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Wednesday, 1 May 2024
Author Interview of Aaron Ryan
It is my pleasure to host author Aaron Ryan on my blog today. Volume I and Volume II of his Dissonance trilogy are available for purchase now. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the Dissonance trilogy and how it evolved over the course…
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the Dissonance trilogy and how it evolved over the course of writing the three books?
I really wanted to write a compelling sci-fi trilogy with aliens, guns, military, and set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic setting of a future Earth. However, I felt it really needed to be attainable: not set too far into a squeaky-clean and antiseptic future, but rather something where the odds are greatly stacked against our protagonists, and they're essentially eking out an existence in the shadows.
In "Dissonance: Volume I: Reality," readers are introduced to the world you've created. How did you go about world-building in your trilogy, and how does it develop throughout the series?
I really strove to achieve verisimilitude. I wanted it to feel tangible, not squeaky-clean and antiseptic futuristic fare like Star Trek, but gritty, earthy, flawed, needing an oil change, that sort of thing. Everything is rusty and overgrown. But under all that are REAL streets of Clarksville…real terrain and real highways between there and Mammoth Cave. REAL aircraft carriers and tanks and branches. Real locations all under the weight of an overgrown earth due to a gorgon invasion and occupation that has lasted sixteen long, hard years.
★★★★★ "Tension is incredibly high." ★★★★★ "My heart was thumping." ★★★★★ "Packs emotional and thematic depth." ★★★★★ "The ending left me both satisfied…and wanting more." ★★★★★ "Has you gripped!" ★★★★★ "It kept me turning pages."
"Dissonance: Volume II: Reckoning" suggests a turning point in the story. Without giving away spoilers, can you discuss how the plot escalates in the second book?
Ultimately, in Volume I Cameron Shipley, the main protagonist, experiences a massive calamity that serves as the catalyst for his thirst for justice and revenge. He is angry. He deserves answers. But he does receive great counsel from loved ones to encourage him to stay the course, stay honorable, and not pursue a personal vendetta. So, in the pursuit of duty, he obediently serves on a new mission that sees disturbing new revelations. Once again, he is lied to and deceived in order to further a nefarious agenda by the main antagonist. To his horror, something much bigger is going on, on two fronts: and Shipley is wanted by both sides, so he must choose. In the process of all of this, new enemies are revealed, as well as new confidants. It grows epically in its scope. The stakes are much, much higher in Volume II, and the action sequences are frightening and adrenaline-filled.
Have you already finished writing the third book?
I have! We're in editing, currently, but it's 431 pages, and is incredibly intense and massive in terms of the final conflict. I'm super proud of how it turned out.
What are the main themes of the trilogy, and how do they come together in the final book?
Justice is not the same as revenge. The only way out is through. And sometimes, the real enemy is the one that you don't see. These all coalesce for all the protagonists in the series, figuring out how they are to take action, and how they are to implement their counterstrike.
When do you plan to release the final instalment of the series?
The final installment, Dissonance Volume III: Renegade, will be published on my 51st birthday, May 18th, 2024. I'm beyond excited to share it!
From the first book to the upcoming third book, how has your writing style evolved, and what lessons have you learned about storytelling and narrative structure along the way?
I'm actually going back and rereading Volumes I and II as we speak, because Volume I has been picked up by a screenwriter in order to convert it to a screenplay for pitching to major streaming networks. I'm finding that the style was a bit more elementary at first, but the world-building takes time. I intended to start it a bit more innocently. That's the way all good stories and evolutions originate: in innocence. Knowledge is power. But knowledge demands answers and accountability. Thus, as you progress through the balance of Volume I and then move into Volume II, you'll find that there is an awareness on the part of the protagonist, understanding that there is much more going on than he was ever let in on. So, as I've written him (and his compatriots), I've had to strive for more of an awakening as they thread their way through the stories I've laid for them. But yes: Volume III is far more mature than Volume I in terms of the writing style. I have matured along with my protagonist.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Write! 😊 But I love my 8yo and 5yo sons and spending time with them. Swimming, movies, reading, church, eating, going for long walks with my wife, good talks and get-togethers with friends, fellowship, and so much more.
With the trilogy coming to a close, what's next for you as an author? Do you have any new projects or genres you're eager to explore?
Thank you for asking! Anyone interested can visit https://dot.cards/authoraaronryan and follow any of my SM profiles and subscribe to my blog to find out what's happening. Beyond the trilogy, I've heavily been pursuing a prequel idea, because this story has such weight and applicability for our life and times. Beyond that I may resurrect an old idea called "The Omega Room" that I pursued in the 90s, or I may pursue an idea of the anti-hero. Haven't decided yet. Keep tabs and subscribe for news! And thanks for the interview, I appreciate it!
Aaron Ryan lives in Washington with his wife and two sons, along with Macy the dog, Winston the cat, and Merry & Pippin, the finches.
He is the author of several business books on multimedia production penned under a pseudonym, as well as a previous fictional novel, "The Omega Room." When he was in second grade, he was tasked with writing a creative assignment: a fictional book. And thus, "The Electric Boy" was born: a simple novella full of intrigue, fantasy, and 7-year-old wits that electrified Aaron's desire to write. From that point forward, Aaron evolved into a creative soul that desired to create.
Aaron enjoys the arts, media, music, performing, poetry, and being a daddy. In his lifetime he has been an author, voiceover artist, wedding videographer, stage performer, musician, producer, rock/pop artist, executive assistant, service manager, paperboy, CSR, poet, tech support, worship leader, and more. The diversity of his life experiences gives him a unique approach to business, life, ministry, faith, and entertainment.
Aaron's favorite author by far is J.R.R. Tolkien, but he also enjoys Suzanne Collins, James S.A. Corey, Marie Lu, Madeleine L'Engle, C.S. Lewis, and Stephen King. Aaron has always had a passion for storytelling.
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