Barry Reese interview on Ralph's Rants!

Barry Reese Interview

 

                Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of ‘Ralph’s Rants does interviews’. This week’s guest is the prolific and interesting Barry Reese! Welcome Barry, great to have you here!

 

Thanks for having me, Ralph! It’s always a pleasure talking to you.

 

 

                So Barry, what was your first clue that you were destined to be a writer?

 

I’ve always wanted to be a writer – even when I was six years old, I was making up stories and writing them down (very poorly!). When I got older, I realized how hard it was to be a writer and ended up going into Library work to stay close to literature… but now I’m able to do both!

 

                And when did you write your first story? How old were you?

 

I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. I didn’t write an entire novel until I was 34, though I’d done countless short stories before then.

 

                What is your favorite genre to write? Pulp, Super-hero or anything else?

 

Definitely pulp adventure – but I’ve dabbled in horror, fantasy, etc. I like telling stories but I definitely feel that pulp is in my wheelhouse.

 

                How does the mind of Barry Reese work when you are beginning a story? Do you have the entire story laid out in your mind? Or do you have a basic outline and write from there?

 

I usually have some vague notion of a story but I don’t outline anything. It’s mostly by the seat of my pants – if I overplan, it takes away the fun of seeing where the story is going. I generally focus on where I want my characters to be at the beginning and at the end – then create a story that accomplishes that. For me, I enjoy the interplay between characters and I use the plot (and the villains) as a means to an end – they bring out changes to the heroes or else they illuminate something previously unseen about them.

 

                Flash Question: Who is your favorite all time creation?

 

Of my own? Probably Lazarus Gray. I love The Rook but that character wasn’t designed to be an ongoing one and I think the cracks show. With Lazarus, I sat down and decided to create a cast of characters that I felt I could write about forever… and I did! I love Lazarus and his friends in Assistance Unlimited.

 

                In all of fiction, who is the one character you would really like to write, but haven’t as yet, above all others?

I used to say The Avenger but I’ve gotten to do that (twice) so now it’s The Shadow. I really would love to write that character once before I die. I love him.

 

 

                Do you go from one project to another or do you take time off in-between to cool off a bit and gather your thoughts for the next book?

 

I go straight from one project to the next – I used to try and take some time off in-between but the longest stretch I managed was about 3 days. Now I just admit that I’m not stopping so I’ll type The End on one story and start the next right away.

 

                How many books do you have out now? You were always one of the fastest writers I’ve ever encountered.

 

If you count all my Marvel work, I’ve been published close to fifty times. Just in the pulp world, I’ve been a part of around 25 different books.

 

                How far ahead are you plotted time-wise, meaning do you know you are going to start Book X in say April and then you intend to start Book Y when that is finished and Book Z after that one? Or do you just go one book at a time; come what may at its completion?

 

 

                What does this year hold for Barry Reese writing-wise? How many titles are forthcoming and are they new volumes of previous characters or are there new characters on the horizon?

 

The third book in the Lazarus Gray series comes out in April, the first book in my Gravedigger series should be hitting around the same time… I also have an Avenger story coming from Moonstone and a G-8 story from Moonstone. Then there’s Volume Two of the Tales of The Rook series coming this year!

 

                One quick aside I wanted to congratulate you in your efforts to lose weight. You recently posted you lost about 100 lbs. so far, which is a major accomplishment. I’m very pleased for you, great job!

 

Thanks, Ralph. Hopefully by getting healthier, I’ll be able to stick around and write for a long, long time.

 

                Barry thanks for playing, it was a pleasure hearing from you and learning what’s in store for you in the year ahead. Thanks again and I look forward to your next book. Take Care.