Compelled to write

“I tell aspiring writers that you have to find what you MUST write. When you find it, you will know, because the subject matter won’t let you go. It’s not enough to write simply because you think it would be neat to be published. You have to be compelled to write. If you’re not, nothing else that you do matters.” – Rick Riordan

An American author, Riordan is best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series about a 12-year-old who discovers he is the son of the ancient Greek god Poseidon. His books have been translated into 37 languages and have sold more than 30 million.

Born in San Antonio, TX, Riordan was working as an English and social studies teacher when he conceived the idea for the Percy Jackson series as bedtime stories about ancient Greek heroes for his son Haley. Haley had been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, inspiring Riordan to make Percy ADHD/dyslexic.

 

Rick Riordan

Since 2005, Riordan has created several successful book series, including the multi-award-winning Tres Navarre mystery series for adults, which follows the fast-paced adventures of an erudite Texan private eye.  He’s about to launch yet another series for youth, this one based on Norse mythology.  The first book is called The Sword of Summer.  It will debut in October.

“I think kids want the same thing from a book that adults want - a fast-paced story, characters worth caring about, humor, surprises, and mystery,” he said.  “A good book always keeps you asking questions, and makes you keep turning pages so you can find out the answers.”

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