Inteview with Amy Kathleen Ryan

Give a warm welcome to guest author 

Amy Kathleen Ryan!

What would you like for readers to take away from your novel/novels?

Honestly, nothing specific other than the feeling they've just read a really good book. I hope that the story and ideas will stay with them for a while after they're done reading, but truly I think no book is the same for any two readers. Different people see different things. The best books are those that don't try to control readers too much, that allow people to draw their own conclusions.

Do you feel that aspiring writers should start out by writing what they know?

Yes and no. I think that people need to write the story that most burns inside of them to write. Usually what ends up happening is that they use what they know to build the story, whatever that may be.

How do the novels you write differ from the novels you enjoy reading?

Good question. I think I try to write books that I would enjoy reading. That's my only aesthetic. I like novels that don't get too bogged down in ponderous detail, that have a swift story that holds together logically, and that has interesting characters who behave in believably unpredictable ways. That's what I try to create when I'm writing.

If you could choose any part of the world to live in for just one year, where would you go and why?

I've always wanted to rent a chalet in Switzerland for at least a few months. I could hike in the mornings and write in the afternoons, or vice versa. But I'm a wandersome spirit. There are a million places I want to see someday.

What are your biggest concerns about people around the world currently?

We are losing the ability to talk to people who do not share our ethos. America especially is becoming frighteningly fragmented, and it's harming our political process. I think we've forgotten that, as a people, we share much more in common than what separates us. We are still one nation, and we've got to stop letting our leaders poison our dialogue with each other.

Thank you Amy for the wonderful interview and a big thanks to all of our readers for stopping by!