Today we welcome Ramon Ballard.
Book ‘Em: Tell us about you and your life outside of writing.
Ramon Ballard: My life outside of writing is pretty boring. I teach nine-year-olds Sunday School, go out and eat way too much, and watch a lot of TV (my favorite programs have been decided by my wife).
Book ‘Em: Which books have you written? What are they about and why did you choose to write them? Do your books have a message? Are they fiction or nonfiction?
Ramon Ballard: I have written six books and I can’t think of a message for any of them. I wrote them because I had to.
Book ‘Em: Do you have a work in progress?
Ramon Ballard: My WIP includes working on two of my books that I haven’t published already. One is middle-grade and one is fantasy retelling.
Book ‘Em: What was the most difficult section/piece you ever wrote? What made it difficult?
Ramon Ballard: I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a difficult section. Writing comes easy to me.
Book ‘Em: What sort of research do you do for your work?
Ramon Ballard: For my middle-grade there was absolutely no research. I just turned my imagination free. For my historical, there was a ton of research. For The Last Chance, I bought every Time Life book that had anything to do with the 20th Century. For Chasing Eternity, I searched every crevice of the internet, and for good measure I went to Boston (because it is about the Revolutionary War).
Book ‘Em: Which books and authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author that inspires you?
Ramon Ballard: Mull, Riordan, and Buckley, however, none of them ever inspired me.
Book ‘Em: Was there a person who encouraged you to write?
Ramon Ballard: My wife has been my wingman.
Book ‘Em: What would you say are your strengths as an author?
Ramon Ballard: Perseverance.
Book ‘Em: How often do you write, and do you write using a strict routine?
Ramon Ballard: I write when I feel like it.
Book ‘Em: Five years from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
Ramon Ballard: I’ll probably be in some old folks home wondering where I put my teeth.
Book ‘Em: If you could offer one piece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Ramon Ballard: Write every day. It doesn’t matter what you write. You can edit crap; you can’t edit a blank page.
Book ‘Em: What would you consider the best compliment a reader could give your book?
Ramon Ballard: Maybe, I enjoyed your book.
Book ‘Em: Provide an excerpt of your writing that you would like to share with our members.
Ramon Ballard:
The invitation to attend the theater with the President remained ignored on the table in the lobby. Colin Harcourt’s wife of sixty years passed away before they could use the tickets. The president, who happened to be a life-long friend, invited Colin and Beth to join him and the first lady at the theater to watch “Our American Cousin.” He sent word to the president that his grief prevented him from attending. The assassination of the president shocked the nation, including Colin, but the loss of his wife weighed more heavily on his heart.
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