Interview with richard heinreich
Author of The Wild Boys; a Space Adventre
Rick Kurtis is a man with many talents, born in a small rural town, known as Columbus, Wisconsin. He grew up on a farm, and raised with good Christian values. He loves sun rises and long walks through nature. This gives him plenty of time to relax and think, using his extreme imagination.
He raised five children and taught Sunday school in his younger days. He always enjoys making up games or telling stories so children can learn. This led into writing his stories to share with others.
He has over 40 children’s books, 10 mid-grade and teen, along with 7 family and 3 screenplays for people to enjoy.
His other hobbies include drawing, wood working, sculpting, and making something new from discarded waste. He resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and works as a porter at McCarran International Airport and still enjoys writing with many more stories to follow.
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How would you describe The Wild Boys to a new reader?
- The Wild Boys is a thrilling ride through the life of three young boys who try to make the right decisions, and grow up learning valuable lessons.
To what extent is The Wild Boys based on your own experiences?
- I raised 5 children and wrote this book using their personalities for each character. They were thrilled knowing this was their adventure, even though it is fantasy.
The Wild Boys is a good example of this genre. Who has inspired you?
- I guess I would have to say Steven King's short story, 'Stand By Me' and the movie, 'Explorers' just to name a few. I love to show the bond between brothers and family and also their conflicts.
You make good use of locations in the book – there’s a real sense of place. Are these locations significant for you?
- I set the scene in the small town where I grew up including roads and places that really exist, along with fiction, of course.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors? How would you advise a new author about traditional publishing versus self publishing?
- Don't let anyone deter you from fulfilling your passion on telling your story. People with opinions are like noses. We all have one and they are all different. So get your story published and out there for many to enjoy and MAYBE you will be the one.
Which authors do you most admire? Which qualities, in particular, have influenced your writing?
- I would have to say J.K. Rowlings, knowing that she was rejected by twelve publishers, and now she is the first Billionaire author. One of us could be next.
The Wild Boys is a thrilling read, a real page turner. How important was it to you to write with pace and energy?
- I was missing my kids at the time while working out of state, so I wanted to give them something we could do together as a gift that would last a life time, which led to three more books just for fun.
If The Wild Boys were to be adapted for TV or film, who would you see in the lead role? Who did you have in your mind’s eye when you wrote him/her?
- I had that very thought long ago when I wrote it and submitted it to Disney, but they do not take outside works. All four books are spaced in age so the same actors can be used each or every other year. How cool is that? Originally I thought Johnny Depp would have made the perfect father, but the wild boys, just up and coming childhood stars.
How have readers responded to The Wild Boys?
- Outstanding feed back, which is why it continues into an open series with now four books. They wanted more, not wanting it to end, and in each adventure there are more thrills and challenges for them to face and to get in trouble.
Where next? What are you working on now?
- The Wild Boys IV is in writing right now along with a few others. Fifty other books are written and waiting to be published with several more on the way. All I want to do is to bring happiness and joy, along with wholesome, family entertainment to everyone. Happy Reading
