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'Carter Beats the Devil'
With Glen David Gold
Author
Thursday, Sept. 26, 1 p.m. ET
Charles Carter -- a.k.a. Carter the Great -- is a young master performer during the 1920s whose skill as an illusionist surpasses even Houdini. His act, which involves stunts performed on elaborate sets before audiences across the country, has made him a legend in his own time. Carter's passion for magic, which rises out of desperation and loneliness, culminates in an outrageous stunt with President Warren G. Harding.
Author Glen David Gold's book, "Carter Beats the Devil" (Hyperion Books, 2002), recalls the Roaring Twenties, pre-Depression America, and the country's obsession with magic that helped them bring excitement to people's lives and help them forget their troubles. Gold was online Thursday, Sept. 26.
Gold holds an MFA for creative writing at the University of California at Irvine and has written for newspapers, film, and television. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife, novelist Alice Sebold.
The transcript follows.
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over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Washington, D.C.:
What inspired you to write this book?
Glen David Gold: The image that's now on the cover. That's a real 1920's magic poster of Carter the Great. My father bought that for me about 10 years ago for a birthday present. I wondered what sort of person would use that for a business card.
Washington, D.C.:
Who did the cover art for your book? It is really beautiful.
Also, are you planning on doing any readings/signings in the Washington area?
Glen David Gold: Why thank you! I have to say Hyperion did an amazing job. As a writer I'm supposed to ahve a lot of things to complain about, but I just can't.
My agent had the brilliant idea when she sent out the pitch letter. SHe wrote the pitch letter on real Charles Carter stationary, which is extremely striking. Hyperion got on board from the beginning, understanding the power of the image. It was my idea to have that as the cover, but they pulled it off in spades.
Yes, I have my schedule here. I'll be at Ollson's at 1200 F Street at 7 p.m.
Washington, D.C.:
Hello Mr. Gold,
I just wanted to write in and tell you how much I enjoyed your book. I truly "lived" in your novel until I was finished. Thanks for transporting this 27-year old back to the 1920s for a bit. I was fascinated by the story of Charles Carter. I look forward to your next novel.
Glen David Gold: Well that's really sweet, thank you. For people who are waiting for another piece of work, I've got a story in the upcoming McSweeney's. Michael Chabon is editing an all genre issue. So I thought I'd write a ghost story, then Michael said that was great, and here's a list of other people contributing and it was "Stephen King -- Ghost Story." I wrote a serial killer elephant story.
Blacksburg, Va.:
Who are your favorite writers?
Glen David Gold: I have so many. Going chronologically, Dr. Seuss, Stan Lee, Steve Gerber, Robertson Davies, John Irving, then I went through a Zora Neel Hurston phase. Paul Bowles, then Henry James and I am right now a fan of a writer that almost no one has heard of named C.D. Payne -- wrote the funniest book I ever read, possibly. You should go on Amazon and look at the reviews. It's like a Sienfeld episode, but it is 500 pages long. Everything is over-the-top funny and it's a wonderful book. The name of the book is "Youth in Revolt."
Los Angeles, Calif. :
Do you envision Carter being optioned for a movie? If so, do you have a cast in mind?
Glen David Gold: Well, reader from LA, in fact Paramount optioned it for Tom Cruise's production company. Robert Towne is directing and he is co-writing the screenplay with a young screenwriter named Michael Arndt. And I could not be more thrilled. It's like all HOllywood things, pretty ephemeral. The real benefits I got to spend some time with Robert Towne while he told me he liked my writing.
Alexandria, Va.:
Loved Carter and have recommended it to many friends... unfortunately, though, I don't know what you have in the works! In addition to the story you've already alluded to, what can we expect?
Glen David Gold: I just sold my new book to Hyperion yesterday. Breaking news! The topic is completely top secret, but its fiction also. And I'm having a lot of fun writing it.
And also, I have an article forthcoming in GQ about obsessive collecting, specifically comic book art book collecting -- with which I am obsessed. It's sort of a mea culpa.
