Author Interview: Rhys Christopher Ethan

I am very excited to welcome Rhys Christopher Ethan. He is a very creative individual – in addition to writing LGBT retellings of classic fairy tales, he also writes sci-fi, is a screenwriter, and an actor. Many hats, indeed! The first book in his new sci-fi serial, Blood & Roses, came out yesterday and he has been in celebration mode since. In addition to his blog tour - which I participated in (click here for that post) he is also throwing an ongoing Facebook event. You can check that out by clicking here.

You can find him in the following links:

Website: http://rcethan.com

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/rcethan

Facebook: http://facebook.com/rcethan1

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rhys_Ethan

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rcethan

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rhys-Christopher-Ethan/e/B0080JSDBG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

And now on to the interview...

Firstly, what do you prefer we (the fans) call you? Rhys? Rhys Ethan? Christopher?

My name is Rhys, so Rhys is the way to go. It's pronounced /ri:s/ or Reece. But I'm easy. You can call me Chris, Christopher or Ethan. Whatever suits your fancy.

How did you get the idea to retell classic fairy tales from an LGBT point of view?

I was watching Once Upon a Time and thinking how idyllic love is in fairy tales and how they have affected my way of thinking and how they may have played a small part in accepting myself, so I got the idea of classic fairy tales with gay love stories and how it had to be written so that lgbt youth has something to turn to and read something that resonates with them, and if they manage to help in the self-coming out process than Queerky Tales have succeeded.

Your new serial, Blood & Roses, is a totally new sci-fi serial, but I have to ask – is your Dorothy inspired by Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz?

My Dorothy's only similarity is that she is also looking for her way home. But otherwise the story is quite unlike The Wizard of Oz. It's more mature for starters and it follows the journey of Yv in her attempt to find where she belongs in the universe and dealing with the trauma that her little Odyssey inflicts upon her psyche. She is a small, weak girl and through the hardships and the tragedy in her life has to learn to be strong and fight for what she believes is right.

What draws you to the sci-fi genre?

I think fantasy in general is a great way to reflect on reality and present the problems that may arise from our actions. On the other hand it's also a great way to escape said reality. It's a way to explore human experience in a very metaphorical and literal way that genre fiction can't accomplish.

We’re seeing more and more serials popping up. Can you explain to us this new craze? Why do you think it’s gotten so popular all of a sudden? What do you think is the appeal for both readers and writers?

Hmmm...never really though about that to be honest, but the only way I can explain it is to put the blame to good television. In the last decade we see more and more quality tv shows and I think it has started affecting how movies are made and naturally how books are written. May I remind you that the episodic format began with literature which was published weekly or monthly in newspapers, in segments. So it's not something completely alien for the literary world. Another reason that they are popular, I think, is because readers hate to wait so long for the next book in a series, so serials offer a great way to quench that thirst for more.

Out of all of your creative outlets, which one do you find most rewarding, and why?

Writing is most definitely the most rewarding one. It's a way to explore your own self and put yourself in the shoes of others. Let me tell you what a challenge it is to find what drives a villain and relate with them so that you can write more realistically about them. It's tough, but it's also one hell of a ride. 

Acting is my other rewarding outlet. It's almost similar to what writing offers me but in a more act-ive way.

Haha, I see what you did there. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

In a mental health asylum for sure. But I hope I can manage to make a living out of my writing and acting. So if you see me in the big screen don't be surprised (I know I will), I'm here to stay.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

Probably being an indie writer...and indie anything. It's incredible and ludicrous how much work you've to put on and you got to be crazy to do it.

Tell me about it... Is there anything you would like to tell your readers (current and/or future)?

Don't let anyone judge you from what you chose to read. Reading is a spiritual experience whatever you read and no one has the right to criticize you.

Be honest, not just with my books, but with everyone's, but be constructive. There's nothing better than an author taking a 5-star review but we are more thankful for the one star review that tells us what we need to work on (rather than just saying this was horrible. Avoid).

Lastly, enjoy.


Wow, that was very insightful! I want to thank Rhys for taking the time to answer my questions. I learned a lot about the person that he is. And I am so happy that he was Book Verse's very first author interview. We wish Rhys all the success in the world and will continue to support his career in any way we can.

Blood & Roses: Harvest OUT NOW!