Fighting Prose Interview with G.G. Gleason!

Welcome to my in-depth writers series Fighting Prose. Where I talk to authors in the industry on what their process is like and what it takes for them to keep on creating, through all the odds.

G.G. Gleason

is my interview this week!

How long have you been writing?

I published my first book in 2018, but I’ve been writing something or other my whole life.

If you've written several books, which is your favorite?

Worth the Wait. Control is a close second. They’re so different that it’s hard to choose between them.

What's your favorite genre to read? Write?

Contemporary romance with some heat and some laughs. I love reading and writing that genre.

How do you get in the mood to write?

Songs, tv shows, but mostly my imagination. I get a story stuck in my head and just have to get it out!

How do your characters come together?

Usually my characters are loosely based off real people. Very loosely, lol. But I use the real person’s mannerisms, personality, and/or sometimes their looks to shape my characters in fully formed ‘people’.

How do you get your ideas?

I’m mostly inspired by the people around me, the people I wish were around me, and what I’d really like to be doing, places I’d love to go or have gone. I can get inspired by almost anything.

Who do you admire the most in the writing world?

James Baldwin. His books are filled with powerful poetry and prose. It’s just beautiful and always blows me away. I also really admire Kristen Granata. Her books move me. The details in them and the pain are so palpable. She made me realize I could be a better writer.

If you're not busy writing, what are you busy doing?

Reading, watching Golden Girls, or spending time with my dog and two cats.

Have you always been creative? Has it always been writing?

I’ve always been creative, yes. As a kid I felt I had so much to say, that I begged my older sister to write down my stories for me when I was so young I hadn’t learned to read or write yet. That never went away. I wrote songs, poems, short stories, screenplays. I also love to cook and bake and try new things. I love to draw and paint, but I’m terrible at both, lol. I stick to the written word and my kitchen skills.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, how did you get out of it?

If I have writers block I just don’t write. I let my insomnia take over, and in a few days, my tired and weary mind usually comes up with something. Because I suffer from chronic disease, pushing myself just isn’t an option. I give myself as much time as I need for the story to build on its own. No matter how long it may take to write a book, you’re still doing something many people would love to do, but ultimately fail at. So I do my best to be patient with myself.

When you sit down to write, is it easy or hard? If it's hard, what makes you keep showing up?

Usually I’ve been up half the night figuring out what I want to write next. When I finally sit down to write, sometimes it feels like a purge. Must get these ideas out! Must get them typed up!
The last two books of my Southern Sins series were difficult. I wrote both during the pandemic, and I struggled. It was hard to convince myself my books mattered when the world was falling down around me. What made me keep going was knowing how proud I’d be of myself if I really pulled it off. I wrote a four book series! It felt impossible a lot of the time, but I did it. And I did it for me, no one else. Writing was really the only thing that saved my mental health last year. It was so hard, but it was so necessary.

For a writer starting out what advice would you give them?

Ask a lot of questions, don’t be shy, and know that self publishing is 20% writing, and 80% online presence, editing, advertising, and relationship building.
Also, be super proud of yourself. Not everyone is going to like what you write. But as long as you love it, then you’re good.

What is your dream writing location?

On a beach, listening to the waves crash and feeling the breeze in my hair.

In reference to your books, what question do you get asked the most?

Did any of this really happen to you? - The answer is always no, with a sprinkle of yes. My books are fiction. The characters are made up. With that said, all my books have elements of truth in them.

If you could bring one of your characters to life who would it be? Why?

Gosh, right now I would say Rob from Control because I am bored and lonely and I would absolutely love to spice things up with that hot pile of muscles.

What do you think makes a good story?

Convincing characters that you root for. They need to be real, and have real struggles that readers can relate to.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I wanted to be an Egyptologist. I loved ancient Egypt, and wanted to be hands on with history. My dad quickly reminded me that I have a heart condition that doesn’t tolerate excessive heat, so maybe a career in the dessert wasn’t the best choice, lol.