Author you need to read: Rick C. Barry
Dear Friends, A new writer has come across my path, though he is not new, he is new to me. And I would like you all to meet him. Rick Barry writes a variety of things, but I will let him explain it all to you. I just think you might want to look him up and give his books a try.
Rick Barry has climbed mountains, jumped from perfectly good airplanes, toured WW II battlefields, and visited Eastern Europe over 50 times in Christian ministry. He holds a degree in Foreign Language Education and speaks Russian. His fiction and non-fiction have been published by Kregel Books, Focus on the Family, JourneyForth Books, Answers in Genesis, and others. His novels are Kiriath's Quest, Gunner's Run, The Methuselah Project, Methuselah Project S.O.S., and The Next Fithian: An Ordinary Teen on a Strange, New World. His favorite theme in writing fiction is "Ordinary People in Extraordinary Circumstances."
Rick, tell my readers what you write? What is the subject matter.
I began writing for publication in my sophomore year of university. I entered a writing contest I had noticed in a Christian magazine. I didn't win, but they liked my 1,000-word article enough that they bought it and printed it! After that, I began studying the craft of writing. Over the years I have written articles, devotional pieces, short stories for both adults and children, plus 5 novels. Two of my novels are for adult fans of suspense. The other 3 are geared for teens/young adults (although many adults read them too).
What about the variety you write?
Some common advice for writers is to specialize in one genre that interests them. It's good advice. However, I have a wide variety of interests! So, even though I have written inspirational suspense novels with a touch of romance in them, whenever the editor of Focus on the Family's Clubhouse magazine invites me to write a short story for middle-grade kids, I always agree. I enjoy the variety. It provides a fun change of pace.
What is your inspiration?
I truly admire a well-told story. So, I try to write things that make the reader think and to deliver them in a fresh way. I love it when reviewers write things like, "I quit trying to guess what would happen next, because I was always wrong!"
How did you become fascinated with World War 2?
During the Christmas break of my 7th-grade year, my family visited relatives in Detroit. I wandered into the living room where the men were watching a movie, The Great Escape. It's a story of Allied Airmen's mass escape from a German POW camp. The prisoners' creativity in escaping intrigued me. In the end, the movie credits included a dedication to the 50 men who had died in the escape, and I thought, "Wait, this really happened?" From then on, I started reading more books about what ordinary men experienced in that worldwide conflict.
understand you speak several languages. How did that come about? And how have you used that as time went on? What cultures have you been most fascinated with and which ones have you felt you could contribute to and which ones really added to your story?
When I was young, my dad was a ham radio hobbyist. I'd sit and listen as he made contact with people in far-off lands. Early on, I decided that someday I would travel outside the U.S. and visit some of those places. In 9th grade, I signed up for French. I liked it so much that in 10th grade I took both French AND Spanish. The next year I took French, Spanish, and added German 1... In college, I majored in French Education to teach it but also got interested in Russian. This is the language I have used most (outside of English). I've been to Eastern Europe over 50 times and have assisted churches in summer camps for children and teens in Ukraine and Russia.
How many books have you written? When did you start writing seriously? Or have you always written just a little bit?
I now have 5 novels published. (There are also a couple of early manuscripts that were practice books. They aren't really good enough for publication.) I had written short stories and articles for years before turning my attention to books. My first published book is Gunner's Run, a World War II story about a young airman who ends up on foot, alone, and on the run across Hitler's Europe.
When do you write? Seems to me some people pop out of bed and start in on it, while others burn the midnight oil...what about you?
I have written whenever I could find the time. Often that has been a little bit in the morning before work. Other times are during the last half of my lunch hour. Also in the evening, although my creativity seems to fade more and more as evening deepens!
What about the covers for your books? They are so interesting. Do you have any input on them?
When you publish with a traditional publishing house, the author typically has very little input on the covers. I suppose the thinking is that the graphics and marketing people have more experience than the author. With Gunner's Run and Kiriath's Quest, my editor simply sent me jpegs to show what the covers would be. But I liked them. With The Methuselah Project, I requested a chance to voice my opinion on the cover art before it was finalized, and that ended up being a good request since the Marketing folks didn't quite grasp the nature of the book. With Methuselah Project S.O.S. and The Next Fithian, I worked hand in hand with the cover designer to arrive at the final concepts.
What would you say to someone just starting on a writing path? Something you wish someone had said to you?
Read widely, especially the types of writing you yourself would like to do. By reading a lot of professionally written and edited material, you will develop a "feel" for well-crafted sentences and smoothly flowing styles. Next, I would suggest that a new writer not fall in love with his/her own words. Everyone needs an editor, and you will only hurt yourself and your reputation among editors if you insist that your original manuscript was divinely inspired and must not be edited. Often, even my titles have been adjusted or replaced. That used to bug me, but publishing is a team effort. A good editor is a valuable ally and can often see more objectively than the author.
I understand you are a man of faith. Tell my readers a little about your faith. Have you read anything by William E. Jefferson? I think you might find his work fascinating...
I was 15 when I decided to place my personal faith in God. I read a little of the Bible each morning, followed by a time of prayer. I'm far from perfect, but I thank the Lord and His Word for working in and through me for good. My Christian worldview shines clearly through my writing. However, I try to apply it with finesse. That is, you don't read any three-page mini-sermons in my books. That's not skillful writing, and readers can soon tire of that approach, especially if they aren't on board with your faith. But as for William E. Jefferson, no, I haven't read any of his books yet. There are so many worthy books in the world, but not enough lifetime to read more than a fraction of them.
