Ryan Jacobson
Author Interview - Ryan Jacobson
Author of Can You Survive the Wonderful Wizard of Oz? and The Ghost of Old Central School
You’ve been swept away from home by a deadly tornado, and you find yourself in the Land of Oz—a magical world of monsters, witches, and talking animals. Use your knowledge and courage to survive such perils as tiger-bears, winged monkeys, and angry trees. Can You Survive the Wonderful Wizard of Oz? adapts the classic novel into a Choose Your Path book, putting readers in control of the action. Do you have what it takes to traverse the road of yellow brick? Or will this dangerous route and its surprising challenges lead to your doom?
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Old Central School is closing for good because it’s said to be haunted! Yet Irene Gorter, a student at Old Central, doesn’t believe it’s true—and she’s hiring you to prove it. You’re the detective. Dig into this mystery, and uncover a slate of shady suspects. Gather clues, navigate puzzles, crack secret codes, and make choices that affect what happens next. By using deductive reasoning, you’ll get closer to the truth with each turn of the page. Will you solve the case?
Author Interview - Ryan Jacobson
Author I draw inspiration from: Anything and everything. That answer kind of feels like cheating, but I don’t know how else to say it. My mind always seems to be on high alert for the next setup, the next scenario that could maybe one day become a story. I like to tell young writers about the bizarre ideas I get at the most unexpected times—like suddenly imagining the cashier turning into a giant spider while I’m waiting in line at a fast-food restaurant. I visited Rocky Mountain National Park a week ago and came home with a dozen different ideas. I’m not sure which of them I’ll develop, but I have a pretty good lead on a fascinating nonfiction adventure and an idea for a humorous fictional tale that’s loosely based on my own so-bad-its-good luck while I was there.
Favorite place to read a book: Oh, I wish I had a cool answer for this. I wish I had a hammock beneath a shady tree in the backyard or a secret fort to which I could retreat. But, alas, I do most of my reading in the one place a person is not supposed to read: in bed. I like to turn on a fan for background noise, as I prefer not to be in a totally silent space, and then I retreat into my book. (And, yes, I do have trouble falling asleep at night!)
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Hmm... do I prefer to be trapped with a person who can quickly get us untrapped or with a person who’s really, really interesting? Hedging my bets, I think the answer here is Gandalf of J.R.R. Tolkien’s famed The Lord of the Rings books. Oh, what stories he could tell! And, you know, he’s one of those characters who makes a person feel safe, like nothing bad can happen when he’s around. So we’re protected from harm, we’re entertained, and Gandalf probably has a magic trick to get the elevator working again—or at least get us off it.
Author Interview - Ryan Jacobson | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I don’t think I ever experienced that moment. My brother-in-law was an editor for a children’s book publisher. He knew that I was a writer and that I loved to read comic books, so he asked me to write a couple of short graphic novels for his company. It was a paying gig, so I said yes. Of course, once I started writing books, I couldn’t stop. Books became my obsession. I launched my self-publishing company (as an adoption fundraiser), which led me to a full-time job with another publishing company, which led to my co-ownership of yet another publishing company. In the meantime, I’ve also written about 60 books.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: I’m currently all about audiobooks, thanks to our recent 30-hour road trip. I also like to choose an audiobook each summer for mowing-the-lawn time. This summer, it’s SEAL Team Six by Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin. It’s not my usual fare, but my 12-year-old is really into military books, so I want to see if it’s appropriate for him. Plus, inspired by him, I might write some military-themed books in the future—so this also qualifies as research.
The last book I read: The last book I read was actually The Empty Cabin by Deb Mercier—but it was for work, so it probably doesn’t count. I just read Piper by Jay Asher and Jessica Freeburg. I was looking for a gift idea for a friend’s daughter who likes graphic novels and also has a pet rat. Jessica is a good friend of mine, so I was able to get an autographed copy. Unfortunately, after reading Piper, I decided it was not the right gift for a girl who adores rats!
Author Interview - Ryan Jacobson | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: I do almost all of my writing via computer now, but I always used to write my, ahem, masterpieces in notebooks. I had delusions of grandeur and believed the notebooks would be invaluable some day. (Embarrassingly, that’s 100% true!) I still do switch from computer to pen & paper if I’m struggling with writer’s block. It’s a good trick because it usually helps me get going again.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: This is a tough one. I’m trying to think of someone trendy and/or unexpected, but I keep turning to the obvious answers like Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee) or Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling). If I hadn’t already used Gandalf earlier, is there a better best friend in all of literature than Samwise Gamgee (The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien)? I also think John Thornton (The Call of the Wild by Jack London) is perhaps literature’s greatest dog-lover. I don’t think we’d be close friends, but I am fascinated by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and by Lisbeth Salander of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Author Interview - Ryan Jacobson | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: By day, I’m still a copywriter and graphic designer. I write back cover copy for books, and I design everything from posters to catalogs. If I weren’t doing that, I actually had plans to become an English teacher. But after I taught my first practice lesson and was later told that I did the entire thing in a Beavis & Butt-Head voice, I decided teaching wasn’t for me.
Favorite decade in fashion history: I wear funny graphic tees and jeans, I have no fashion sense.
Place I’d most like to travel: My favorite place is Walt Disney World. I’d go there any time! I also love Colorado. I’d live there if I could get my wife to come with me. Aside from that, I’m excited to be planning a trip to Banff next summer!
My signature drink: It’s Mountain Dew. I drink a ridiculous amount of Mountain Dew.
Favorite artist: I love comic book art and still have a modest little collection from years ago. My favorite artist—and the page I was most excited to get—was by Ed McGuinness.
Number one on my bucket list: I’d like to watch a game in every NFL stadium. I’m not doing very well, though. So far, I’ve made it to three.
Author Bio: Ryan Jacobson is an award-winning author and presenter. He has written more than 50 titles―from comic books to Choose Your Path adventures. He prides himself on writing high-interest books for children and adults alike, so he can talk picture books in kindergarten, ghost stories in high school, and other fun stuff in between. Ryan greatly enjoys sharing his knowledge of writing and book publishing at schools and special events. When he isn’t working on books, Ryan likes to build LEGO sets, play board games, and try new restaurants. He lives in eastern Minnesota with his wife and two sons.
