AUTHOR INTERVIEW: FIVE MINUTES WITH PATRICK JAMES RYAN

Patrick James Ryan is a native of Columbus, Ohio and the popular author of the diverse short story collection, "Blood Verse," the bestselling novel at Black Bed Sheet Books ~ "The Night It Got Out" and his most recent release, "The Maggots Underneath The Porch." Patrick has appeared in numerous radio interviews and blogs and is a recognized as a popular new voice in the horror/suspense/thriller genre. Patrick is currently contracted with Black Bed Sheet Books and Publisher, Nicholas Grabowsky.

Could you tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

I am happily married to Molly, and we are blessed with three wonderful children: Colleen, Michael and Patrick. All three are Champion Irish Step Dancers and have been blessed with athleticism, participating in Football, Baseball, Basketball, Softball, Volleyball and Martial Arts. I have been in Martial Arts for 20+ years and I hold a second degree black belt in Shaolin Tiger Kung Fu. My school is run by the legendary Greg Greene and has a reputation for being rather barbaric in our training and fighting. I am a huge fan of Bruce Lee and I am supposedly considered to be an expert with Nunchakus, Knives, Sickles, Staff and many other classical Martial Art Weapons.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I come from a traditional Irish Catholic family, so Irish culture and heritage is a big part of life. We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a big way and I proudly carry my Great-Grandfather’s Blackthorne Stick in the parade that came over from County Kerry in 1868. I love to read a diverse swath of fiction from a variety of genres, in addition to a plethora of talented horror writers. I love sports, especially College football. I love classic rock music (Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Kansas, Black Sabbath, Heart, AC/DC, Def Lepard, etc.) I also love a wide variety of good movies, especially “Thriller/Suspense.” Family is very important, and we have a lot of fun together!

Other than the horror genre, what else has been a major influence on your writing?

As stated earlier, in addition to a huge spread of horror fiction, I love the following authors: John D. MacDonald (No one. I mean no one, can describe a scene and leverage prose like Macdonald. Try his Travis McGee series!) Others include: Michael Crichton, Stephen King, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Lee Child, Mark Twain, Robert Heinlein, J.R.R Tolkien, HG Wells, and Robert Louis Stevenson.


The term horror, especially when applied to fiction always carries such heavy connotations.  What’s your feeling on the term “horror” and what do you think we can do to break past these assumptions?

As the question suggests, I think some people can be turned off on horror. They erroneously view it as gratuitous violence and gore for the sole purpose to repulse or stimulate a cheap visceral shock effect.  In reality, Horror is very eclectic and transcends many genres, including suspense, drama, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, irony and mystery. There is something very instinctive and feral about the emotions of fear and terror that hits strongly and impacts our psyche as human beings in all of the aforementioned genres that all contain elements of “Horror.” Horror is both arousing and revolting simultaneously. Part of us does not want to know, but we can’t help wanting to see if the Boogey Man is in the closet, what caused the creak on the stair step in the wee hours of the morning, and if the heavy breathing coming from the woods is a monster wanting to lash out at the person strutting down the path. Horror conjures the powerful mental conflict of “Fight vs. Flight” like no other genre. It pits good versus evil. While a cliché, the term Truth is stranger than fiction is very true and sometimes horror gets too close to the morbid reality of life. Horrific things happen in the world and when we read horror fiction we are reminded of, and, humbled by, our vulnerability and human frailty. As authors, we can weave the virtues and actions of justice, empathy, nobility, redemption, punishment, honor, and morality into our horror fiction to touch readers on a deep emotional level in lieu of just mere carnage and terror.     

A lot of good horror movements have arisen as a direct result of the socio/political climate, considering the current state of the world where do you see horror going in the next few years?

Wow! Great question and tough to answer. So many potential topics. I think Apocalyptic fiction will be very popular. Things are getting pretty crowded around the world, so I could see a resurrection of stories like Soylent Green; I am Legend and many Twilight Zone episodes. Likewise, technology is moving so fast and seems to be getting out of control. I could envision stories about technology running amuck and creating horror. Finally, we could see a Sci-Fi/Horror story that is futuristic that showcases a collapse of the global economy where there are two classes of people: Ultra-rich and those reduced to a barbarian horde battling against each other.

What are the books and films that helped to define you as an author?

JAWS ~ the movie, The Exorcist ~ both, Stephen King’s work (especially Night Shift), Jack Ketchum’s: Off Season, John D. Macdonald’s books plus too many others to name!    

What new and upcoming authors do you think we should take notice off?

Of course I would love to be in this category, but I really like the work of Tim Curran, Hunter Shea, Craig Dilouie, and Joe McKinney. Brian Keene is very good, but he is pretty established. I also would recommend many of my brethren authors from Black Bed Sheet Books!

