Photos: Teo Palacios website.
Theo Palacios (Dos Hermanas, 1970) is, in addition to renowned historical novel writer, editorial advisor y author trainer to whom he has taught writing courses and workshops since 2008. His fifth and last book, published two years ago, has been Devil's mouth, a novel of intrigue and mystery set in the XNUMXth century. But it has also led us through Ancient world, kingdoms of taifa wave Spain of the Habsburgs.
Today grant us this interview where he talks about his first books, his influences, his hobbies as a reader and writer, his favorite genres and briefly analyzes how the current publishing scene is. I really appreciate your time, dedication and kindness.
INTERVIEW WITH TEO PALACIOS
- ACTUALIDAD LITERATURA: Do you remember the first book you read? And the first story you wrote?
TEO PALACIOS: Well, the truth is that no. I am a early reader that when I was 4 years old I would pick up any book and start reading, but my memory doesn't reach that long. The first thing I remember reading is momo.
- AL: What was the first book that struck you and why?
TP: The first book that left me a deep footprint and it made me cry was The Neverending Story. I had some 10 or 11 years and when I got to the last pages I began to cry inconsolably: that was the endless story, how could it possibly end? Later, as an adult, The Lord of the Rings had a strong impact on me and was the detonating end to start write with intentions of publish.
- AL: Who is your favorite writer? You can choose more than one and from all eras.
TP: It is difficult to say just one. Tolkien , of course, it is a reference. But there are different authors from whom I would choose some things or others. For example, from Ken follet I admire the rhythm that he gives to his stories. From Vazquez-Figueroa his ability to create great adventures with few resources From Walter Scott his genius for fusing real and fictional elements and giving rise to the historical novel as we know it, and thus he could cite several more.
- AL: What character in a book would you have liked to meet and create?
TP: I'm not a very mythomaniac, honestly. Of course, there are wonderful characters ... Maybe Rob J Cole, protagonist of The doctor, by Noah Gordon, would be a character that I would have liked to create.
- AL: Any mania when it comes to writing or reading?
TP: I am very demanding at the time of reading and I have lost much of the pleasure of reading, it is increasingly difficult for a book to hook me and make me return to its pages and even reread it. Me mania is to ask a book what did make me forget where I am. If you don't succeed, I leave you with no regrets.
- AL: And your preferred place and time to do it?
TP: I can read anytime, anywhere. Reading is a pleasure that can be enjoyed almost anytime.
- AL: What writer or book has influenced your work as an author?
TP: To start my career, as I said, Tolkien . Then there is a book, Leon Bocanegraby Vázquez-Figueroa, from which I borrowed the style and narrative voice for some passages from Sons of Heracles, my first novel. I think in the end the author is a rehash of the styles and texts that have been marking him one way or another, even if you are not aware of it.
- AL: Your favorite genres besides historical?
TP: I like the adventure novel and epic fantasy, He too terror. I adore the plots of Stephen King, although I generally detest their endings. I have also read a lot of Agatha Christie and Sherlock.
- AL: What are you reading now? And writing?
TP: I am reading a norse novel black genre, The Hartung case. I write a novel set at the end of the XNUMXth century and principles of the XVIII.
- AL: How do you think the publishing scene is for as many authors as there are or want to publish?
TP: I think it's been a long time since the book market is saturated. I have spoken many times with my agent, including my editor, on this subject and I firmly believe that there are many more published books. There is no reading mass for so many books.
- AL: Is the moment of crisis that we are experiencing being difficult for you or will you get something positive out of it for future novels?
TP: Personally I am not suffering too much from confinement. I have been working at home for years, so Ii'm used to to spend long hours alone, and I have dog, so my outings have not been as severely restricted as those of others. As for whether I have taken advantage of it or not, time will tell. For the moment, I have advanced in the new novel, which is not little.