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Interview with Bill Gagliani
by Rhonda Wilson
Photo: Rhonda Wilson and Bill Gagliani at ZombieConX
Bill Gagliani (aka W.D. Gagliani) is the author of the Wolf Cycle series including currently released titles Wolf's Trap and Wolf's Gambit. He also has short stories featured in numerous collections such as Hot Blood XIII, Small Bites, and Wicked Karnival Halloween Horror.
Monster
Librarian has reviews of both
Wolf's
Trap and
Wolf's
Gambit
RW: First off, it's been great meeting you this weekend at ZombieConX and I wanted to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with me. Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself and how you got your start in the writing industry?
BG: I've been a writer for a long time for fun, but probably sending out short stories since high school. I started doing book reviews and that opened some doors. I wanted to be a writer since I was 7, but it took a little longer than I thought.
RW: Who have been your writing inspirations throughout the years?
BG: There have been a lot. When I was a kid, Jules Verne was a big influence on me. Also H. G. Wells. Then, in 1976, when I was still in high school, I read 'Salem's Lot and I was hooked forever. In the 80s I started reading the more visceral horror writers like Joe Lansdale, John Skipp & Craig Spector, Ray Garton, Richard Laymon, David J. Schow, Robert McCammon. In the 90s, I found people like Tim Powers, James Baylock, and I think a lot of those genres gelled for me.
RW: When writing, do you allot a certain amount of time during the day/week to write or does it typically vary depending on other things going on in your daily life?
BG: Really both. I like to stick to a schedule when I can. I tend to do a lot of writing at Starbucks lately. I try to put in 3-5 hours per session 3-5 times per week, but sometimes family obligations get in the way. It doesn't always work.
RW: Do you typically listen to music when you are writing? If so, what kind of music do you listen to and does it tend to inspire your writing?
BG: That's a good question. I used to listen to more than I do now. I've found that when I have to write faster I can't focus on listening to music as much. Progressive rock & electronic rock. My books have progressive rock references. Some people like it and some don't. When writing at Starbucks, the music in the background becomes part of my soundtrack, but I tend to tune it out after awhile.
RW: How did you get your idea for the Wolf Cycle series and can you tell our readers a little bit about the series?
BG: The stories are about Nick Lupo who is homicide cop and also a reluctant werewolf. He has figured out ways to be both but tries to keep the two things separate, though it's not easy for him. The first book, Wolf's Trap, revolves around a serial killer who has a grudge against Lupo because of his sister's murder Lupo had killed her unintentionally years before. The serial killer wants revenge, mostly because he had loved his sister incestuously, and he begins killing people Lupo cares about. The 2nd book (Wolf's Gambit) has a totally separate plot that connects more to the 3rd (Wolf's Bluff) and 4th (Wolf's Edge) books. Gambit begins with murders of members of the tribal elders' board murders that appear to be committed by a werewolf. But Lupo knows it wasn't him... and up to then he thought he was the only werewolf.
As for my inspiration, I was always attracted to the dual nature of the werewolf. The idea of "the beast within" ... that everybody has a dark side. I always wanted to explore that concept. So almost everyone in the first book has a dual nature of some sort. Plus I was greatly inspired by my stays in the North Woods of Wisconsin, which I found to be very frightening at night. They have a very scary kind of feel to them that I always liked. I was a big Twin Peaks fan, and David Lynch was able to make the woods seem very frightening in the show, and I wanted to capture that atmosphere. I also placed quite a few music references in the novel, music that means something to me, and therfore also to Lupo. Those were some of my inspirations!
RW: With such a detailed series, do you keep an outline or some kind of flowchart in order to keep all of the information sorted out?
BG: I've created outlines for the books that I've written and I've sold the last two based on the synopsis and I keep a fair amount of notes as I go along. I keep my synopses vague enough that I can improvise.
RW: You have short stories in numerous anthologies, do you have a preference between writing short fiction and full-length novels?
BG: I like them equally, but as I've sold more novels now I haven't had time to write short stories as much as I would like. It's one reason I've enjoyed collaborating with David Benton. We've had a good synergy on our ideas, allowing me an outlet that I probably wouldn't work on alone. The process is more creative when we share it.
RW: One short story you have written is in the erotic horror collection Hot Blood 13. Have you considered writing any full-length erotic horror novels?
BG: We had not, but we did talk to Lori Perkins (publisher for Ravenous Romance) recently and she said we should, so it's possible that we could in the future.
RW: What upcoming projects are you currently working on that our readers should keep an eye out for?
BG: Wolf's Bluff will be out in July 2010 and Wolf's Edge will be out in 2011 and David Benton and I have a middle-grade/young adult humorous horror series that we are currently shopping around.
RW: Where is the best place on the internet for our readers to find out current information on Bill Gagliani?
BG: My website: http://www.williamdgagliani.com; MySpace: www.myspace.com/wdgagliani; and also on Facebook.
RW: Thanks again for taking the time for doing this interview and best of luck on your future book releases.
BG: Thank you very much for doing it. I appreciate it.
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