How would you describe your writing style?

My published work does not contain very much fluff. It grabs the reader immediately by the throat and is packed with non-stop action. I’ve been coined as very descriptive, especially when crafting a scene of gut wrenching suspense and violence. As I evolve, I am putting more investment into more in-depth character development and trying to hit a more mainstream audience.

Are there any reviews of your work, positive or negative that have stayed with you?

I was honored to get a very great review from Horror After Dark on my novel, The Night It Got Out: http://www.horrorafterdark.com/2016/02/4914/
 
I also was most intrigued at the feedback I received from Char’s Horror Corner on my Short Story collection, Blood Verse: http://charlene.booklikes.com/

What aspects of writing to do you find the most difficult?

Editing! I think we all make our own worst proof readers. Additionally, the occasional writer’s block when the words just suddenly seem to dry up.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author?

Graphic sex. It just doesn’t do anything for me and I don’t like writing about it, although I am not a prude! Just ask Molly! LOL! 

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?

Character names range from very important to a quick combination of things I see around the room or a song I am jamming to while writing. The former are well thought out in an effort to resonate well with my audience while the latter would be akin to extras on a movie set.
 
Writing, is not a static process, how have you developed as a writer over the years? 

I believe school is never out in this profession. I am constantly open to feedback from other authors, professional reviewers and readers. I have learned to be thick skinned and vigilant about being coachable and receptive to criticism. I believe I am at a stage now where future work will not only be very grammatically sound, but characters will be much more developed and empathetic to my readers.  Additionally, get rid of your ego! Listen to your readers, for without them we would have no audience. Finally, write, write, write, and write more! Like any trade, skill or physical endeavor, writing requires practice. The more one writes, the better one gets!

What tools do you feel are must-haves for writers?         

We all have blind sides, so a great editor is a must! I am fortunate to now have a retired University English Professor getting her magic red pen out and ripping my prose and grammar where appropriate!  Social Media is also a must in our contemporary society. Short of several thousand dollars for you or your publisher to park an ad about your book in a major newspaper, social media is the best way to promote your work! I have also enjoyed the privilege of networking with other authors. 

What is the best piece of advice you ever received with regards to your writing?

“Believe in yourself. Don’t listen to the naysayers, cynics or troll-like critics. They are not going anywhere, you are!”

Getting your worked noticed is one of the hardest things for a writer to achieve, how have you tried to approach this subject?

As mentioned in the previous question, I have navigated the crazy waters of Social Media on all of the following: Facebook, Twitter, Good Reads.com, and Linked-In. Additionally, reaching out to quality reputable reviewers has been a great process for me along with numerous appearances on radio blog shows. 

To many writers, the characters they write become like children, who is your favorite child, and who is your least favorite to write for and why?

The vicious monster in the The Night It Got Out became like a family pet when I was writing that fast paced novel. The more I developed the creature, the more I loved conjuring up each bloodthirsty characteristic. I was also very fond of Barney Johnson in the novella, Road Rage Bigot from Blood Verse. Imagine Archie Bunker on Steroids and that is Barney. It was both daring and a little fun to step outside myself and my own beliefs and be an obnoxious bigot when writing that story. (Don’t worry, Barney turns out ok, but I won’t say how or why!) At the risk of sounding arrogant, I don’t have a least favorite character yet!

What piece of your own work are you most proud of?

The Night It Got Out is the most commercially successful with its fast paced action and plenty of blood and guts. It is a real page turner. However, I am most proud of the short story collection, Blood Verse because of the wide range of stories. It contains suspense, irony, horror, terror, gore and a variety of traditional and non-traditional horror characters.
 
And are there any that you would like to forget about?

So far, no!

For those who haven’t read any of your books, which of your books do you think best represents your work and why?

Blood Verse as mentioned above. I think there is something in the collection for everyone with its diversity of subject material and many risks taken in tackling a variety of non-traditional themes.

Do you have a favorite line or passage from your work, and would you like to share it with us?

