Chris Riker: I’m Nuts

Tell us a bit about your latest work.

I’m pleased to have written Goody Celeste, which came out just recently. (I have a new one. More on that in a bit.) It’s been a chance to relive my childhood summers in 1969 Rhode Island. Of course, I got to invent a better version of me, one who’s not so oblivious to the world, and to women’s feelings. Ha! My main guy, Paul, meets Cece, a smart, beautiful witch, and together they face their problems. 

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work?

I’m worried about planet Earth. From this, I have discovered my fascination for two main themes: 1) Eat the Rich. Pretty self-explanatory, really. I’ve come to believe that extreme wealth is a fatal addiction. The idea that only “more” is enough is truly cynical and destructive. (This is why I worry for our beautiful planet.) This leads to 2) Hope. I’m a stingy writer. I will never offer you much hope. Wishing for a pony? You’re not getting it from me, fella. On the other hand, I don’t like nihilistic endings. So, you will always know that the hero will find the faintest glimmer at the end. And it’s usually coming from a change within. I think this theme is best seen in Zebulon Angell and the Shadow Army. Zee’s opening line is: “I wanted to conquer the world that morning, but my beer tasted skunky, and my head was full of cats.” In fact, I’d written that line years earlier, and it was only in 2021 that the story sprang forth. Zee does get a chance to do great things, but because he is who he is, he blows the opportunity to smithereens. He also meets Emperor Qin’s ghost, but you have to read the story to find out how. Point is, (spoiler) he learns about himself.

Read the full interview:

https://seanhtaylor.blogspot.com/2024/06/chris-riker-im-nuts.html