Tell The Damn Story, #413: "The Monster in the Mirror: Stealing From the Classics to Build Characters Who Last"

What do you do with a monster who's been alive for 160 years? And what if that monster speaks a dozen languages, and sees the moral essence of every human being in colors and shapes — but just wants to understand what it means to be human?You make him a private detective in 1939 New York. And then you let him loose on the Nazis.This week Alex and Chris sit down with author and storyteller Teel James Glenn, whose Paradise Investigation Series takes one of literature's most iconic monsters — Mary Shelley's creature — and reimagines him as the ultimate outsider: a philosopher, a protector, and a man who chose decency despite everything he suffered.But this episode isn't just about Adam Paradise. It's about what every writer can learn from Teel's process — how he took a public domain character, asked the questions the original story left unanswered, and built a rich, historically grounded world that tackles Roma persecution, Tong conspiracies, the KKK, and Japanese fifth columnists — one book at a time.We dig into the craft behind the creation — how a short story became a trilogy, how a pantsing writer built a six-book arc, how to write outside your own culture with respect and courage, and why making your hero genuinely interesting is harder — and more satisfying — than making your villain compelling.In this episode:How to take a classic character and make them entirely your ownWriting the ultimate outsider as a vehicle for social storytellingResearch, historical grounding, and why getting it right mattersThe difference between the white savior trope and genuine empathyWhy villains aren't more interesting than heroes — you're just a lazy writerThe Paradise Investigation Series by Teel James Glenn is available now on Amazon. Books one and two are out now. Book three — The Undiscovered Country — is available for pre-order.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: [email protected] follow us on ...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → ⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