Ask the Author: Angelo Marcos
Answered Questions (6)
Angelo Marcos
Just in my author bio... ;-)
Angelo Marcos
My most recent book - Victim Mentality - actually came out of something that happened while I was studying psychology.
During a cognitive psychology lecture, the lecturer was talking about optical illusions and how they work. He outlined exactly how our brains get fooled, and gave some really good demonstrations of both moving and still-image illusions.
At the end of the class, he told us that even though we all knew how the illusions worked now, every single time we look at them for the rest of our lives we will always see the illusion. It literally doesn't matter how much knowledge we have about it, or how many times we see the same picture, we will always be fooled. As the character of Gideon says in my book:
"Even cardiologists have heart attacks, and even oncologists get cancer. Understanding something doesn’t make you immune to it. You might understand how a grenade works but that doesn’t mean one won’t get thrown at you and blow your face off.”
That's really the central premise of the book - the idea that we're all wired a certain way and there's nothing we can do about it. Even if we understand just what that wiring is.
During a cognitive psychology lecture, the lecturer was talking about optical illusions and how they work. He outlined exactly how our brains get fooled, and gave some really good demonstrations of both moving and still-image illusions.
At the end of the class, he told us that even though we all knew how the illusions worked now, every single time we look at them for the rest of our lives we will always see the illusion. It literally doesn't matter how much knowledge we have about it, or how many times we see the same picture, we will always be fooled. As the character of Gideon says in my book:
"Even cardiologists have heart attacks, and even oncologists get cancer. Understanding something doesn’t make you immune to it. You might understand how a grenade works but that doesn’t mean one won’t get thrown at you and blow your face off.”
That's really the central premise of the book - the idea that we're all wired a certain way and there's nothing we can do about it. Even if we understand just what that wiring is.
Angelo Marcos
I've never had much of a problem with inspiration to be honest. Ideas come to me, then if they're strong enough ideas and I feel compelled to write about them, I will.
The hard part is keeping the momentum going with things. I do standup comedy and also act, so I've often got something other than writing vying for my time (my 7 month old is also included in that!) So its more the 'showing up and doing work every day' thing that I find tough, rather than the inspiration itself.
I actually gave a talk about this a while ago in central London. Its on YouTube - here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyDHu... - for anyone who is interested.
I mean, technically it's there whether you're interested or not, but hopefully you know what I mean... ;-)
The hard part is keeping the momentum going with things. I do standup comedy and also act, so I've often got something other than writing vying for my time (my 7 month old is also included in that!) So its more the 'showing up and doing work every day' thing that I find tough, rather than the inspiration itself.
I actually gave a talk about this a while ago in central London. Its on YouTube - here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyDHu... - for anyone who is interested.
I mean, technically it's there whether you're interested or not, but hopefully you know what I mean... ;-)
Angelo Marcos
It's got to be Myron Bolitar and Win (or Windsor Horne Lockwood the third, to be precise).
I love Harlan Coben's books for a number of reasons, but the conversations - and general sarcasm - between these two characters are always a highlight.
For example:
'"Hello?"
"Win?"
"Who is this?"
"Myron."
"Myron Bolitar?"
"How many other Myrons do you know?"
"Myron Bolitar?"
"No, Myron Rockefeller."
"Something's wrong," Win said.
"What?"
"Terribly wrong."
"What are you talking about?"
"Some asshole is calling me at seven in the morning pretending to be my best friend."'
Or, another example:
'Win’s phone rang. He picked it up and said, “Articulate. Okay, put it through.”
Two seconds later he handed the phone to Myron.
“For me?” Myron asked.
Win gave him flat eyes.
“No,” he said. “I’m handing you the phone because it’s too heavy for me.”'
Trust me, if you haven't read any Myron Bolitar books, you should start...!
I love Harlan Coben's books for a number of reasons, but the conversations - and general sarcasm - between these two characters are always a highlight.
For example:
'"Hello?"
"Win?"
"Who is this?"
"Myron."
"Myron Bolitar?"
"How many other Myrons do you know?"
"Myron Bolitar?"
"No, Myron Rockefeller."
"Something's wrong," Win said.
"What?"
"Terribly wrong."
"What are you talking about?"
"Some asshole is calling me at seven in the morning pretending to be my best friend."'
Or, another example:
'Win’s phone rang. He picked it up and said, “Articulate. Okay, put it through.”
Two seconds later he handed the phone to Myron.
“For me?” Myron asked.
Win gave him flat eyes.
“No,” he said. “I’m handing you the phone because it’s too heavy for me.”'
Trust me, if you haven't read any Myron Bolitar books, you should start...!
Angelo Marcos
I would definitely say, make sure that you don’t publish anything until it’s ready.
I’ve heard of a couple of people who self-published and then withdrew their books so they could change the endings, which is really bad for the poor readers who bought the unfinished versions.
I think it’s important to remember that whatever you produce will have your name on it - forever, essentially - so it’s vital to make sure it’s the best you can make it.
Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
I’ve heard of a couple of people who self-published and then withdrew their books so they could change the endings, which is really bad for the poor readers who bought the unfinished versions.
I think it’s important to remember that whatever you produce will have your name on it - forever, essentially - so it’s vital to make sure it’s the best you can make it.
Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
Angelo Marcos
One of the main things I love about being a writer is that it is limitless. You can create whatever world you want, populated by whoever and whatever you want. And anything can happen there too – although obviously within the confines and internal logic of that world.
It’s definitely the ‘creating’ aspect of writing that I love. Then comes the rewriting/editing stage, which is much harder to love…
It’s definitely the ‘creating’ aspect of writing that I love. Then comes the rewriting/editing stage, which is much harder to love…
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