Q&A With Carrie Ann Ryan 

Today’s Q&A is with Carrie Ann Ryan who is the author of contemporary and paranormal romance books. Her many series of books are on the USA Today & New York Times Bestsellers lists. 

Q: What is it about contemporary and paranormal romance that you love writing so much? When in your life did you realize that writing was your calling?

A: I truly love writing HEAs. Honestly, I love figuring out how characters can come together and fit with one another. I started writing romance around 12 years ago and am so blessed to still be able to do it!

Q: Do you prefer writing paranormal romance or contemporary romance more? 

A: I actually love alternating! Both have their struggles and their fun parts and I have to go about writing them differently. I have so much fun doing so though!

Q: What is your advice to new writers on how to deal with negativity whether it’s from friends and family members who aren’t supportive of their goals, online trolls and negative reviews? 

A: I think right now we are in a world where it feels like many negative things are bombarding us all at once. For friends and family, perhaps they need to understand what you’re doing. If not? Then it’s not for them and I try to look at how that reaction reflections my relationship. I have been lucky in that the friends and family that I’m closest to all support me. And those who were negative were easily walked away from. 

As for negative reviews, those aren’t for me. Reviews are for readers and I stay away from that. 

Q: What is your advice to aspiring authors on how to deal with writers block?

A: The first thing I say is to read. Reread your favorites and then get into the frame of mind that got you here. Then…put your butt in the chair (or on your walking treadmill!) and see if you can write. My “block” comes from wanting to read or do the 1039403 other things I have to do, not necessarily writing itself. Once I have the first sentence, I can usually find my path.

I’m also a heavy plotter so if I find that I cannot write what comes next, it means it’s not correct and I need to go back and tweak a bit.

Q: Is it fair to say that the characters and places you created in your novels are based off of anyone you know and any places you’ve been? I like how even though authors create people and places, that they can sometimes be inspired from real people and places to create fictional ones. 

A: Places for sure! I tend to write places that I’ve been to or want to go to and usually make up things about it so I can play around with the plot. People? Not so much. Maybe some instances there’s a piece of a memory of a person, but I don’t tend to write real people or circumstances in my books. Mostly because I’m always afraid they’ll read it and then we realize I was wrong! LOL

Q: If you’re writing a new novel now, can you reveal any details?

A: I’m currently working on Stay Here With Me (Wilder Brothers Book 5)! It’s a singer song writer heroine + grumpy handyman hero. 

She’s in the public eye and people assume all of her songs are about her exes. So of course, things are going to get sparkly here soon.

Q: Does Hollywood have the rights to your novels? 

A: I own all of my rights right now but you never know!