Gabriel’s Labyrinth: In the Midst of Darkness received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Daniel Cauterucci.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The name of the book is Gabriel’s Labyrinth: In the Midst of Darkness. It was published Nov. 17th, 2021.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Standing at attention, the massive hospital doors are indifferent to the sirens wailing their grief outside of them.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Gabriel’s Labyrinth: In the Midst of Darkness is a psychological thriller that follows the trials of Gabriel “The Angel” Durán, a captain in the Miami cartel who makes a Faustian bargain to save the life of his dying son. Now Gabriel must serve a new master who will pit him against the savage world he so desperately wants to rule. Caught in the crosshairs of a DEA agent on a crusade to bring him to justice and a methodically ruthless boss ready to kill at any sign of betrayal, Gabriel navigates the criminal underworld as if every step could be his last.
With a past that haunts him catching up and a future filled with death and treachery charging at him, he’ll do everything he can to fight back—but will he be strong enough to survive all the forces moving against him? Gabriel knows every choice has a price, and he’s about to find out if he has enough time to pay what he owes.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
I’ve always been interested in understanding free will and the power of choice, in particular as applied to the darker side of human nature. Whether some of us are born criminals or if it’s circumstances spurring us in that direction.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Let me break that up into two answers: Overall, it’s an intense dive into some turbulent waters. On the deeper end, I think readers who enjoy digging into the mind of a criminal and trying to understand what causes him or her to make the choices they make will be highly engaged. It’s easy to judge a person from the outside, but to take the time to get to know them is where the real work is at; and hopefully, work that helps us reflect on the choices we make and peer into the circumstances that shape us. Nature vs Nurture and all those big picture questions.
On the shallow side: This is a visceral ride with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. From the supernatural elements that reinforce the central themes of the story to the brief but fierce action scenes. Adding to that, I use a lot of Spanish slang that helps add spice to the story, anchoring it to the world without being a distraction. (I provide a glossary for my non-Spanish speaking readers and from the response I’ve received, my readers have enjoyed it far more than I could have expected).
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character?
Gabriel’s an extremely conflicted man. His anger and the violence that erupts from it, are what’s allowed him to survive and even thrive in this brutal world. But the abyss his rage comes from is due to his painful and traumatic past, one that haunts him and makes him more vulnerable than he would care to admit. He knows weak men don’t last in the hellhole he calls home.
Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
A young Michael Corleone (from The Godfather) in the sense of how conflicted he is because Michael never wanted to join the family business but had to in order to save and protect the one he loves.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I’ve always been drawn to the power of a good story and how it can enthrall us and broaden our perspective. I started in entertainment with the dream of becoming a writer-director, so the natural path was to begin writing screenplays and teleplays. (In fact, Gabriel’s Labyrinth is based on one of my earlier teleplays.) Unfortunately, there are a lot of hurdles to get past to even get your work read in Hollywood, so when the pandemic struck and the production company, I worked at closed down, it seemed like the perfect time to go the self-publishing route. Writing a novel is such a different medium, but I was surprised to find that in many ways I still get to be a writer-director but now using only words. Describing the visuals in a book is similar to what the camera sees and how it moves, and writing the internal thoughts, emotions, and choices a character makes is similar to how a director works with their actors to work out a scene. Although incredibly hard, writing a novel is an extremely rewarding way to tell a story.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Yes. This was my debut novel.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m trying to avoid doing it by writing a book. 😉 But truth be told, I work production in reality television; and, I’m also a visual artist trying to explore and capture human emotions through images. I think regardless of the work I’m doing, the common through-line, in all of it—is telling stories through imagery: whether written, filmed or drawn visual communication resonates with me and hopefully those who read my work.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
I would say anywhere between 5-7 hours a day when I’m free. If working a day job, maybe a couple of hours a night and weekends when my daughter is asleep.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best: Having full control of how the story gets told and what gets explored within it. There’s only one cook in this kitchen. The hardest, without a doubt, is the marketing and how to stand out in a sea of books on a limited budget. That’s why I’m grateful for IndieReader’s positive review as I think it can help me pop out from the crowd.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
It’s a marathon, so enjoy the scenery. 😉 Whether you hit milestones fast or not, always remember that writing is rewriting, so you will constantly be taking steps back before moving forward, so be patient and stay diligent. The process is just as important as the finish line. (Also start doing your marketing research early, it takes a long time to set things up so don’t expect to crank it out when the book is done. Get into as soon as you’ve decided that this isn’t just a whimsical endeavor.)
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
Let’s say I would definitely take the call. Ha ha ha. I’m indie because I have to be. As an Indie writer, there’s a lot of time spent working all the other angles aside from writing your book. I’ve had to do a lot of different roles on the back end to try to make the book a success (however you define success.) I feel confident that my book has what it takes to do well, but marketing and getting the word out are extremely time-consuming yet vital work. Hopefully, a publisher could help relieve some of that time expenditure so I can focus more on writing the book.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
When I was younger, fame and fortune certainly were a part of it, but now I just want to make a living at something I love doing. I know that at many levels writing is an endeavor that brings me a great deal of satisfaction and a deep sense of accomplishment. So I would be ecstatic to make enough to keep doing this full time. Whether the rest comes or not is secondary.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Haruki Murakami. For so many reasons. Starting with the wonderful worlds he creates: filled with magical realism, seemingly simple but highly complex characters, visual and poetic language, and a killer soundtrack filled with pop references, classical music, and a whole lot of jazz. I started reading him in college and actually got to see him speak at my university. He even autographed my copy of “Hardboiled Wonderland & the End of the World.” It was a great experience.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
My next one. 😉 Not trying to be flippant, it’s just that the writers I love: Murakami, Gabriel Garcia Márquez, Michael Chabon, etc all found their voice and created rich, wonderful worlds. So although I may be inspired by them, I know I can’t write like them, but I certainly can try to find my own voice. And the only way that happens, is if I keep writing.
Thank you for this opportunity. I hope others can glean something from from my answers.