Rick Yancey

BIO

Rick Yancey is the author of a detective novel for adults and a memoir, CONFESSIONS OF A TAX COLLECTOR. He is also a playwright and former theater critic who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with his wife Sandy and his three sons --- Jonathan, Joshua and Jacob. THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP is his first book for young adults.

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AUTHOR TALK

October 2005

In this interview Rick Yancey talks about his latest release, THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP, which is his first novel for young adults. Yancey explains how his fascination with Arthurian legend infuses his writing, discusses the similarities and differences between himself and his 15-year-old protagonist, and describes his eccentric writing habits.

Question: Alfred Kropp is an extraordinary hero in the guise of a seemingly ordinary sixteen-year old boy. Do you see any similarities between yourself and Alfred?

Rick Yancey: Physically, there are none at all. We do share the problem of free-association-type thinking, which is either an expression of creativity or, more likely, the result of an undisciplined mind. I feel connected to Alfred's story, because it was written at a time when I was going through some professional challenges (becoming a full-time writer) --- though nothing like the challenges Alfred has to face!

Q. What were you like and what were some of your interests when you were Alfred's age?

RY: I loved the theater, though I was too shy at that age to get involved. I loved books, of course. I wrote my first novel when I was Alfred's age. Growing up, I often felt like an outcast, kind of a loner like Alfred. I was, to be honest, a 9.5 on the geek meter, whereas Alfred is probably closer to a 5. Gangly, with mop-like bushy hair and glasses --- talk about a nerd!

Q: Your website (www.alfredkropp.com) says that you initially began writing THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP with an adult protagonist. Can you tell us more about the original manuscript and its transformation? 

RY: [Initially] I created a bumbling detective character, a 33-year-old former security guard. He was a great character, but I was struggling with the plot. Suddenly, in the midst of my writing, with no planning on my part, he finds Excalibur, the sword of King Arthur! We were both flabbergasted! But he kept going and I kept writing. Publishers loved the character and loved the story, but somehow everybody thought they didn't quite mesh. My agent suggested the plot was perfect for a young audience, so Kropp was born.

Q: What do you think led you to use Arthurian legend as the basis of the book?

RY: I've always been fascinated by the legend; saw the movie Excalibur as a teenager, which deeply affected me; and love swords (my eight-year-old and I duel often). It's also an incredibly romantic legend, set in a time that I think we all idealize and in some way long for.

Q: Alfred stumbles upon some dangerous situations and is confronted by some brutal people, all of which affect him both physically and psychologically --- yet the novel is infused with a great deal of humor. What made you add this dimension to the novel?

RY: It's so much a part of who I am that it would be almost dishonest to keep it out of my books. I've tried --- tried really hard --- to write things of a more serious nature, but it always comes off flat and phony. The secret to becoming successful at anything is being true to yourself, to who you are. My mind tends to dwell on absurdities, and that's how they end up in my books.

Q: Would your friends and family say you have a good sense of humor?

RY: Depends on whom you ask. I get quite a bit of feedback of the eye-rolling variety.

Q. Given that you have three sons who must keep you pretty busy, what is your writing schedule like and how do you find the time to write?

RY: I write whenever and wherever my schedule permits. I used to write only at night, but as I've grown older I've found this harder to do, since I'm exhausted by 9:00 p.m.! I do a lot of writing on my laptop in my car, while I'm at soccer practices or karate or waiting to pick up my son at school. First drafts are best written in the mornings, when I'm fresh. I like to re-read and edit at night, when I'm tired and less forgiving of my little quirks and any "cutesiness."

Q: After spending so much time with Alfred writing the book, do you now think of him as a fourth son?

RY: Oh, I love all my characters, they are quite real to me, and I get very sad when the books are finally finished. I go into what I call my "postpartum depression." There comes a point in all creative endeavors when the thing you've created becomes something separate from you and takes on a life of its own. Alfred will always hold a special place in my heart, so he better not forget me when he becomes a star!

Q: In addition to THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP, you've also written a memoir and a murder mystery for adults. What are some of the differences and similarities writing in different genres and for different audiences?

RY: Stylistically, there's no comparison; each demands different ways of approaching the basics of character, plot, and atmosphere. But I'm a firm believer that no matter whom you are writing for, ultimately you are writing for yourself. Writing is simply too difficult and time-consuming if you're not enjoying yourself. You have to play by the rules of the genre, of course, but you also have to love the game.

Q: Besides writing books, you're also a playwright and have directed theater productions. When writing a novel, do you look at the page as a stage?

RY: Absolutely. And I'm every character! And the director and the playwright. Sometimes I even hum background music (seriously).

Q: If THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ALFRED KROPP were made into a movie, who would you cast in the main roles?

RY: It's too bad Sean Astin is too old. I really have no idea for Alfred. Or the other characters, really, since I see them so clearly in my mind and they have no real-life counterpart. Maybe I could play all the characters --- but then no one would buy Natalia as the most beautiful girl Alfred has ever seen...

Q: Who is your favorite fiction hero?

RY: Frodo Baggins. The idea of this innocent creature no larger than a child fighting overwhelming evil with nothing but his faith and his wits. The scene in the last book when he falls and then crawls up the mountain still makes me cry.

Q: What is your motto?

RY: Never give up.

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