Angels in the Mist by author Ryan Southwick is unlike any Sci-Fi book you’ve read before. Southwick created a world of androids, cyborgs and ancient evil hellbent on distruction. We were captivated by this pageturner and wanted to learn more. Southwick gave us some insight into his personal thoughts:
Q What makes your book series a must-read?
It provides a unique spin on several fantasy / science fiction concepts, and blends them in a seamless, realistic manner, with unforgettable characters, lots of action, and a protagonist worth rooting for.
Q What is something interesting/cool/unbelievable you discovered while researching your book?
When researching the PTSD portion, the thing that surprised me the most was how many people stepped forward and told me they’d had similar experiences to the protagonist—some frighteningly so. It’s forged bonds I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Q If you could give your book to one singer/musician, who would it be and why?
Weezer. Love his music, and he seems quirky enough to dig it (assuming he likes reading…)
Q Tell us something about you that no one else knows.
I love quiche. (There, I said it. I’m a quiche eater!)
Q Recommend a book that is similar to yours. If people like X, then they’ll love your book because…
That’s tough; I wrote this book because I couldn’t find one like it. =] I just asked my wife the same question, who’s a voracious reader. She just shrugged and told me, “That’s what you get for writing something unique.”
Q What advice do you have for other writers?
Don’t be afraid of small publishers. They can fill in a lot of the blanks that may otherwise take a long time to do yourself, especially if you’re not technical. But definitely do your research before signing the contract (mine is great).
Q Your genre of book is popular right now, why do you think that is?
Urban fantasy is easy to absorb and identify with because it happens in today’s world. It takes concepts and settings familiar to everyone, which makes it accessible, then adds a splash of something extraordinary to spice it up.
Q What book made you cry and why?
Leah Braun’s Sex on Fire. She tells her tale without pulling many punches. Not only did I feel terrible for her, imagining my daughters in that same situation was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Wonderful book, can’t recommend it enough.
Q What is something you’ve always wanted to try but are afraid to.
Hang gliding. Some of the best hang gliding in the entire country is in Pacifica—like 2 miles from my house—but jumping off a cliff with just a flimsy piece of cloth and at the mercy of the wind… *shudder*
Rapid Fire Questions and Answers
Guardians of the Galaxy or XMen?
Guardians of the Galaxy
The beach or the mountains?
Mountains
Formal attire or yoga pants and a hoodie?
Formal attire
Kanye West or Taylor Swift?
Taylor Swift
Ninja or pirates?
Ninja
Marvel or DC?
Marvel
Zombies or aliens?
Aliens
Bugs Bunny or Micky Mouse?
Bugs!
The 1920s or the 2020s?
1920s
Chess or Candy Crush?
Chess
Invisibility or flying?
Flying
Hawaii or the Alps?
Hawaii
New York or Tokyo?
Tokyo
Hippies or hipsters?
Hippies
Thor or Hulk?
Thor
Stephen King or Shakespeare?
Stephen King
E.L. James or J.K. Rowling?
J.K. Rowling
Sparkling vampires or non-sparkling vampires?
Non-sparkling.
Saving the world or watching it burn?
Saving the world