Advice for Writers: Interviews with Rick Riordan

Reading is one of the best preparations for writing. We are fortunate that through the internet it is possible to keep in touch with living authors through their blogs, twitter feeds, and their websites. Many authors have also posted interviews on the internet. The editors of Stone Soup are building a series of pages of links and interviews with many of your favorite authors. Please add your feelings about this author in the comments below. How have you been influenced by the author's writing? And if there are online resources that you think we should add to the page, then please let us know.

Rick Riordan needs no introduction. A brilliant and prolific American writer, Rick has introduced millions of young readers to the power and magic of ancient Greek mythology through his wonderful Percy Jackson novels, Egyptian myth through The Kane Chronicles, and Norse mythology with Magnus Chase.

Included here are Rick Riordan's social media sites, interviews and talks with or by Rick Riordan, and some reference material on Greek mythology. Enjoy the videos. Follow Rick's social media posts. Find inspiration for your own writing in his amazing books (lists towards the bottom of this post).

• Rick Riordan at the Wikepedia
• The official Rick Riordan Website
• His official Blog
•  @Camphalfblood Twitter feed
• Rick Riordan's Author Facebook Page

Interviews

This first clip is a wonderful, direct, engaging, brilliant and inspiring short video with three top tips for writers, encouraging young writers to "find the story that you are meant to tell." Spoiler alert--the top tips are:
1. Read a lot.
2. Practice. You have to write every day.
3. You can't give up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81iwOVdWfIY

This clip talks about all of Rick's book series, the power of mythology, and what makes for a good story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itcTiQEVIo0

Using humor to tell a story, communicate with readers, and break the darkness of difficult stories. An interview on Minnesota Public Radio in which Rick Riordan appreciates the snarkiness of the middle schooler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IQmOfLM-wk

Another interview in which Riordan talks about leaving room for the reader's imagination - making space for the reader to inhabit the story, and the danger of epilogues. And, does a movie take over from the book, and inhibit that imagination? Find out whether Rick has actually watched any of the Percy Jackson movies...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbIh5mO2MsE

Links to Books on the Greek Myths

If you want to get deeper into the Greek myths, then we reccomend the following books.

• As introductory books we cannot recommend enough D'Aulaires' volumes:
  • D'Aulaires' Greek Myths
  • D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths
• We also loved all of Roger Lancelyn Green's retellings of the myths when we were growing up:
  • Tales of Ancient Egypt (Puffin Classics)
  • Tales of the Greek Heroes (Puffin Classics)
  • Myths of the Norsemen (Puffin Classics)

For Older Readers and Adults, in addition to D'Aulaires, these are classic works on the Greek  and Roman myths:

• Robert Graves, The Greek Myths: The Complete and Definitive Edition
• Edith Hamilton, Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes
• Bulfinch's Greek and Roman Mythology: The Age of Fable

Rick Riordan's Books (an incomplete list)

Of course you can purchase any and all of Rick Riordan's books as single volumes. Here we are giving you quick links to the boxed set versions. You can find all of Rick Riordan's books, as well as news from the author, at his Amazon author page.

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5 Book Paperback Boxed Set
• The Heroes of Olympus Paperback 3-Book Boxed Set
• The Kane Chronicles Boxed set
• Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Hardcover Boxed Set

There are also companion guides to the myths, produced to go with the books:

• The Demigod Files (A Percy Jackson and the Olympians Guide)
• Percy Jackson's Greek Gods
• From the Kane Chronicles Brooklyn House Magician's Manual (An Official Rick Riordan Companion Book): Your Guide to Egyptian Gods & Creatures, Glyphs & Spells, and More
• For Magnus Chase: Hotel Valhalla Guide to the Norse Worlds (An Official Rick Riordan Companion Book): Your Introduction to Deities, Mythical Beings...

And if you haven't tried any of Rick Riordan's books yet, and still aren't sure, you can download a free sample for kindle :

• Rick Riordan Presents Free Sampler

Have you read and loved any of Rick Riordan's books? Write a review and submit it to Stone Soup!