Author Zachary Ryan

Author, Zachary Ryan is with us to talk about his writing. Ryan grew up in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status—and learned that it’s perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.



(Zachary Ryan pictured above )

Ryan writes coming of age, LGBT, and Young Adult novels. He likes to write books with heart. He's written several novels with a coming of age and heartfelt aspect. His novels include: Letters, Long Lost Friend, and The Fifth Coupon, along with his newest: Highschool Queen.Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls find comfort amid the chaos. 


Zachary, can you tell us something about your main character/s?

The main characters... I honestly truly enjoy Danielle and Calvin. I wanted to have a friendship that was pure and good among all the lying and backstabbing. I see a lot of myself in Calvin. I try to figure out my life, and I see the relationship between Calvin and Aman as much of what I had with my ex. I enjoy the idea of people trying to protect themselves. The characters are ruthless, and I want to be as cold-blooded as them sometimes. I enjoyed the idea of telling people off and not worrying about hurting people's feelings.


Tell us about your writing process and the way you brainstorm story ideas.

My writing process comes back to when I was in college and a professor told me to create these characters and follow them around and write what they do. I'm extremely character driven instead of plot. I write down some ideas of what I want to happen in the novel beginning and end, but the middle takes me for a surprise sometimes. I love when a character does something unexpected that I wasn't planning on them to do. I love being the writer and the reader at the same time. The beauty also is when I'm close to finishing a novel the next book will come to my mind, so I'm blessed that I don't get writer's block too much.

Where do your ideas come from?

My ideas come from music I listen to, books where I'm like I wish it went that way, so I'll do something different or just random life situations that would be a good book. I don't like drawing from my real life too much because I feel like that puts me too much into a box. I'll try to keep the person as real as them, and I find that very boring. I want to create someone so people fully love them or hate them without it affecting my personal relationships with people.

What were you like in high school?

I was actually popular and well known in high school. I did broadcasting, so people saw my face on the tvs once a week. I also worked a lot, so I didn't get to go to that many parties. My high school reunion is coming up, and I can't wait for it. I will say I won biggest gossip so maybe that's why I write these scandalous novels because I love the drama of it all.


Your book cover is intriguing how was it chosen?

My publishing company picked the cover. I fell in love with it instantly.I like that it's sexy, bitchy, and overall exciting. I wanted a cover to show these pretty girls doing campy things. Nothing says drama like putting on red lipstick and blowing a kiss to a person you just stabbed in the back.

That's all the time we have today folks. Ryan, thanks for being with us.