Sheer heart attack
Sheer heart attack
Real cardiac
I feel so
Inar-inar-inar-inar-inar-inar-inar-inarticulate

-Queen, “Sheer Heart Attack”

*** Hi, I’m Christopher Ryan, a hybrid author with forty years of experience in journalism, education, sketch comedy, indie film, unions, community service, parenting, public speaking, acting, podcasting, but most often writing fiction, poetry, and pop culture essays. Now I’m working to discover what more I can achieve and share with the world, and whether an older author can find a place in the storytelling business. Together, let’s see if I can get there.

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NEWSish Stuff

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Upcoming live events

• StokerCon, Pittsburgh, PA, June 4-7
• And I should be at other places, but first things first….

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The latest episode of Tell The Damn Story features Teel James Glenn

It’s an hour with master storyteller Teel James Glenn, what else do you need? Big fun!

Here’s the link:

On Writing: Let the World in, it can set your creative soul on fire

I can’t do it on command, and I don’t want to. That would be like pimping the world. But every once in a while, things happening in the world take over my writing and I’m here to encourage you to let that happen with yours, even if it is only as a writing exercise. Every time I have, my best writing was the result.

I am a Kolchak The Night Stalker fan and years ago wondered “What if supernatural shenanigans happened in NYC, how would NYPD detectives deal?” I also wondered what a modern Dante’s The Divine Comedy would look like in modern New York City. Letting my imagination explore those questions resulted in my award-winning novel City of Woe and its sequel City of Pain, featuring my characters, detectives Mallory and Gunner.

When our current president was in the White House for Round One, the thing that were happening made me wonder where we were heading. My right brain asked “What if…” and the result was the novel A Simple Rebellion.

As Round Two came around, poetry suddenly took hold of me and I went with it, twice. The results were the horror tale told in verse It’s Been a Privilege and a last date/love letter to my beloved birthplace, America, We Need to Talk.

After I sort of found my footing as a member of the Horror Writers Association’s New York Chapter, and found the experience to be more welcoming than the sadly colder Mystery Writers Association, I wanted to pay back HWA’s initial welcome by creating something to support/contribute to that community, which lead to Soul Scream Antholozine, which will be publishing its eighth volume this summer. Then I asked how could I make this gateway Horror fest aimed at readers 12-to-100 more fun, which resulted in the Soul Scream staff and the adventures of The Revenants.

These days I have two WIPs that are really cooking in very different ways, and a finished novel getting prepped for market. Am I grateful? Every day.

And all of it happened because I ignored the internal editor’s negative nonsense and just went with the possibilities.

Did I need to do rewrites? Hell yeah. Lots of them. And then a few more. But it sets my soul free, and it can set yours free, too.

Let the world inspire you, and keep yourself open to “What if…” and you’ll love the results. Will it take real work, too? Yep. But I’m betting you wouldn’t have it any other way.

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A now a pic of a handsome fella

Sonny Mehlman, pictured left, has been getting selective about how he goes for walks and with whom. When it comes to me, he tends to step out of our house and sit on the porch. That’s it. Maybe he wants to give the geezer a break. Tuesday was such a beautiful day, I agreed. I made a video about it that does not want to upload here. It can be seen on my Facebook page. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CCEbmKkAk/

As you can see, Sonny wasn’t really that pleased about the video.

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Pop Culture Fuel

Currently reading a lot of Bukowski, some Marvel paperback collections, and the Stephen King editorial study I spoke about last time, Monsters in the Archives: My Year of . And listening to the audiobook The Franklin Scandal: A Story of Power brokers, Child Abuse & Betrayal by Nick Bryant.

Currently listening to The Traveling Wilburys (still) and Starz (still!).

Currently watching a lot of Marvel – Daredevil: Born Again and rewatching The Punisher, Seasons 1 & 2, The Fantastic Four: First Steps and The Thunderbolts. Good escapism for a weird world.

And, of course, I’m watching my wife Glorious constantly. I hope to watch her for another century. What a constant blessing!

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Well it’s alright, even if you’re old and gray
Well it’s alright, you still got something to say
Well it’s alright, remember to live and let live
Well it’s alright, the best you can do is forgive

-The Traveling Wilburys “End of the Line”

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All right, thanks for stopping by. Talk atcha next week.