I recently had the pleasure of interviewing former New Castle Alumus from the Class of 2008.  Mr. Ryan is an educator and a successful author of childrens’ books,  as well as, other books for the general public. 

1) What inspired you to write books?
That’s a hard question to answer precisely. It’s something that I’ve always gravitated towards and came naturally for me. English was always my best subject in school, and I always loved to write, whether it was a paper analyzing a story we’d read in class or a retelling of a book I’d read or a TV show I’d watched. Oftentimes, I would sit there in class and come up with story scenes in my head, usually based on movies, and, when I had free time, usually scribbled an introduction to an idea for a book that came to me. Being that I was always a creative person, and interested in the imagination in general, I always needed some outlet to channel that energy through. With writing, it was always practical and easy for me—ideas for stories usually come to me in the form of books—and being that I was studying English in college, that seemed like the logical choice.

(Featured Character(s) for Randy’s upcoming work-see below )

2) How long does it take to write a book?
That depends on what type of book it is. A manuscript for one of my children’s books ranges from 1500 to 2000 words, so they usually only take about a day or two at most. In the case of my novels, which are both over 100,000 words, they each took roughly a year to write and revise.

3) How long have you been writing books?
I’ve been publishing for the past seven years. As far as writing goes, it’s something I’ve been doing my entire life, at least as far back as first or second grade. I find that the process grows more interesting by the day, and I can never quite seem to get enough of it, whether I am telling a story or writing an academic piece or even answering interview questions!

4) Do you have any new books on the way?
Yes! Quite a few, in fact. I’ve published five books total, three for children and two for adults, but I’ve written nine additional manuscripts and am currently working on a tenth one, all of which I’m hoping will be picked up by either Penguin or Random House, a couple of major publishers from New York City who I’ve been in talks with. They range across a wide expanse of genres, including more general fiction/children’s fantasy books from my “Hunter” series, as well as two youth novels with creepy and comedic elements, and a third novel which will be the last chapter of a trilogy dealing with all kinds of supernatural and horror themes.

5) How many schools have you been at showing/reading your books to kids?
Part of being an author, I always tell people, is visiting schools and setting up speaking engagements. It is a great way to promote, not to mention getting people, especially students, passionate about reading and writing. All in all, I’ve spoken to seven schools, in front of all the students and staff (and sometimes parents, like when I was the guest speaker at the scholastic book fair at an elementary school in Ohio). I’ve even spoken in front of teachers and librarians specifically, including the time when I was the guest of honor at this fancy dinner in Warren held by a reading council. I think this is one of the most fun and rewarding parts of the job.

6) Do you have any recommendations or tips on writing books?
A lot of writers, myself included, will give just about anybody the exact same advice when asked this question. Kids always ask me: I want to be a writer when I get older. What should I do? The answer is quite simple and, if you’re truly passionate about it, a fun one too. Read as much as you can and write as much as you can. Those are really the only two things you can do. Teachers and professors can help steer you in the right direction as well. I know there are a lot of mine who have. But when it really comes down to it, I think you must do those two things above all else. As far as reading goes, read whatever you can get your hands on, not just one particular-writer or genre. This way, you get exposed to a wider range of language, sentence structure, and different styles; you take them all in without even realizing it. And the writing is something that just needs to happen. As they say, practice, practice, practice. But with writing, it will never make perfect. Writing is a lifelong learning experience, and you can always better yourself. Don’t make excuses, ever. There’s no time to say: “I don’t feel like it today,” or “I’m too busy,” or, and this is one I really don’t like, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” It doesn’t have to be the same extent every day, and it probably won’t be, given the business of our lives. You still need to find the time to do it if it’s something you want to excel at. It’s as simple as that. I would ultimately suggest to just be creative, and don’t worry about whether it’s good or bad, or if anybody else likes it or not. Be yourself, be passionate, and write what’s meaningful.