Author Spotlight: Ryan O'Leary

Hello Ryan, thank you for taking the time to do this interview for Jen's Book Reviews

 

Let's start of by asking, what got you into writing? How did you decide to publish your work?

 

Hello, Jen. Great to be here, thanks for having me. Writing?Hmmmm. Well, I always say, “We all have a story inside of us that we want to tell and I think we should.” I know, it’s not a great saying, it won’t go down in history, but it’s how I feel. I always had these stories playing in my head, so I figured, why not take a stab at trying to write them down. So I did and here we are. As far as publishing them, well, I read an article online about how the ebook market was flourishing and how it was becoming easier to self-publish books online now, instead of relying on a publisher to publish for you, so I gave it a shot and again, here we are.

 

Tell us a little about yourself?

 

Not much to tell, I’m a pretty normal guy, I just happen to have an overactive imagination, so I write.

 

I will say I was surprised to see a male author whose work got me curious to read more. Have you gotten any other readers tell you this before?

 

I don’t hear much from people who have read my stuff. Which is fine, I don’t expect feedback, unless someone feels compelled to share. I will tell you that because of the genre I write, which is erotic, I do have the fear that a lot of potential female readers will see the male name on the cover and automatically dismiss it as porn, that the pages will be filled with nothing but guys getting blowjobs and having hot three-ways with co-eds, but that’s not what I write. Of course there is hot sex in there, at least I hope, but I try to make the stories about something more than just the sex. My favourite parts to write are the flirty moments, the exchanges between the male and female. Sure, the actual sex scenes are great, but the banter is the part I enjoy writing the most.

 

What genre would you describe your books to be?

 

Erotic. I liek sex and as such, I write sex.

 

What inspires you to write?

 

I can’t say anything ‘inspires’ me, I just write when I fell liek it, when there is a story in my head that I want to tell.

 

Do you outline your work before you begin writing or do you just let inspiration hit you?

 

There is always a plan. I usually have an ending in mind first, then work towards that. Outlines are great to have, but as most writers will tell you, you rarely stick to them.

 

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?  

 

I was about twenty and bored. I was looking for a project, something to do, something interesting, so I decided to write a movie script. I can’t say for sure why I choose that, but I figured it would give me some sort of creative outlet, so I did. When that was done, I figured, why not write a book. So I did, and I’vebeen doing it for fun ever since.

 

Who is your favorite author in your genre and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

 

Sable Hunter of course. Aside from the heat she brings to her stories, it’s the way she moves the reader, how she takes you on a rollercoaster. There’s humour and pain and triumph and defeat and at the end, you want to know more. I think every authourstrives to be able to write liek that, but few authours in this world have that kind of talent and Sable just has it.

 

I love the covers to your books, how do you come up with what you want on the cover?

 

I look at a ton of pictures on photo websites.

 

Anybody in particular that helps you design it?

 

Barb Caruso helps me, she puts the cover together based on the pics I find her, or she suggests to me. She does the first mock-up, then shows me and we work on it together, but there usually isn’t much to work on, because she does such a good job. Sable is also invaluable, she has great ideas and liek Barb, she just seems to have this talent and eye for covers. I’m a guy and my books are more geared towards women, and as such, it’s harder for me to come-up with a cover that would appeal to the female eye, so having Barb and Sable there to say, “No, Ryan. That’s too pornish,” or, “I think the font is a little too masculine,” is great, because I can’t see it the way they do.

 

Do you have any advice for other writers?

 

Write and be prepared to work extremely hard if you want to be a successful. And be realistic. A lot of first time writers think that they will write a book and it will sell a bazillion copies and they’ll become this overnight success story, but that’s not reality. It’s good to dream and to hope, but have your eyes open to the reality of writing for profit.

 

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

 

Thank you.

 

Who are your favorite authors to read?

 

Aside from Sable? Well, I read a lot of Stephen King.

 

Can you share a little of your current work with us?

 

Right now I’m working on a Fourth Of July story with Sable. I won’t tell you too much, but I will tell you it involves fireworks. Both in the sky and in the bedroom.

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions for us!

 

My pleasure, and thanks for having me.

