How do you get inspired to write?
Writing is a chance to share your story with a large audience. My books are part entertainment, but also educational and touch on important social issues. Writing is a chance for me to share messages that I feel are important, and give a platform to issues that need to be addressed. It’s work, but it’s fun and rewarding work, unlike many jobs.
How do you deal with writer’s block?
Ignore it. Every writer hits a speed bump at some point, and the choice is to fight it or pivot to anew project. If I’m stuck on a story, I’ll turn my attention to my newsletter, or editing, or working on a new story. The one thing I won’t do is stare at a blank screen waiting for the words to come. Turn your attention elsewhere and come back to the keyboard when the ideas are ready to be written.
What mystery in your own life could be a plot for a book?
It would be a boring book, but the mystery of how I survived residency and fellowship with three kids under three years of age at home. I have no idea how I survived that time in my life. Watching the grandbaby for a few hours tires me out these days.
What are you currently working on?
I’m busy with a couple of different projects. I just completed book eight in my series, Alaskan Reckoning, and sent it to my publisher. It finds Doc and Banshee causing chaos in the Alaskan wilderness, and will release in June, 2027. I have also completed about 50,000 words of the first draft of book nine in the series. That one does not have a title yet, but it’s based in New York and hopefully will be released in late 2027. The final project is book one in a new thriller series about an investigative reporter in New Orleans. That one has been sent to my agent and I’m waiting to see if any of the publishers are interested or not. Hopefully we can get it sold in the next 4-6 months.
Let’s talk about your writing process. Do you outline or pants? What’s your plotting process?
I am a hardcore pantser, meaning I don’t plot out anything in my books. I start with an inciting event involving my character – a death in the ER, a deathbed confession, an explosion outside the hospital, a gruesome murder – and just start writing that scene. At the beginning, I have no idea why the event occurred or where the story will lead, but as I add characters, the story reveals itself. In my latest book I did not know who the killer was until I had written 50,000 words of the story.
Pantsing is not for everyone. It does occasionally lead to a dead end and backtracking of the writing, but more often than not it allows me to uncover the plot in real time as my readers will experience it. So far, I have been able to make it to the finish line on all of my stories, and four of the six books ended up in markedly different places than I could have imagined when I started the story.
What kind of research did you do for this novel?
Most of the research is about the locations where each novel is set. My character is in a new city for each story, and it’s important to capture the local flavor and nuances of each city. Ideally, I have a chance to visit the city and walk the streets in person, but that is not always possible. The next best option is to speak with folks who have spent time in that city. Usually that is reaching out to friends, family and fellow authors. The final option is online research. You can learn a ton from google, and google earth can give you a feel for the architecture, trees, and vitality of a location.
An amazing amount can be learned by reading other books in your genre. Every time I pick up a book, it is for enjoyment, but also to learn something new.
In general, what emotions do you usually wish to elicit with your writing?
I feel like authors owe the reader an emotional journey covering the whole spectrum from joy to despair to suspense and fear. I use scenes in the ER to drive emotions in the book. If the previous scene was sad or traumatic, I write a happy or funny scene in the emergency room. If the readers are on a high, the next story may be sad or dramatic. The goal is to include all of the emotions, and keep the reader balanced between positive and negative experiences.
Best advice on writing you've ever received?
Write the worst first draft ever, and you have accomplished the hardest part of the book. You can’t edit a blank page, but you can fix plot holes in a weak draft. When I write a first draft, I know there are major problems with the plots, inconsistency with timing of events, and weak or missing characters. None of that matters. I write until the first draft is done, and then I go back and start fixing things. One thing I’ve learned is most first drafts are not nearly as bad as you think they are when you are writing.
What is the weirdest/wildest topic or fact that you’ve had to research or uncovered in your research?
True story. I had a scene in one of my books based inside Hoover Dam. I had never been there, so I booked a tour to check it out. After identifying myself as a writer, I asked the tour guide where would be the best place to murder someone inside the Dam. He called over two buddies and we had an animated discussion for ten minutes about the best options to kill someone inside the Dam. The tour guide told me it was the most entertaining discussion he’s had in years.
Can you tell us a two-sentence horror story?
“Hold CPR, and the time of death is 9:43 a.m,” the emergency room doctor said to his team.
“No, you need to save me,” I screamed silently.
What else would you want readers to know about you? Where can readers find you online?
I have a charity that raises money to buy protective vests for K9 officers called Banshee’s Pack, named after the police dog in my books. Each vest is custom fitted, bullet and stab resistant, and costs about $1100. All profits from anything bought on my website go toward buying vests for K9 officers. You can get signed copies of my books, challenge coins, buy experiences, or simply make a donation. Visit my website at www.garygerlacher.com to check out the store, learn more about Banshee’s Pack, meet the dogs we have already protected, or sign up for my newsletter.
I am also on Facebook and Instagram and easy to find with my unique name. I try to answer any messages that come across on those platforms. I spend a little time on TikTok, but not much. I have an account on Twitter, or X, but don’t visit there much as it has become an increasingly hostile platform for creators. To keep up to date on all of my latest news, sign up for my newsletter on my website or directly on Substack.
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