Author Interview - Ryan Hill

Time for another author interview. This time it's "Ryan Hill", writer of "The Book of Bart'. Thanks to the author for making time for us and also to the wonderful people at "Curiosity Quills" who made this possible.

My questions for "Ryan Hill" -

1) Welcome to the blog and thanks for talking to me. So, why don't you start by telling us a bit about your new novel 'Book of Bart'?

Thank you so much for having me! "The Book of Bart" is about a demon forced to work with an angel in training to find a powerful religious relic before a mysterious being can get to it first. Their search leads them to go undercover as high school students. Think "Fletch" meets John Hughes, except the main character is a demon and not Chevy Chase.

2) As far as I can tell this is your first book for adults, how does it feel may I ask?

It's very exciting, but equally terrifying. Exciting in that my work will be unleashed upon the world, but terrifying because MY WORK WILL BE UNLEASHED UPON THE WORLD.

3) Will you give any advice for aspiring authors who want to be published?

Everyone says this, but just keep writing. The more you write, the more you learn, the better your writing will be. And the better your writing, the better your chances of getting published. Also, remember there is no one set road to getting published. Everybody's route is different. Network with other writers. Twitter has made this easier than ever. Find people to read your work that aren't friends of family, someone who will honestly evaluate and critique your work. Lastly, embrace constructive criticism. It almost always makes your work better.

4) So what genre would you describe your new novel belonging to and why? Or whose taste would it cater to in your opinion?

The genre is paranormal, since the book is full of demons, angels, and a buffet of otherworldly creatures. It's a very silly, sarcastic book, and anyone who's a fan of Christopher Moore's works would (hopefully) enjoy "The Book of Bart." Basically anyone who likes to laugh or read will enjoy it.

5) Tell us a bit about your protagonist 'Bart', if you will?

Bart is like a well-dressed Han Solo. A scoundrel of the highest order. When we meet him, he's at the lowest point in his existence. He'd been serving out a punishment for trying to take over Hell, and now he's forced to work with an angel in training, or face an even worse punishment. Having been around since the dawn of time, Bart grew tired of the typical demonic shenanigans eons ago. He likes to make a game of things to keep his interest. He likes to think he's really good at being a demon, but in actuality he isn't. At all.

6) Did you read any good book recently?

I'm currently in the middle of reading Christopher Moore's "Sacre Bleu." It's quite good, and the level of detail Moore presents with 19th century French painters is astounding. It's also really funny.

7) Will you tell us a bit about your future projects?

I have a zombie novel, "Dead New World," coming on Oct. 13 from Curiosity Quills. Other than that, I'm putting the finishing touches on a manuscript for submission to CQ, then I'm diving head first into a sequel to "The Book of Bart," which I'm calling "Bart of Darkness."

About the Author -

Growing up, Ryan Hill used to spend his time reading and writing instead of doing homework. This resulted in an obsession with becoming a writer, but also a gross incompetence in the fields of science and mathematics. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Ryan has been a film critic for over five years. He lives in Raleigh, NC, with his dog/shadow Maggie. Ryan also feels strange about referring to himself in the third person.
Social Links:  
 Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads
 

About "The Book of Bart" -

Only one thing is so powerful, so dangerous that Heaven and Hell must work together to find it: the Shard of Gabriel.

With a mysterious Black Cloud of Death hot on the shard’s trail, a desperate Heaven enlists the help of Bart, a demon who knows more about the shard than almost anyone. Six years ago, he had it in his hands. If only he’d used it before his coup to overthrow the devil failed. Now, he’s been sprung from his eternal punishment to help Samantha, an angel in training, recover the shard before the Black Cloud of Death finds it.

If Bartholomew wants to succeed, he’ll have to fight the temptation to betray Samantha and the allure of the shard. After an existence full of evil, the only way Bart can get right with Hell is to be good.
 Is Being published on May 22, 2014 by "Curiosity Quill Press".

PS: I am currently reading this book, full review of the book coming in a few days.