David J Castello on his IR Approved “The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959)”

The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959) received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.

Following find an interview with author David J Castello.

What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959). It was published on December 1, 2016.

What’s the book’s first line?
Death. I was so sick and tired of death.

What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
During the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp in April 1945, a US Army medic discovers a Nazi immortality formula designed for Adolf Hitler. Inundated by death and destruction, he begins consuming the formula and gradually experiences the emotional and physical effects of immortality. He traces its origin to a monastery in China where he learns some of mankind’s oldest secrets and encounters an ancient race of immortals planning world domination.

What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
The beginning came to me in a dream so bizarre that I bolted out of bed in the middle of the night and wrote it down. When I awoke in the morning, I couldn’t recall many of the details I’d written, but I remembered the liberation of Dachau as vividly as if I’d been there. I could still smell the decay of death and the cordite from the gunshots.

What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Life extension has become more popular then ever. In 2015, Google Ventures actively began funding the search to delay aging and extend life. My novel, while fantastic in many parts, is historically accurate and deals with immortality from a very emotional and personal perspective.

What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character?  Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
The most distinctive quality about Steven Ronson is that he does not seek immortality for glory, power or materialistic gain. Nor was it forced upon him. He’s the last surviving member of his military unit in WWll and the formula is his revenge against death. His character reminds me of a mixture of Robert Neville in Richard Matheson’s novel I Am Legend and Rod Taylor in the film adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel, The Time Machine (1960).

If they made your book into a movie, who would you like to see play the main character(s)?
Penn Badgley would make an interesting Steven Ronson. Zac Effron could also fit the bill, but I don’t know if he has the range. Perhaps it’s the roles he’s been given.

When did you first decide to become an author?
I always knew I’d be an author.

Is this the first book you’ve written?
Yes, The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959) is my debut novel, but I’ve been writing stories and articles my entire life. On December 7^th, 2016 the Daily Beast featured my story The Man Who Tried To Stop Pearl Harbor to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the attack.

What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
My brother and I own and develop some well known domain names into web sites.

How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Be it an article or a novel, when I commit myself to writing I plunge in headfirst and everything else takes a backseat. I like to start writing shortly before noon and will continue non-stop as long as I feel the passion in my words.

What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part is the artistic freedom. For example, the front cover of The Diary Of An Immortal (1945-1959) is the ancient medical school atop Chakpori Hill in Lhasa, Tibet in 1900 and it has rarely been published. The back cover is Chakpori Hill today. Chakpori Hill plays a significant role in my novel and the contrast between the front and back cover is exactly the way I visualized it in my head. Would it look that way if it wasn’t an indie release? Not sure, but a friend of mine signed a deal with an established publisher and was upset when her cover art idea was completely rejected. The hardest part is continuously being told how difficult it is for indies to break into book stores, book clubs and libraries.

Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling?  If so, why? 
Yes. The big ones have relationships they’ve taken years to cultivate and those relationships can open doors.

Is there something in particular that motivates you?
I write in the hope that a hundred years from now someone will read something I’ve written and feel inspired by it.

Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
It’s a toss up between William Manchester and Stephen King.

Which book do you wish you could have written?
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, William L. Shirer.