Interview with Mike Ronny, author of "Stalkers Drink Free" and a Giveaway

Today I will be interviewing Mike Ronny, author of multiple short stories, such as "Stalkers Drink Free."

What are your favorite book(s)?

I have a book called The Portable Mark Twain, edited by Bernard de
Voto, which includes stories, essays and letters from throughout
Twain’s career. You could open it to pretty much any page and find
passages that are funny or thought-provoking or both.

Who is your favorite author?

It’s hard to say, but probably E. B. White. His essay “Here is New
York” has some of the best sentences I’ve ever read.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

People I’ve met – at jobs, at airports, at dentists’ offices – inspire
traits in my characters. If you’re a writer, I think you should meet
as many people as you can, because that way you have so much more
material to draw on.

Where is your favorite place to do your writing?

I write stories at my computer desk, but ideas can come anywhere. I
usually have a pencil and scraps of paper on me so I can jot down
anything that might be useful later on.

What made you decide to write short stories?

Mostly I write short stories because I enjoy reading them. Short
stories give you an entire reading experience in one sitting. And if
the story’s exciting, you don’t have to wait a long time to find out
how it ends.

What is the hardest part of writing short stories?

My initial draft is always longer than my final draft, sometimes twice
as long. So for me, the hardest part is deciding what to take out –
and I try to cut every single thing that might be extraneous. That
way, in theory anyway, only the best stuff is left for the reader.

Tell us about your newest short story.

“Stalkers Drink Free” is a suspense story about John Izor, a beginner
stand-up comedian in New York, and the obsessed fan who’s leaving him
creepy messages. I wanted to make this story equally humorous and
scary.

Giveaway:

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