March 11th, 2008 - Last Thoughts from Ryan Phillips (Pt.2)
Q. Do you have plans to turn your novels into film, maybe a made for TV movie?
A. Not presently. I would be ecstatic if someone asked to by the film rights to one of my novels. I think that’s every commercial writer’s secret dream. But as for actually penning my own screenplay or script, I wouldn’t know where to begin. Someday I might take a class and then give it a shot, but for right now I’m enjoying what I’m doing.
Q. If you had to cast Grace, what actress would you choose and why?
A. Hm … I don’t know because Grace undergoes a physical transformation with her weight, and I think that’s tricky to pull of well in film. I’m a fan of Gabrielle Union. She might fit the part well.
A. My advice to anyone, who wants to write, is write! If you’re an aspiring author, you have to write – a little everyday, if possible. The craft develops the more you use it. Also read as much as you can. My favorite author says that to write well, you’ve got to get the rhythm of good writing in your ears. That’s so true. The best literature has a flow, a pace. For young writers specifically, I say this: “Let no man despise your youth, but be an example … in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity … Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you … Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all … Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (I Timothy 4:12-16).
Q. Who are some of your favorite authors? Do you venture into other genres? Horror, romance, etc.?
A. Oddly, I write Christian fiction, but I don’t read it. I read mostly mainstream contemporary literature. I’m a huge fan of Jennifer Weiner, hands down. I’m such a fan – almost obsessively so. Emily Giffin, Jane Green, Wally Lamb, Jodi Picoult, Sophie Kinsella and the like.
Q. Can you give our readers any sneak peaks into future works?
A. My fourth novel, Ciao, Bella is my first non-Christian Fiction piece. I’m really very excited to be taking the leap into the mainstream market, and my hope is that it will speak to anyone, who picks it up – regardless of race or religion. It’s the story of Isabelle Mackenzie, a quiet, bookish woman, who, for her 30th birthday, gets unwittingly volunteered for a nationally televised makeover. The experience sparks a set of events that unlocks doors she never imagined would be opened to her. But as she gets pulled further and further away from her old life, she begins to question what and who are really important. And as they so often do, the answers prove surprising.
Website: www.ryanmphillips.com
Email: RyanMPhillips@excite.com