Featured Interview With Author R.G. Ryan
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I grew up on the Central California coast in a sleepy little agricultural community called Watsonville, but I never tell people that’s where I’m from because no one has ever heard of it. I always say I’m from Santa Cruz. Almost everyone has heard of Santa Cruz. You know, “Surf City”; Steamer Lane; The Boardwalk; Redwoods; The Fighting Banana Slugs (I’m not making that up. The UCSC mascot is the lowly Banana Slug).
I attended a small, private university that was hidden away back among the redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountains. I majored in music composition with a minor in psychology, but I was a horrible student! Simply awful! I had no time for school. I was too busy playing bass, writing songs and performing with any one of several bands I had joined. It was a portent of things to come as at the age of nineteen I became regularly employed as a session musician up in the Bay Area of California. But it was at that funky little school that I met Cheri, the one true love of my life to whom I have been married for many adventuresome years.
I started writing seriously following a long and satisfying career in the music industry as a songwriter, recording artist, arranger, producer and director of A&R for a couple of record labels. As a songwriter I have over one hundred and fifty songs in publication worldwide and have produced over one hundred album projects.
I am the author of the popular Jake Moriarity series of novels; “The Voices In My Head,” (the life story of late Las Vegas entertainment icon, Danny Gans); two volumes of Snapshots At St. Arbuck’s ™; Father Jack Mahoney Mysteries, Eddie Lombard Mysteries, the Trouble in Heaven fantasy series, and numerous stand alone novels. I live with my first wife on the coast of somewhere beautiful, i.e. San Diego. Can sing a little.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
When I was eight my mom gave me a library card. I wore that thing out! I wrote my first short story at the age of 13.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I tend toward fantasy and thrillers. John D. Mcdonald, Robert B. Parker, Lee Child, David Baldacci, Tolkein, Lewis, et al.
Robert B. Parker has been my biggest inspiration.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
Trouble in Heaven, co-written with J.C. Worthington, is a high concept, sweeping epic fantasy series.
Shamayim. A perfect place, filled with perfect beings, all living in perfect peace. It was as The Alpha had always imagined it to be in unfathomable ages past. But when Son of the Dawn, his highest created being, chose to follow his own selfish ambitions—going so far as to boast about taking The Alpha’s throne—there was trouble.
Michael and Gabriel, chief amongst The Alpha’s seven archangels, had been close to Son of the Dawn to the extent of being inseparable. When he chose to rebel, attempting to persuade angels under Michael and Gabriel’s direct command to join him, it felt like betrayal. But that didn’t come close to the pain they felt when he took a third of the angelic host and left, for he wasn’t just leaving Shamayim and The Alpha…he was leaving them. When he finally declared all-out war against the Realm, the betrayal was complete.
Committed to honoring the freedom of choice He had embedded within each of His created beings, The Alpha watched sorrowfully as consequence followed consequence with Son of the Dawn growing ever more bold in his revolt. Believing that there was nothing The Alpha could create that he couldn’t corrupt, his rebellious stain began to spread throughout The Alpha’s creation. What had been meant for timeless tranquility had now dissolved into trouble…Trouble in Heaven.
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