ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE NOVEMBER 2023 VOL VI. ISSUE XXXVII | LITERATURE
Article Published on: 09TH JAN 2024 | www.demodemagazine.com
"THE GALLUCCI GALLERY" - BY AUTHOR K.B. RICHARDS
Art gallery owner and abstract painter Bianca Gallucci has the perfect life in New York City with her twin children and husband. As she prepares for her annual art Gala, she hires a young woman named Makaela Cooper.
Life couldn’t be better for Bianca until she encounters a mysterious man standing outside her gallery. He’s unusual, stirring Bianca’s heart and mind––delivering anonymous gifts. Bianca soon experiences a run-in with the mystery man while having lunch with her best friend, Claire Benoit. Her world collapses as his identity unravels as Bianca’s abusive father. She witnessed his death more than thirty years ago. How could he be alive? She visits her therapist to discuss her encounter but is unexpectedly diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
At first, Bianca is perplexed by her experience but learns more about her past and a relative she didn’t know existed. Her mystery man, known as Pascal, is an international arms dealer who tracked her down for his rare Sea of Galilee painting he believes she stole years ago. He wants it back but demands that she do something first: murder the new hire from her gallery.
Unnerved by his demand, she digs into Makaela’s past and discovers she’s more complicated than expected. She isn’t the only one. Bianca’s husband also forces her to raise an eyebrow. Pascal adds more pressure to Bianca. And as time is running out, she doesn’t meet her deadline. Subsequently, someone else’s life ends instead, which labels her as a fugitive while her children are held for ransom. It appears that Murphey’s Law is prevalent in Bianca’s life, and she does everything possible to crawl out of the hole she dug for herself. She acquires help from genuine friends but is blind-sighted by new information that makes her life a circus to navigate. Can she trust her friends and family wholeheartedly? Who has her best interest at heart? A web of lies and deceit surfaces as she embraces her split personality to unveil the truth behind the twisted plot orchestrated by someone close to her. How does she get her children back while being hunted by the authorities for allegedly murdering someone? Which personality is possibly guilty? Sometimes, life bombards us with difficult choices to make. This is true for a woman who adopted a menacing personality and performed the most egregious crime the New York City police force would never forgive.
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JOURNEY OF THE AUTHOR K.B. RICHARDS
K.B. Richards was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where he began writing poetry as a child. Later on, life as a fine artist, work in the entertainment industry, and studies in psychology helped nurture and cultivate his creative expansion into a riveting psychological page-turner. Richards delves into his protagonist’s fractured mind while eliciting his reader’s emotions for an unforgettable roller coaster experience. He writes in the mornings, has a dog named Burger, and is a coffee, pizza, and bourbon enthusiast. The Gallucci Gallery is his first thriller novel and has gained considerable popularity for his latest work. Richards is described as a ‘ground-breaking writer with an incredible story.’ The Gallucci Gallery is filled with exceptional detail with a jaw-dropping twist––tapping into your intellectuality while prodding your curiosity with his invigorating style.
With the literary talent of many books distributed across the United States, Richards fell in love with his genre because “It allowed me to learn the deep and undiscovered territory within myself. I soon realized my imagination's unlimited and vast capabilities,” Richards says. To him, writing isn’t just about creativity, it’s about expansion, growth, and self-expression on a deeper level. Richards has appeared on numerous interview platforms such as Young Boss Media and video podcast The Mindminx Show. In addition to writing, Richards is also a lover of movies and theatre. He finds the art of storytelling to be thrilling and exciting. “We all have a story to tell––or something to share, whether fact or fiction,” says Richards. You can find him meeting potential readers at various networking events or visiting art galleries in Manhattan, absorbing the inspiration that encompasses him. Richards’ writing reflects his life, studies, and experiences that transformed him. “Society tells us to ‘go with the grain. Do what everyone else is doing.’ Don’t do that. Go against the grain. Bend the rules while being true to yourself, and stay focused while you do the work. You will experience much rejection at first. Get comfortable with people saying "no." It isn't a failure. It’s an opportunity to reflect on your work and make necessary changes before re-submission. Everything in life is a numbers game. Be relentless and disciplined. The pieces will fall into place.”
