A Cape Breton author is celebrating the release of his new book and hitting the best sellers list again.
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Return to Breakneck Island is the sequel to Tom Ryan’s 2004 thriller The Treasure Hunters Club. Set in the fictional town of Maple Bay, N.S., Ryan’s three main characters try to solve a series of murders in the first book; murders connected to the local stories of missing pirate treasure.
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In the sequel, Ryan brings readers back to Maple Bay where the search this time is for a missing family of lighthouse keepers and a recent suspicious death.
Born and raised in Inverness where Ryan lives most of the year with his husband and two dogs, the award-winning author draws inspiration for his books from Cape Breton and mainland Nova Scotia.
Return to Breakneck Island was released earlier this month and within two weeks made the bestseller lists for both the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail.
The Cape Breton Post caught up with Ryan to discuss his recent novel, why he chose writing and what he does to keep the words flowing. This Q&A has been edited for length and news style.
What inspired your book?
I knew I wanted the new book to include a historical mystery that was connected to the contemporary murder, and the spark came from a sailing trip I took with my husband years ago on the South Shore. We visited a remote, uninhabited island with a lighthouse and abandoned keeper’s buildings, and I started imagining the people who might once have lived there. What would it have been like to raise a family in such an isolated place? And what if that family disappeared without a trace?
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How did your writing process go for this book? Was there much research involved?
It was a real pleasure to return to Maple Bay, the fictional Nova Scotia town I introduced in The Treasure Hunters Club. I already had the community and a lot of the characters figured out, but I wanted to expand that world and explore another part of its history. Because a lot of the groundwork was laid in the first book, I was able to immediately focus on the mysteries at the story’s core. It took me about a year to write the book, including edits, and I enjoyed every minute.
When did you know you wanted to be an author? Was there a specific moment?
If you had asked me when I was six or seven years old what I wanted to do when I grew up, I would have described what I’m doing right now, which makes me a very lucky guy. I always loved books and storytelling, and at a certain point I fell in love with mysteries. In a lot of ways I feel as if I’ve been preparing to write mysteries of my own since I was a kid.
Why do you continue to write for a living? What makes you love it?
I get to spend my working life asking “what if?” and seeing where the answer takes me. That’s a pretty wonderful thing. I love building a world, getting to know the people in it, and figuring out which secrets or shocking scenarios will turn their lives upside down.
I obviously spend a ton of time by myself when I’m writing a new book, but I also love the more social aspects of this job. I have met and worked with so many great people in the publishing industry, including lots of other writers who I now consider good friends. Most of all, I love meeting readers and hearing about their experiences and interpretations of my work. It never gets old hearing that a reader has fallen in love with a character I’ve invented or been surprised by a twist that I imagined.
What is your goal for your book? Who do you hope reads it?
Above everything else, I want readers to have a good time. I want them to get caught up in the mystery, care about the characters, and feel the irresistible urge to read one more chapter.
This series is really a love letter to coastal mysteries, old legends, found families and eccentric characters. If a reader likes atmospheric settings, buried secrets and a sense of adventure, I think they’ll find something to enjoy here. And as a Nova Scotian, I love the idea of people discovering this part of the world through my books.
Who are some of your favourite authors?
There are so many. I love mysteries and thrillers, and big fat stories full of great characters. I’m a huge fan of Tana French, Donna Tartt, Sarah Waters, Anthony Horowitz, Patricia Highsmith, Stephanie Wrobel. The list goes on and on.
What do you do when you’re struggling with writing?
Every book has its challenges, but I’ve been doing this for a long time and I have developed a system that works for me. I often get asked about writer’s block, and the truth is plumbers don’t have the luxury of getting plumber’s block; same thing for teachers, doctors, bus drivers, etc. I am so lucky to get to do the thing I love the most, so if a particular day is difficult, I just grit my teeth and get on with it. The best way to get unstuck is to just keep writing.
Any hope your novel will be picked up for film or television?
There’s already been an exciting development on that front: the rights to The Treasure Hunters Club, the first Maple Bay novel, were purchased recently by a great company in Toronto, Sky Wild Entertainment, and I’m involved in helping develop it as a series. My last book, We Had a Hunch, has been picked up by A&E in Los Angeles, and although I’m not as involved in that project, my fingers are crossed that something will come of it.
It’s always a real longshot that a project will actually get produced in this kind of situation, but I would really love to see the Treasure Hunters Club books developed in Nova Scotia. We have amazing, talent and crew right here on the ground, and it’s the most beautiful place on earth. I’d love to see the story brought to life here at home.
Any plans to continue the series?
I definitely intend to return to Maple Bay. Both books in the series have been bestsellers so I’d like to think there’s an appetite for these stories. There are plenty of other doors to open in this world, and I’m curious about what’s behind them.
What would you tell aspiring writers?
Read widely, write regularly, and finish your projects. Finishing a manuscript teaches you things you can’t learn by endlessly revising the opening chapters.
I’d also encourage writers to pay attention to their own interests. The places, questions and odd little stories you can’t stop thinking about are worth following. Don’t try to guess what someone else wants you to write, focus on the story that intrigues you, and try to write a book you’d read yourself.
