Ryan Steele-is a guy that likes to relax and have fun. That's me in a nutshell.
My passion for writing stems from reading when I was in elementary. I read all kinds of books: historical fiction, fantasy, humor books, science fiction, and even as a kid, I read some non-fiction books. However, science fiction and fantasy were the genres that really pulled me in, which is evident, since both books I have written are contemporary fantasy novels.
Some of my favorite books to date are: Ender's Game, The Fablehaven Series, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Hunger games, and Harry Potter, just to name a very select few. I tend to like books that are out there for the simple pleasure of entertaining, as well as those that present a fun and well thought-out story, full of adventure, and thrilling, without the need for excessive language, sex, and gore. Although my stories have violence, I try to keep the scenes age-appropriate, never too detailed to have parents worried about what their kids may be reading. Part of this probably comes from me being a past 6th grade teacher, which also happens to be right in the middle of my target audience for my "Book of Quests" series.
I love cheese and juices. Yep, I said it. I feel this information deserves a paragraph all on its own.
Beyond my writing life, I can be a pretty weird guy. I love doing calligraphy, I love listening to all kinds of music (Bagpipe/Celtic, New Age, Alternative Rock, instrumental, etc.), and I love playing/watching soccer more than any other sport. But I can be normal as well, as I thoroughly enjoy playing basketball, football, golf (though I suck at it), tennis, and many other sports. Playing video games has been a big part of my life from playing our first Nintendo with my dad to playing computer games and the XBOX 360.
One of my favorite quotes is: "Those who dream by day are cognizant of that which escapes those who dream by night." By Edgar Allen Poe. My friend Scott showed that one to me and it's stuck ever since. I like this because I find myself day dreaming constantly, whether writing scenes from my book in my head, or imagining...anything really.
My second favorite quote is: "If you don't have anything nice to say, you're probably at the ice capades." From Yakko Warner. Need I say more?
