Tim Trent asked Gabriel Blake:

Are there any books that turned a light on for you, perhaps an epiphany moment?

Gabriel Blake Hi there, Tim.
Thank you for your question.

I was around ten-years-old. My mother was an avid reader back then. Among her large collection of books by Danielle Steel, Ian Fleming, Virginia Andrews, James Herbert, Stephen King, and many others, was a novel called 'Salem's Lot. At that tender age, I'd never heard of Stephen King. I did, however, have an interest in vampires from the Christopher Lee Hammer House of Horror films, and the old classics starring Bela Lugosi. I also enjoyed any horror film starring Vincent Price. Looking back, I'm surprised I was allowed to watch these at such a young age.
But 'Salem's Lot kicked it all off for me. My first adult fiction novel and I was hooked. The pictures of the story I formed in my head blew me away. It came alive in my mind, and I loved how that felt. My father then informed me there was a miniseries, which eventually, we watched together. But I was so let down. The version I had created in my mind of the book was so much better. There was also a character and pivotal scene that I loved in the book that didn't even make the cut for the miniseries. Such a disappointment.
After 'Salem's Lot, my mother recommended Flowers in the Attic, and together, those two fantastic books planted the seed for me to one day write my own stories. What those authors could do with words thrilled me. The way they could bring people to life and create something so remarkable left me astounded.
My epiphany moment was a long time ago, but now, here I am, stringing sentences together on pages to write my own stories. I had many dreams a young boy, but writing was the only one that never faded.

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