Welcome to David Gelber's blog tour. David's going to talk to us about the making of a page turner. David, thanks so much for including me in your tour. is giving away a $100 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter at the conclusion of his two tours. You can find his schedule at http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/12/virtual-book-tour-minotaur-revisited-by.html
The
Making of a Page Turner
It was suggested to me that an interesting topic for
a blog article would be what ingredients are necessary for “making a page
turner.” First I had to ponder the meaning of this request. The phrase “page
turner” has different connotations. It could mean “a mechanical device which
turns pages.” Such a useful device would free a reader’s hands for more
important tasks, such as reaching for a cold drink. It would also eliminate the
need for said reader to lick his fingers to facilitate the page turning
process, thus saving saliva and preventing soiling of the printed page.
But, the “page turner” need not be mechanical. A
servant could render the same task. Picture the page turning servant. He stands
above the reader, fanning him with a large palm frond, when, suddenly the
master/reader makes a subtle gesture. The skilled page turner deftly reaches
around his employer’s shoulder and turns the page, all without missing a beat
with his fan.
However, I do believe that the request referred to
the written word, specifically stories which grab a reader’s attention and hold
it tight, while forcing the enthralled booklover to stay glued to the book,
turning page after page to find out what happens.
What, then, is the recipe for baking the perfect
page turner? Start with a story, something that people care about. Lost
puppies, families torn apart by war, lovers who are doomed by a terminal
illness, the end of the world; you get the idea. Perhaps a family of puppies
suffering from a terminal illness which threatens to cause the end of the
world. Maybe, but that sounds a bit too complex.
Now, add in the proper characters. Ordinary people
forced by circumstances to act in an extraordinary manner is one tool, a
favorite of mine. Or, a mysterious character with a secret past who may just be
a spy or the lost king, anything that keeps the reader guessing. Add a touch,
or a heavy helping of romance and stir well. Create a roller coaster of highs
and lows and juxtapose them so that the now thoroughly immersed bookworm just
has to find out how our protagonist is going to get out of this mess or triumph
over the evil villain.
To spice up the story, add a villain, one who hates
our hero or heroine, perhaps with good reason. Maybe our hero has his flaws; is
trying to live down a shady past. All the better. Purely good or evil
characters can become a bore; multidimensional characters are far more
interesting.
Finally, add a dash of comic relief. A dog or parrot
or supposedly simple child who has the wisdom of the ages. Mix everything
together, bake at 350 degrees for one hour and, voila, a page turner is
created, we hope. Or else it may be a soufflé.
An example from my body of work: Minotaur Revisited follows the Minotaur
of Greek mythology on a journey over thousands of years. He is trapped in the
Labyrinth, which immediately makes him a sympathetic creature, even though he
is of monstrous appearance. He is thrust into situation after situation which
threaten to destroy our hero. He meets people who only want to use this
sensitive monster for their own evil purpose, he suffers over and over, but in
the end finally finds true happiness. Along the way he has numerous and varied
sidekicks and companions to keep the reader interested and turning the page. These
secondary characters are either sympathetic or villainous, thus making the
reader care.
Making a page turnerhas one essential ingredient.
It’s all about making people care.
MINOTAUR
REVISITED
By
David Gelber
BLURB:
Legend
states that the Minotaur was confined to the Labyrinth, slain by Theseus and
then laid to rest by thousands of years of Greek mythology. But, the truth is
far different. Read the Minotaur’s own words as he recounts his full life as
god, king, warrior, matchmaker, midwife, monk, sage, father, mother, husband
and, most of all, witness. The fierce Minotaur lived to see and be a part of
the best and worst of humanity during a life spanning thousands of years. Part
bull, part human, the Minotaur struggled to find his place in this world and,
in the end, left his unique mark on history.
David Gelber, a New York native, is the seventh of nine sons and
one of three to pursue medicine. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University in
1980 and went on to graduate medical school in 1984 from the University of
Rochester.
He completed his residency at Baylor University Medical Center in
Dallas, Texas, followed by three years as attending surgeon at Nassau County
Medical Center in Long Island, N.Y. Gelber has since joined Coastal Surgical
Group in Houston, Texas.
Gelber has been a surgeon for more than 20 years, but over the
last few years he began to pursue his passion for writing, initially with his
debut novel, "Future Hope" (Emerald Book Company, January 2010). The
novel speculates about future Earth and what the world might have been like if
man had not succumbed to temptation in the Garden of Eden. "Joshua and
Aaron" is a sequel to "Future Hope" and follows the battle of
wills that transpires between unsung hero Joshua Smith and satanic Aaron Diblonski.
Dr. Gelber has added two books about surgery, "Behind the
Mask" and "Under the Drapes", both of which provide the reader
with a view of the world of surgery rarely seen by those outside the medical
professions.
"Last Light" is an apocalyptic short story which starts
off asking the question: "What would happen if nobody ever was sick or
injured?"
"Minotaur Revisited" is an entertaining romp through
history seen through the eyes of Quint, the famed half bull half man monster of
Greek Mythology. It was in October 2012.
Gelber was raised in reformed Judaism, but joined the Presbyterian
Church 15 years ago. He is married with three teenage children, four dogs and
24 birds of various species. His interests include horse racing, mechanical
Swiss watches and, of course, writing.