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW OF AUTHOR K.B. RICHARDS WITH DE MODE
Q: "The Gallucci Gallery" is a psychological thriller that explores themes of identity, deception, and the fractured mind. What inspired you to delve into these complex psychological aspects in your writing?
A. I've always possessed a desire to solve puzzles. There wasn’t a puzzle or an entanglement I couldn’t solve. I yearned to understand people and their complexities. Movies gave me all the juice I needed to write my own story––and so I believe I created something that isn't on the market.
Q: Your background includes fine arts, the entertainment industry, and psychology. How have these diverse experiences influenced your storytelling and the creation of this novel?
A. My background in those industries and subjects of study are the reason––the fuel for my novel. Without it, I don’t think I could’ve created such a compelling story.
Q: Can you tell us about your writing process? Do you have any particular routines or rituals that help you craft your psychological thrillers?
A. I can’t say that I have any specific rituals, but here is my process: I usually have a theme in mind, think of a story that revolves around that theme, and then create a beginning and an end. Once that’s in place, I can create the midpoint in the story. That last piece allows me to bring everything together.
Q: The book's blurb mentions that the protagonist, Bianca, is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. What kind of research and understanding did you undertake to portray this disorder accurately and sensitively?
A. I did extensive research to understand the root cause of Dissociative Identity Disorder. I read many articles and read many case studies. This must be done. Accuracy is crucial.
Q: The story seems to be a suspenseful journey with Bianca's struggle to rescue her kidnapped children. What can readers expect in terms of the emotional rollercoaster this novel provides?
A. You’ll expect to find some elevated suspense, calm, intrigue, resolve, and more suspense. This is an edge-of-your-seat read.
Q: Bianca's character has a split personality, which adds an intriguing dimension to the plot. How challenging was it to write from the perspective of multiple personalities, and what did you hope to convey through this unique character?
A. Bianca’s character was extremely difficult due to her complex nature. Writing is already difficult, and making her split personality the polar opposite of who she is almost drove me insane. I had to adopt an altered state of mind when writing Elizabeth’s parts, but also keep aspects of Bianca alive. It’s like method acting.
Q: The title of the novel, "The Gallucci Gallery," plays a significant role in the story. Could you share more about the symbolism or significance of this gallery within the narrative?
A. The gallery is where everything starts and also where everything ends. It’s crucial to the plot and subplot twist due to the crime committed inside the gallery.
Q: Without giving away any spoilers, what can you tell us about the themes of deception and betrayal that seem to be central to the novel?
A. All I can say is that no one really knows a person’s heart. Some people are excellent at hiding their emotions. Many people have agendas.
Q: The book blurb mentions a web of lies and deceit. What inspired the intricate and suspenseful plot of the story, and how did you maintain its complexity throughout the narrative?
A. We’ve all been hurt by someone where we’ve discovered a lie or deception by someone we love. I’ve had my fair share of these things happen to me. After some retrospection, I had a clear and full understanding of what motivates people to lie. There is always a root cause. This root cause inspired the plot.
Q: The story involves the return of a stolen painting, a murder, and a desperate quest to rescue Bianca's children. How did you balance these different elements to create a cohesive and engaging plot?
A. This was one of the most difficult parts of writing a story. Balance is key, and I performed this by dissecting every part. Stories need structure to be engaging––and within that structure embody a particular flow. Implementing the painting, murder, and rescuing of children at the right points of the structure makes for a cohesive story.
Q: As a writer, what do you hope readers will take away from "The Gallucci Gallery"? Are there specific messages or emotions you aim to evoke in your audience?
A. I want my readers to have a feeling of suspense, resolve, and justification. And the message I want to leave them with is that not everyone can be trusted.
Q: Could you share any insights into your future writing projects? Do you have any upcoming psychological thrillers or other works in the pipeline that your readers can look forward to?
A. I also write Chick-Lit/ Romance under the pseudonym 'Kem Richards' @kemrichards where I’m currently working on the sequel to my acclaimed novel 'The End of May.' I have also been working on another psychological thriller called House of Hollander which is due to release in 2024.