gerard Welch
Answered Questions (6)
Daniel Gerard Welch
I wrote Race for the Mind for several reasons. First, I minored in English
Literature in college and always enjoyed reading fine prose. While I would
never dream of counting Race for the Mind among those works, I wanted
to attempt to write a competent novel of which I could be sufficiently
proud to publish. Second, I have spent 40 years in the business of making
medicines and during this time, I was often frustrated by how poorly
and one sidedly the pharmaceutical industry was treated by the media. Sometimes, the criticism is absolutely justified and I join in that criticism. I
thought – perhaps naively hoped – that I could engage an audience in a medical thriller and while telling the story, stealthily educate the general public about another side of the industry. That other side would be the one of terrible odds, horrendous sums of money and the stunningly long process of developing a new drug and also, of the courageous and dedicated men and women who devote their entire lives to helping people they have never met live a longer and better quality life. Last but not least, my family like so many other families has been visited several times by Alzheimer’s disease.
Literature in college and always enjoyed reading fine prose. While I would
never dream of counting Race for the Mind among those works, I wanted
to attempt to write a competent novel of which I could be sufficiently
proud to publish. Second, I have spent 40 years in the business of making
medicines and during this time, I was often frustrated by how poorly
and one sidedly the pharmaceutical industry was treated by the media. Sometimes, the criticism is absolutely justified and I join in that criticism. I
thought – perhaps naively hoped – that I could engage an audience in a medical thriller and while telling the story, stealthily educate the general public about another side of the industry. That other side would be the one of terrible odds, horrendous sums of money and the stunningly long process of developing a new drug and also, of the courageous and dedicated men and women who devote their entire lives to helping people they have never met live a longer and better quality life. Last but not least, my family like so many other families has been visited several times by Alzheimer’s disease.
Daniel Gerard Welch
It is hard to say how. It just bubbles up inside me as a sort of urge or need. Something tells me I have to say something or share something so I sit down and write. I am also inspired and humbled by reading fine authors - seeing how a gifted artist weaves a yarn is wonderful pleasure.
Daniel Gerard Welch
I am in the conception stage of my second novel. It will be a medical thriller as Race for the Mind is, but instead of Alzheimer's disease as the medical core, it will be an area of medicine that promises to be the new frontier and is fraught with scientific, ethical, social and existential challenges and choices; a great mine for a new medical thriller.
Daniel Gerard Welch
Spend some time taking a basic course on writing - and then just sit down and write. Also, write to please yourself. By this I mean, don't write for the admiration or love of friends or strangers because getting your book read is incredibly difficult these days; they may never see your book. Write a book that pleases YOU.
Daniel Gerard Welch
Creating characters that are real people in the minds of readers. Being able to create a character from my imagination and transport that person into the mind of a reader and have them feel something about him or her - hatred, love, admiration, whatever - is the best thing about being a writer.
Daniel Gerard Welch
I find that writer's block is like a rope. One can't push a rope. I just walk away from my keyboard and come back later - an hour, a day or more.
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