Arlington, Va.:
Author Francine Prose was online earlier today talking about muses. Do you have a muse?
Glen David Gold: Yah, uhh... I just wonder if this is a vieled question about my wife. The inspirations I take -- they come from art, nature all the usual suspects. I find that muses are much more abstract.
There's that Albert Brooks movie, "The Muse," which I liked the idea of it being a physical and tangible thing, but I've never really had that no, not really.
New York:
I notice this is your first novel. How did you get it published? Was it a difficult process?
Glen David Gold: It depends on where you measure from. I finished writing it in January, got an agent in February, finished the rewrites in March and she sold it in April and that's insane and completely unheard of.
I wrote four novels during my 20s and early 30s, all of which were heartfelt and very difficult and tortuous. Each one of which made me want to slash my own throat, so if you measure... the first one I finished I was 23, so when Carter was finished I was speechless in trying to describe how good the response was. In a secular sense, it was blessed.
For seven years, I chased the Hollywood lower rungs of the ladder. I kept getting scripts optioned, but nothing produced. The thumbnail is that I wrote a romantic comedy about Lesbian biker chicks and the men who love them and it got me a job as a staff writer for "101 Dalmations" show for one day. The guy who hired me got fired, as did everyone.
My sole produced credits were for Nickelodeon animation shows.
Somewhere, USA:
Dear Mr. Gold,
I very, very much liked your article about the magician David Blaine for the New York Times and I look forward to more of your work.
Glen David Gold: Oh thank you very much. Ya, I spent about four months working on that and it was fascinating meeting David and I feel like it was frustrating, because the article didn't capture everything I knew about him.
Washington, D.C.:
I am obsessed with magic, but more as a subject of study. Do you believe true magic exists and, if so, how do you define "magic?"
Glen David Gold: I think magic is that which you can't explain away with easy answers and luckily that's a broad enough explanation that no matter how much we know, there will always be the inexplicable.
My character talks about how we understand 99 percent of the universe, but not inertia. There will always be something out of our grasp, and that is magic.
Washington, D.C.:
Have you read the "Last Lone Inventor"? Your book got me very curious to learn more about Philo Farnsworth.
Glen David Gold: Ahh, no, I haven't read it, but I'm enthusiastic. When I wrote the book there were two books on early television: "The Tube" and "The Box." There are two biographies about Philo out now and I understand they're quite good and Philo deserves every bit of attention he can get.
Harrisburg, Pa.:
Out of curiosity, why is Warren Harding in this book? Is it because he fits in with the era, or is this loosely based on a real incident in life, or is it because President Harding was such a poor President that he comes across as a comical figure?
Glen David Gold: Well, Harding really did die in San Francisco in August 1923. Charles Carter really was performing then. I like that both incidents were underexplored in fiction or fact. As I researched Harding's life, I liked what I found. Some presidents -- Coolidge, Taft -- they're opaque. Harding was so undeserving of being president, I found him interesting to write about.
Baltimore, Md.:
What would Carter think of modern day magicians like David Blaine or David Copperfield?
Glen David Gold: Good question. I think he would like them -- both of them, in that they keep magic in the public eye. Copperfield is more of a traditionalisst and chameleon. Blaine is more suigeeris -- one of a kind. I think Blaine stretches the limits of what "magic" is in a way that might make Carter uncomfortable but might might cause him to think, which is a good thing.
Virginia:
Are you a magician too? Fox's Secret of the Magicians is an eye-opening.
Glen David Gold: No, I am a clod.
Bethesda, Md.:
What advice do you have for people who want to write novels? Both non-fiction and fiction.
Glen David Gold: As you continue writing, one battle is between taking criticism too much and too little. There are two kinds of writers, those who have no confidence and those who need it thumped out of them. I was overconfident.
If you can give up writing, good. If you can't, find a small circle of friends who will tell you the truth. It's more important that they tell you the truth than be your friends. This doesn't work with everyone, but it is an excellent way to keep reading and honing your critical skills.
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