If one of my readers wanted to start, what should they read first?
If that reader is an adult, I would recommend The Methuselah Project: A Novel as a good first book. It includes two timelines. The first follows a fighter pilot in World War 2; the second follows a young woman in modern America. Eventually, those two stories converge in a unique, out-of-the-box tale with a satisfying ending.
Are your books good gift books? If yes, who would you like to see have them? Are there ages your books cover?
I know my books are often given as gifts. Just yesterday, a woman messaged me to say how much she loves Gunner's Run. She declared she ended up buying 10 copies--the first for her then nine more to give as gifts! I'm sometimes amazed at how often adults have enjoyed my young adult novels. Even children younger than 12 have enjoyed my YA novels. But I recommend my two Methuselah suspense novels only to teens and adults.
I understand you write some SciFi. Are you familiar with Andy Zach, a writer I am very partial to? I think you would possibly enjoy his work and his sense of humor.
In the past, most of my sci-fi has been in the form of short stories. However, the two Methuselah novels include a light sprinkling of sci-fi. Not too much, since I want them to seem believable. I haven't yet read Andy Zach, but, like him, I do try to inject a touch of humor here and there.
Who inspires you to start a new book? Is it a place or your faith or your experiences?
A new book idea usually comes to me in the form of a "What if" question. But my newest book, the sci-fi story The Next Fithian: An Ordinary Teen on a Strange, New World, actually began as a series of short stories that Focus on the Family asked me to write for teen readers. Later, as I noticed so many Christian teens wearing superhero t-shirts, I decided to take those Fithian tales and expand them into a full-length novel for young adults who love Marvel-type movies.
And what is coming next that my readers can look forward to?
Well, my beta readers are already requesting a sequel to The Next Fithian, which releases on September 14! But my agent would love me to finish a romance I started about a biplane stunt pilot. If only I could give up the habit of sleeping every night, then I just might have enough time!
If someone wanted to find your books, where should they go?
The quickest way to get them is to visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble online. But if anyone wants author-signed copies for gifts, they can contact me through my website.
If someone wanted you to talk to their group, is this something you would do? And how would they get in touch with you?
I've spoken to school groups many times and even Zoomed with a book club. The Contact page on my website is the quickest way to reach me.
What if my readers just wanted more information, can they find you on facebook or a website?
My author site is https://rickcbarry.com. The site and my blog will tell much more.
And what have I not asked you but you feel you would like my readers to know about you, to make them take that leap and get one of your books?
Although many books in this world are slanted for just a male or female audience, I strive to write in such a way that both males and females enjoy my novels. Typically, I don't include a lot of technical vocabulary because my stories are more about individuals as they face challenging situations. So, even if a story happens in World War 2, the story is less about the war than it is about ordinary people dealing with unexpected circumstances. Probably more women have read The Methuselah Project than men have, but just this morning I noticed a new Amazon review from a man who wrote, "A fantastic read! Finally some great Christian fiction for men!" His review continues with other nice compliments, but you get the idea. No matter what's on the cover, both genders have enjoyed these books!
What else do you do when you are not writing?
I'm a caregiver for an aging parent, and that takes time. However, I still do freelance work for the Russian ministry where I used to work full-time. For them, I translate national missionary reports from Russian to English, and I use highlights and photos from those reports to create newsletters for them.
Are you a tea drinker? Now I know there are a few people out there who are not, but I do count ice tea as tea...if you are what do you prefer?
I do drink tea, both hot and cold. For hot teas, I enjoy trying different kinds, but Earl Grey really is one of my regulars.
Review I liked:
I loved this book on so many levels, though I wasn't sure I would at first. After all, in its beginning, World War 2 is in full swing, and war stories are not my normal reading choice. It doesn't take long, however, for flying ace Roger Greene to engage the enemy in a shoot-out over Nazi Germany, and I'm right there with him. From that point on, I'm clicking through the Kindle pages at full speed. I stay with him when he's shot down, captured, and becomes a human guinea pig in the remote laboratory of some scientists of the Third Reich who seek to find a way to prolong life--at least for a select few. The experiment is successful. Even after 70 years of captivity in an underground bunker, Greene has the appearance and physical ability he had when he was captured. His body also heals quickly from wounds. He spends most of his time reading world classics, doing calisthenics, studying languages, and digging deeply into a Bible he requested from one of his captors. Through his biblical studies, he comes to faith in Christ..
I am a dog lover so I of course I want to know if you have a pet or have had one. And if you do, how about a picture so we can all share it.
When I was young, Dad brought home a puppy for our family. We named him Smoky and loved him until he died. There have been other dogs since then, but right now I don't have a dog.
Thank you Rick for taking your time to talk with me today. I hope everyone will be inspired to look for Rick's books and dive right in. www.rickcbarry.com
Friends, I think this is the gift giver for the upcoming holidays...and for yourself. Rick's work checks all the boxes and I think it is the kind of gift you will get rave reviews for. Get it, try it.
Cheers,
Jacqueline Gillam Fairchild
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author: The Nantucket Tuck You Inn Series: Becoming Santa, Looking for Santa, The Mermaid Mansion, The Reluctant Bride and Groom
The Midwest Series: Estate of Mind, Make Me Over, The Scrap Book Trilogy, The Greater Expectations series of four: Jillian's Story, Maggie's Story, Pandora's Story, Jillian's Story.
Actor: The American Immersion Theater, The Murder Mystery Company Grand Hotel Mackinac Island. Youtu.be/CO5bCckAEUs
