Author Archives: chrisryanwrites

About chrisryanwrites

I do my best to tell fast-paced stories with humor and heart. My fiction work is available on amazon.com. Here, I’ll write about the sources for those stories from what I read, watch, listen to, and observe to my experiences as a former award-winning journalist, high school teacher, actor, and producer.

Why Christine McVie’s Passing Hits Some of Us So Hard

Posted on December 1, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

By Christopher Ryan I’m not what would be recognized as a Fleetwood Mac fanatic, hardcore fan, or, um, even official fan. I’m just a music fan who spent my teen years in the 70’s and 80’s. And that means Christine … Continue reading →

Posted in Christine McVie, classic rock, Fleetwood Mac, Music, pop culture, writing | Tagged #America, #ChristineMcVie, #FleetwoodMac, #music, #womenwriters, #writerslife | Leave a comment

WTF Wednesday: How Did This Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Gem Stay Hidden So Long?

Posted on December 1, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

When I first stumbled onto today’s topic in the morning, my plans for this particular blog were completely different. Then I hit play. After a startling 72 tracks shimmying across more than four hours (including banter) I am convinced that … Continue reading →

Posted in #community, book recommendations, Music, partying, pop culture, self-publishing, The Waitresses, TomPetty&TheHeartbreakers, writing | Tagged #music, #America, #classicrock, TomPetty&TheHeartbreakers, #rockalbumoftheyear, #LiveatTheFillmore1997, #recordreview #TomPetty | Leave a comment

Music Monday – The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special Soundtrack Should be Part of Your Christmas Party Playlist

Posted on November 28, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan Christmas revelers have been listening to holiday music for decades. Bing. The Rat Pack. Elvis. Motown. Philly Soul. The Ramones. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Mariah. The list is endless. And many out there may know the … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Christmas Music, Fountains if Wayne, GuardiansofTheGalaxy, Hanoi Rocks, holiday hits, JamesGunn, Julian Casablancas, Kevin Bacon, Low, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Music, Old 97’s, partying, pop culture, The Pogues, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Waitresses, The Wombats, writing | Tagged #amwriting, #Christmasplaylists, #classicrock, #FernandoDuran, #FountainsofWayne, #GuardiansoftheGalaxyHolidaySpecial, #HanoiRocks, #holidayhits, #JulianCasablancas, #KevinBacon, #Marvel, #MCU, #Old97’s, #ThePogues, #TheSmashingPumpkins, #TheWaitresses, #TheWombats, GuardiansofTheGalaxy, JamesGunn, Low | Leave a comment

WTF Wednesday: How to Survive Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

So this is Thanksgiving, And what have we learned? Another year older, And Charlie’s ego just got burned… While we welcome the idea of annually getting together to celebrate our gratitude, in theory anyway, negotiating the potential minefield of actually … Continue reading →

Posted in #dogs, America, family, Thanksgiving, toxicity, holiday stress,, writing | Tagged #America, #amwriting, #holidaysurvivaltips, #Thanksgiving, #toxicconversations, #toxicrelatives, family | Leave a comment

Music Monday: Roger Waters’ Comfortably Numb Video Makes Me Wish He’d Pull a Taylor Swift

Posted on November 21, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

I wandered onto YouTube last night and amid the “new releases” there was a video of “Comfortably Numb” by Roger Waters. Liking both the artist and the song, I innocently hit play. Mind blown. Not because it was part of … Continue reading →

Posted in 2022, Music, pop culture, Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, Comfortably Numb, The Wall, classic rock, writing | Tagged #amwriting, #classicrock, #ComfortablyNumb, #ComfortablyNumb2022, #Dystopian, #music, #PinkFloyd, #RogerWaters, #RogerWatersComfortablyNumb2022, #Storytelling, #TheWall | Leave a comment

WTF Wednesday: He’s Back, Uninvited

Posted on November 17, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

By Christopher Ryan I agree with the often expressed notion that it shouldn’t be this hard to talk about things. But it is. Let’s talk anyway. Somebody declared his intention to run for the office of the President of these … Continue reading →

Posted in #community, #election, #inspiration, #POTUS, #voting, #WeThePeople, America, healing, horror fiction, Oil, POC,, politics, racism, America, writing | Tagged #America, #bipartisan, #cablenews, #crime, #Democrats, #election, #GenZ, #government, #IdeaofAmerica, #January6, #news, #newsoutlets, #POTUS, #Republicans, #socialmedia, #vote, #WriterWednesday | Leave a comment

Music Mondays: Bright Harmonies Defeat Politics

Posted on November 14, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

By Christopher Ryan We have an ongoing relationship with music. Sometimes old friends come back to visit. Other times, new sounds energize us wonderfully. This Monday series is about all of that. Like most of the country, I was just … Continue reading →

Posted in #amwriting, #election, Music, politics, pop culture, writing | Tagged #America, #amwriting, #BobDylan, #divisiveness, #GeorgeHarrison, #JeffLynne, #music, #MusicMondays, #RoyOrbison, #tensions #relaxation, #TomPetty, #TravelingWilburys | Leave a comment

Satanic Panic Novel Feels Timely in Our Divisive Times

Posted on October 9, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan Clay McLeod Chapman is currently on what looks like a fun book tour for Ghost Eaters and more power to him. While that intriguing book is on the ever-growing TBR list, his 2021 novel Whisper Down the … Continue reading →

Posted in #community, #reading, #WeThePeople, America, Book lovers, book recommendations, fiction, horror fiction, lying, pop culture, satanic panic, writing | Tagged #America, #amreading, #amwriting, #author, #BookBuzzr, #books, #ClayMcLeodChapman, #getcaughtreading, #horror, #Kindle, #Mystery, #readmorebooks, #satanicpanic, #Storytelling, #Suspense, writing | Leave a comment

Bono and The Idea of America

Posted on October 8, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan U2’s Bono spoke at the 23rd annual New Yorker Festival last night. Well, first he riled up the crowd, and sang, and recited new poetry, and sang some more. And then he ignited my soul. During his … Continue reading →

Posted in #amwriting, #community, #reading, #U2, #WeThePeople, America, Bono, Book lovers, digital publishing, ebook publishing, Faith, fiction, horror fiction, Music, New Yorker Festival, politics, pop culture, self-publishing, Spirituality, writing | Tagged #Amazon, #America, #AmericanSpirit, #amreading, #amwriting, #author, #authorlife, #Bono. #U2, #BookBuzzr, #books, #Dystopian, #ebook, #ePubChat, #eReaders, #getcaughtreading, #IndieAuthor, #IndiePub, #Kindle, #music, #publishing, #selfpublishing, #Storytelling, #theideaofamerica, #WriteMotivation, #writerslife, #WriterWednesday, #writestuff, #WroteToday, writing | Leave a comment

Stephen King Offers Gold for All in Fairy Tale

Posted on October 1, 2022 by chrisryanwrites

by Christopher Ryan Stephen King is 75 years old and at yet another thrilling peak of his writing powers with his new fantasy epic, Fairy Tale. This is, of course, reason to celebrate for his long-time “constant readers” as he … Continue reading →

Posted in #adventure, #amwriting, #community, #dogs, #inspiration, #reading, Book lovers, fantasy, fiction, horror fiction, pop culture, Stephen King, writing | Tagged #amreading, #amwriting, #author, #authorlife, #books, #ebook, #epicfantasy, #eReaders, #FairyTale, #getcaughtreading, #Literature, #Nook, #publishing, #StephenKing, #Storytelling, fantasy, writing | Leave a comment