BooksChatter: ℚ The Ryo Myths [1-3]

Friday, 14 August 2015

ℚ The Ryo Myths [1-3] - Perrin Pring

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Perrin Pring to talk about her sci-fi / fantasy series, The Ryo Myths.

Author Q&A | The Series | About the Author | Giveaway & Tour Stops

Hello Perrin, welcome to BooksChatter.

What was the inspiration for The Ryo Myths?

"When I first started writing The Ryo Myths, I was reading Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, and I was watching a lot of Stargate SG-1. The Wheel of Time series is a fantasy epic, and magic is a big player in those books. Stargate SG-1 is a sci-fi show about a team of people who travel through black holes and use science to figure out the rules of the new planets they explore. I wanted to write a series that involved both magic and science. What came of that desire was The Ryo Myths. "

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"I think that all books in some way reflect their authors. I’ve read interviews with authors who say their books don’t contain any aspects of them, but I don’t think that’s possible. For me, each new book I write is more consciously distant from who I view myself to be, but that doesn’t mean that my views and opinions aren’t reflected in the story. In The Ryo Myths, I didn’t base any characters off of myself or people I know, but I did use qualities from friends, as well as qualities I wish to one day have in, the creation of my characters. I also draw heavily on my experiences to make the story come alive. I live a pretty active life and am always trying new things. From these new experiences I gain insight in how to create real characters and worlds. I believe in the Hemingway way of writing, which is that if you don’t go out and try new things and gain new experiences, you won’t have anything to write about. "

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for The Ryo Myths - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"When I got picked up with Glastonbury Publishing, my first book, Appointment at the Edge of Forever, originally had a different cover. After book one was released, my friend, Brian Hogan, offered to design the series covers, and we re-released Appointment at the Edge of Forever with a cover that matched the final two books, Tomorrow is Too Late and The Degrees of Destiny.

I love the covers, and I think Brian did a great job with them. A major aspect of each book is reflected in it’s cover. The first book, Appointment at the Edge of Forever, has Didrik on it. Didrik’s the talking book and he is a key player in getting the story moving. The second book, Tomorrow is Too Late, has the crew’s ship, the Dark Horse, on it, as well as the rogue planet. I think that is cool because for a while, none of the characters can actually see the rogue planet, so I think it’s neat that the reader can see it on the cover. On the cover of the third book, The Degrees of Destiny, Ryo is falling through space, and it is in The Degrees of Destiny that Ryo takes a fall. I think The Degrees of Destiny’s cover is the most dramatic, which is fitting since it is the end of the trilogy. It’s my favorite cover. "

Why should we read The Ryo Myths and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes this series unique?

"The Ryo Myths are what most sci-fi fans consider a space opera. That being said, I’ve had a lot of people tell me that they loved the books, even though they never read science fiction. I think what’s interesting about The Ryo Myths is that it is most certainly science fiction, after all its about a group of humans and aliens flying around in a space ship battling evil gods, but it is accessible to those who don’t consider themselves ‘sci-fi fans’. The story isn’t about the nitty gritty theoretical physics of time dilation or black hole travel. It’s about the characters. I wanted to write a story that took place in space because a cool thing happens to characters when they are all stuck in a confined space (i.e. a spaceship) in a stressful situation. They have to interact with each other and grow with each other. I write stories about people, even if those people are aliens. If you like stories about characters you’ll remember, you should read The Ryo Myths. "

Can you tell us something quirky about The Ryo Myths, its story and characters?

"Red was my favorite character to write. I’ve spent a lot of time working in all male environments and he is an amalgamation of a lot of people and interactions I’ve had while being the lone lady in a work place. I love Red because he can always be counted on to spice up the story, but he’s also a bit of jerk sometimes. He was the easiest character to write because I instantly knew him. "

Who would you recommend The Ryo Myths to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"I wrote my book using made up swear words, no sex scenes and mild violence. I wanted all ages and demographics to be able to enjoy it, if they so choose. The books are safe for young adults. "

If you could / wished to turn The Ryo Myths into a movie, who would be your dream team?

"Ahh, I don’t know. I don’t really follow the Hollywood scene. I would say that I hope that the cast of the crew would actually be racially diverse, rather than just having Caucasian people play all of the characters. I think it would also be pretty cool if someone of color played Wiq, even though they would be covered in white makeup. "

What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?

"When I started writing long pieces, I started with non-fiction, moved onto creative non-fiction, then just literary fiction, and then finally I found sci-fi, and I never looked back. I love writing sci-fi because it allows me to talk about current issues without making them the central piece of the book. For example, when I wrote The Ryo Myths, many states didn’t allow gay marriage, so I just had a couple of the main characters be gay and be married. These character’s sexual orientation isn’t central to the plot, they just are who they are. I don’t have to get into all the implications of having two gay characters because it’s sci-fi and there are more important things going on, like fighting the evil gods who are threatening to enslave the entire universe.

I do like to read sci-fi, but I will read everything from non-fiction to graphic novels to plays. I try to read as diversely as possible because I find it makes me a better writer when I experience a variety of writing types."

What is your writing process?

"I typically sit down and pound out a working first draft. This past winter, I had three months where I wasn’t working, and I was able to get the rough draft of my newest project done in 6 weeks, then I did a thorough edit and got a working first draft done in another 6 weeks. After that I usually send the book to advanced readers, and I let it sit for about 6 months. I come back to it in the fall, usually after my busy season at work, then I read the entire thing out loud and have my computer read it back to me. My editing process takes me the longest, and it’s the hardest for me to do. I’m not really good at attention to the smallest detail, and it is very tedious. "

What is in store next?

"The project I was just talking about is a stand alone book. Its premise involves time travel, but it focuses on food and history, and it’s a romance. It’s more accessible than The Ryo Myths because it takes place on Earth, and there are no aliens. It’s probably my favorite thing I’ve written so far, so I’m excited to get it polished up and out there."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"While I love animals, I thought I’d share this picture of me after I finished eating one of my all time favorite fruits, a rambutan. Since my next novel is all about traveling for food, I thought I’d give you a picture that falls into that category."