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About Gregory G. Allen
Gregory G. Allen moved from Texas to New York in the late 80s and has been in the entertainment business for over twenty years as an actor, director, producer, songwriter, playwright and author. He’s had over ten shows that he has written produced on stage, been the recipient of musical grants from BMI, ASCAP and the Watershed Foundation, and has had short stories and poetry published in Off The Rocks, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, The Oddville Press, Perpetual Magazine, Loch Raven Review, Word Catalyst Magazine, and Rancor’d Type.
He is a member of ASCAP, The Dramatist Guild, and the Theatre Communications Group. He now lives in the suburbs of New Jersey and for the past five years he’s managed an arts center on a college campus. Proud Pants: An Unconventional Memoir was published this summer and is available as a digital download on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. This is his first novel.
For more information on Gregory, visit his website at www.ggallen.net orhttp://www.facebook.com/author.gregory.g.allen.
Could you please tell us a little about your book?
Well With My Soul is a book about choices we make in our lives and how it affects those around you. Told through the voices of two brothers (one straight and one gay), it follows them through fifteen years of their lives and deals with themes of religion, sexuality, addiction and ego. Choices deeply test the bonds of blood between these two as the book travels between Tennessee and New York.
Did something specific happen to prompt you to write this book?
I remember watching the story of Ted Haggard and all he went through and thinking “these high profile people in the closet must have a very tough life to stay hidden in such a way. What makes them live that life?” Those thoughts hung over me as I thought about self imposed homophobia that high profile people must go through and how ego/pride plays such a prominent role in choices they make. I was brought up Southern Baptist and writing a novel about religion and sexuality (set in the late 70s and 80s when our country was in a very different time) where I could show two sides to that story appealed to me. I enjoy taking readers to places they may not otherwise go and usually involve twists and turns they don’t always see coming.
What cause are you most passionate about and why?
I blog and write articles about so many different causes. Equality for all Americans has been a huge issue for me. Autism (because of my godson) shows itself in much of my writing.
In the last year have you learned or improved on any skills?
I come from a background of that of a playwright. So dialogue came easy for me. However, writing narrative was something I really had to work on. I feel the more I write (and read…reading is so important to me as a writer), the better I improve on that particular part of storytelling.
What are you currently working on?
When a book is finished, it is really just the beginning of the journey to get it into people’s hands. Marketing my novel, talking about it anywhere I can, book signings – all part of getting my name out there. I’m also working on some rewrites to my next novel due out in 2012 and I have a children’s picture book about autism out there looking for publication.
Do you have any advice for writers or readers?
One thing I would suggest to readers is the importance of reviews. If you read a book and enjoy it: help an author by writing a review on amazon, bn, goodreads. Readers really want to hear what others think of books. But my small caveat to that is to be sure and write what you like, dislike, how it made you feel and not a synopsis of the story. I have found (thanks to the internet where anyone can share their opinion), more and more ‘reviews’ have become a collection of major events in the story that can really spoil the experience for someone else. The publisher usually gives the rundown of how the want to assimilate the synopsis to the public, so I try and leave that in their hands. So by all means: please share your thoughts – but keep the authors original thoughts a surprise to the next reader.
Is there an author that inspired you to write?
When I read Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs, I knew I
