Today I'd like to welcome Daniel Diehl, author of “Revelations” to The Thursday Interview. Before we get started, a quick intro!
Daniel Diehl is an author, writer and investigative historian with thirty years experience in his field. For nearly twenty years Diehl has been involved in writing for publication and documentary television production. He has written scripts for more than 170 hours of television documentary programming. Daniel is the author of more than 20 nonfiction books and five novels including his acclaimed Merlin Chronicles trilogy. His work has been translated into eleven non-English languages.
OK - HERE WE GO !!
No.1 Would you break the law to save a loved one? .. why?
Of course. Any law that prevents or prohibits the salvation of a human being is certainly wrong and probably evil. It is much like Dickens’ character, Mr Bumble the Beadle said in ‘Oliver Twist’. “If that is what the law says, then the law, sir, is an ass”.
No.2 What is the difference between being alive and truly living? Plants are alive and amoeba are alive but what they do can hardly be called ‘truly living’. The real tragedy is that most people have so little insight into their own self that they, like their vegetable counterpart, have never experienced what it means to savour the experience of life in any meaningful way.
No.3 What motivates you to write?
A question I have asked myself often over the decades and, quite honestly, I have never come up with a satisfactory answer.
No.4 Why do humans want children?
I have no idea. I know people who have children, but none of my friends do and neither do I. Why on earth would a human being think that the apex of their life comes in doing something that almost any animal on earth can do far more efficiently?
No.5 What was the biggest challenge in creating your book "Revelations" ?
The greatest art in good writing is in creating conversations that sound natural despite the fact that no written conversation is ever going to look, or sound, or be structured, like it’s spoken counterpart.
No.6 What is the most important thing you have learned in life so far?
Don’t expect too much from life. The minute you do you are setting yourself up for a world of hurt and disappointment. Work hard but keep your expectations low.
No.7 How did you come up with the title "Revelations" ?
Partially the title ‘Revelations: book one of The Merlin Chronicles’ was a simple extension of the storyline. Another part of it was a carefully crafted marketing mechanism. So far, they both seem to have worked.
No.8 How do you handle personal criticism?
This depends entirely upon who is offering it and the spirit in which it is given. If the criticism comes from someone who is thoughtful and offers their criticism in a constructive spirit then I try to take it as such and act accordingly. If it comes from some idiot who is simply mouthing off because they have nothing better to do then I try to do the smart thing and ignore them.
No.9 Why should people read your book?
‘Revelations: book one of The Merlin Chronicles’, along with volumes two and three in the trilogy - ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ and ‘Out of Time’ – are a ripping good, old fashioned adventure story as much as they are a work of fantasy. ‘Revelations’ is now the second biggest selling Arthurian fantasy book ever on Amazon.com, and considering the amount and quality of its competition that says a lot about the wily old wizard.
No.10 Why is there something rather than nothing?
Because if there was nothing then thought itself would be impossible and there would be no way to tell if there was, indeed, something or nothing.
Thank you Daniel :)
For taking the time to answer my questions
& the best of luck with your new book!
Check out “Revelations” on
Merlin the magician only exists in myth and legend
– at least that’s what archaeology student Jason Carpenter thought until he discovered the mysterious orb that had housed history’s greatest wizard for 1,600 years. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Jason and Merlin are sucked into a web of deceit, intrigue and murder that sends them on a mad race to outwit, and out run, Merlin’s ancient nemesis, the evil sorceress Morgana le Fay; an army of drug smugglers and a 500 year old Chinese wizard - and they have to complete their quest before an army of fire-breathing dragons descends on an unsuspecting world.
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