Here is a scene from The Night It Got Out where the monster enters a grocery store from the back warehouse room:

 The young man gasped having difficulty breathing
as blood filled the punctured lung.
“Must…call…….police…….Get….………a……g-ggun….
qui….qui…..quick!”
“Get a what?” Mr. Business Suit said. “Did he say
gun?”
The pounding got steadily louder with each blow.
“What’s that pounding noise?” Bonnie asked.
Everyone stopped talking and simultaneously
turned toward the stock room door.
THUNK………THUNK..….…..THUNK…...…
…THUNK….…..THUNK.
“What is that noise?” a petite redheaded
housewife new to the scene asked.
“We better call an ambulance and the police,” Mr.
Business Suit said.
The butcher, Alex Pursell from the meat
department, walked over to examine the noise coming
from the door; a look of irritation marked his full,
round face. “What the hell is going on here? Who in
the hell is banging on that god damned door? Why is
the door shut?” he asked in a booming voice to
everyone and no one; the latter responding to his
boisterous questions.
THUNK…….…THUNK…….…THUNK….…
…THUNK….……THUNK………THUNK.
More people from other aisles started to gather
from a distance, curious about the unusual scene
unfolding in the store.
The injured man choked and struggled to move,
grabbing the arm of Mr. Business Suit.
“Don’t…..let…..it…..get……out…must….get…….”
The man gasped again and abruptly coughed up blood
on the hem Bonnie Hufstetler’s cream colored dress.
With a final sigh, the gasping stopped and his eyes
stayed open staring up at the large ceiling duct work.
The relentless pounding continued and intensified.
THUNK….…THUNK…THUNK…THUNK……
….THUNK…THUNK.
Mr. Business Suit reached for his cell phone to call
the police.
Suddenly, another large THUNK was
accompanied by the ripping noise of metal hinges
rupturing out of the door frame. Bonnie jumped back
and grabbed the donuts to her chest in a defensive
posture.
“What the fuck!” the butcher said, moving away
from the door.
The THUNKS continued until the door exploded
outward with several large bolts clattering to the floor.
The collective group of shoppers jumped back and
watched in amazement and horror as a hairy
caricature of an ape with canine features, covered in
blood, hopped through the door and landed right next
to the butcher.
Bonnie dropped the donuts. The Millers clung to
each other shaking, and Mr. Business Suit gurgled out
spittle onto his tie and dropped the cell phone. Sharp
intakes of breath and cries were heard all around as
people froze at the spectacle before them. The
butcher stared at a bloody beast that was
unfathomable for his limited imagination; all he could
do was stand there and stare.
The monster’s arms began to move like helicopter
propellers, claws tearing into the butcher’s flesh. A
bloody dismembered arm landed in the Miller’s
shopping cart on top of a six pack of Pepsi and a bag
of frozen corn. A second later, the head sailed
between Bonnie and Mr. Business Suit like a missile,
striking a door in the frozen chicken section with such
velocity and force that the glass shattered and the
head flopped down on a stack of bagged chicken
tenders.

Can you tell us about your last book, and can you tell us about what you are working on next?

My last book was a novella, titled: The Maggots Underneath The Porch. It is a coming of age story about a nucleus of 13-14 year old boys in a rural neighborhood circa 1975. They are playing Little League Baseball, collecting baseball cards and beer cans, dazzled by the phenomenon of the first summer movie blockbuster ~ JAWS with raging hormones responding to physical developments with their female classmates over the summer. This is all set against a horrific event that shatters their friendships forever. It was my attempt to replicate something like Stephen King’s “The Body” but in the 1970’s versus the 1950’s.
 
I am currently waiting for the release of a second short story collection that has been completed, and working on the first of in a series of 10 novels about a Warrior who fights demons from Hell, and a mainstream thriller novel about a homicide detective who is trying to stop a horrible serial killer.
 
If you could erase one horror cliché what would be your choice?

I have a couple: The overuse of dark settings. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some horror during the daytime? Overutilization of horror books with Zombies. While there are many great Zombie books out in publication ~ many of which I have read and enjoyed, they are becoming a little trite. While I have thought of writing my own version of a Zombie story, I can’t bring myself to do it with this level of saturation.


What was the last great book you read, and what was the last book that disappointed you?

Interestingly, the last really great book I read was NOT fiction. It was Viktor Frankl’s, Mans Search For Meaning. Very powerful! 

As for disappointing, I won’t say as I don’t want to discourage a fellow author!

What's the one question you wish you would get asked but never do?  And what would be the answer?

“Mr. Ryan, would you like a $250,000 advance with 2% movie royalties for The Night It Got Out?” ……………….And of course, my response would be a resounding, “YES!!!!”

Jimmy Turner is terrified. Very frightening things are happening in the neighborhood and he can’t figure out why. The Maggots Underneath the Porch is a powerful coming-of-age novella circa 1975. In the midst of a mid-West group of teens who are collecting baseball cards and beer cans, experiencing the cultural impact of JAWS, playing little league baseball, blasting guitar God rock music on ghetto blasters, a ravenous abomination is about to unleash death and mayhem on their unsuspecting rural community! Will any of them survive? And how many in the town will become victims before its carnage can be stopped? Beware the lurking danger that festered and formed amidst the rotting filth of The Maggots Underneath the Porch!

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