J’s Closet & Happy To Be Stuck With You

 ******Blurb*******

J's Closet: Volume 1 includes 7 short stories about Travis and his wife J thus far.

No head games, just fun games. Come along with J and her swoon-worthy husband Travis, as this sexy married couple explores the contents of J's extensive wardrobe. Whether they're in Travis' Charger, on a beach in Mexico or at a hot yoga class, J's got the right outfit to make Travis sit up and beg.

*Content Warning: intended for mature audiences 18+

http://amzn.to/1izUE4D

Happy To Be Stuck with You

****** Blurb******

Love at first sight? Travis Ross didn’t believe in it until he laid his eyes on a mysterious brunette across the room at a party. From the very first word out of her mouth, Travis is smitten by this feisty little girl with the one letter name. Just back from Mexico, Travis’ mystery girl is full of surprises, some exquisite and some not so nice, but no matter what fate throws at them, Travis is determined to keep them together, determined to win her heart and make sure she’s happy to be stuck with him forever. Find out what happened before J got her closet.

******Excerpt*******

 

“I wanna hear the rest of that song you were playing earlier,” J said absentmindedly as she ran a fingertip over the edge of a row of cereal boxes. We’d wandered into a small market. I wasn’t exactly sure what kind of store we’d walked into, but it looked like the kind of place my dad would have come to buy a twenty dollar, organic peach he could brag about later. I wasn’t that familiar with this part of town, but the expensive suits that roamed the aisles with women who looked like the only bad habit they had was Louis Vuitton, made me think we’d walked into a yuppie supermarket. I took my phone out and pulled Huey back up. “You mean, you want to hear the rest of our song.” I couldn’t help myself. The idea that J and I had our own song, had me smiling from ear to ear and her face glowed radiant when she smiled back at me. She took my free hand in hers. “Can I hear it?” “Hear what?” She squeezed my hand and nibbled on her bottom lip. “Our song.” A blast of ice ran across my spine and I shook my arms out. I pulled J into me.” Say it again.” “What? Our song?” I collapsed to the ground. “Travis!” J shrieked and kneeled beside me. “Are you okay?” I kept my eyes closed and hit the play button on my phone. Huey was back. I sang the first few lines from the floor, eyes still closed. “You know what this song is, right?” “Huey something and the news?” J said from above me. I opened my eyes. “It’s our song.” I sat up on an elbow and pulled J awkwardly in for a kiss. She rocked on her feet and almost fell over. “Travis.” God, I loved the way my name sounded rolling off her lips. “Our song,” I said and bounded up. I cranked the volume as loud as I could and Huey echoed in the store. A nerdy kid wearing a blue smock appeared at the end of the aisle and leered at us. I held the phone up to him. “Know what this is, kid?” “No,” he responded. I put my arm around J. “It’s our song.” I motioned with a finger, back and forth at J and myself. “Okay,” the nerdy kid said. “It’s not your song,” I said. “It’s not his song.” I pointed to a guy on his phone. “It’s our song.” I motioned to J and myself again. Phone guy looked J up and down and then into my eyes. “Yeah. She’s with me, Pal. Back to your call you go.” Was I taunting them a bit? Maybe. Being obnoxious? Oh, for sure, but my head was swimming. I felt ten feet tall. Fuck that! I felt a hundred and ten feet tall with J on my arm, so maybe I was being a little cocky, but when you had a girl who made you feel the way J made me feel, you were allowed to be that way.

http://www.amazon.com/Happy.../dp/B00HUB492M/ref=sr_1_1…

*****Bio*****

Rarely will you find Ryan O'Leary in a state of rest; if he's not on the ice or kicking around a soccer ball, he's plotting his next story or out on the town with friends. His fun and flirty nature makes it possible for him to write the kind of romance that makes the reader both smile and tingle.

All J's Closet Series of eBooks Nominated in Goodreads Indie Authors Everybody Should Read - April 1, 2013

https://www.facebook.com/WriterRyanOLeary

http://www.amazon.com/Ryan.../e/B00BEJ2NUQ/ref=sr_tc_2_0…

https://twitter.com/team_oleary