"Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys" by Benjamin Ryan
Today’s author interview is with Benjamin Ryan, author of “Madame Eldridge’s Wayward Home for Unruly Boys.” The cover is an eerie sort of green, and yes, it has all sorts of things to do with the storyline—especially the part set in the past. Yes, there is some time travel in it! The plot revolves around a group of juvenile delinquents, so to speak, who are supposed to be reformed by visiting Madame Eldridge’s one-week program. Both middle grade and young adult readers will enjoy this adventure/magical/time travel/humorous novel. Oh, and check out all the reviews on Amazon!
Rebecca: So, now that we’re all curious, what gave you the idea to write "Madame Eldridge's Wayward Home for Unruly Boys"? What sparked the idea?
Benjamin: What a story! Sit down and make sure you have a good cup of coffee because this is a fun one! A writer friend of mine, who is now also a published author, was querying her manuscript, and sent it off to her dream agent. Within 24 hours the agent rejected her. She was so offended by how quickly she had gotten a rejection, she decided to get revenge, something I advise no one to do! She wrote a fake query letter for a book she had not yet written, and sent it to the agent just to waste the agents time. Within 24 hours, the agent responded back stating she wanted to see the first 20,000 words. Of course, my friend was freaking out, so I encouraged her to write as quickly as she could for four days and send off what she had. 24 hours passed again, and my friend informed me she had written over 8,000 words. I was so inspired, I decided to sit down and write a book as fast as I could along side her as support seeing as I hadn’t written a new manuscript in over 11 years. From only the inkling of an idea that boys would go to a behavior program and be referred to by their problem, not their name, an entire book was written in 5 1/2 days. I had not clue what would happen in the next chapter until my fingers hit the keys. It was surreal. My experience in writing this book was identical to someone reading this book for the first time. I was equally as shocked with every plot-twist, suspenseful moment, clues unanswered, and haunting questions as to what would happen next, until I finally wrote, “The End”.
Rebecca: Interesting! I’ve had that happen once before with a book; it sort of wrote itself. I also think you have a unique twist that none of the characters are actually called by their real names. It actually made it very easy to keep them apart since they are named after their "characteristics": Secret, Fibbsy, Slob…etc. If you were at Madame Eldridge's, what would YOUR name have been?
Benjamin: I love the idea that the characters don’t have names, because it forces you to judge the characters in the same way the characters do to each other in the book. It’s also a play on the idea that we judge too quickly ourselves and others without focusing on who the person really is. Of course, as you read, you realize the characters are so much more than the names they are called. In reading this book, you will get to know me from a child, to an early adolescent, to a young man, because every boy’s name in this book was essentially a phase that I went through in my life. I am all of these boys; they are fragments of my lived experience. But my best friend would have to argue with me that I have evolved once again, and if I were to enter the home today, my name would not be Benjamin Ryan, I would simply be referred to as “Overthinker”.
Rebecca: After reading the novel, it sounds like you're gearing up for a sequel or possibly a series. Can you tell us anything more about that? (And if so, you should put in a character called “Overthinker”!)
Benjamin: There is a sequel in the works, and I have to admit that I am stuck currently. There are two different ways that I could take the book, and both of them excite me. That being said, I will divulge that the first book does have a lot of time travel elements, and this is the angle I focus on for the sequel. The boys (now a year older) discover a way to return to the home, back in time to the moment when they themselves were in the program. From this unique viewpoint, the boys are able to sneak off and witness events that were happening throughout the first book that were hidden from the reader’s original viewpoint. Lots of questions will become answered, and many new plot twists and deeper theories will be divulged as new secrets are revealed. The boys will discover what was truly happening behind closed doors as they watch (and interfere with) year-ago Slob, Defiance, Secret, and Fibbsy who, as we know, try desperately to figure out the mystery of the Wayward Home for Unruly Boys.
Rebecca: While reading, I personally saw the story play out as a movie--sort of like a cross between "Percy Jackson" and "Harry Potter." Who would play the main roles if you had a say?
Benjamin: I can’t answer this question, not because I don’t want to, but because I find it quite impossible. The unique thing about me as a creative is that I am unable to see faces in my imaginings, even in the characters that I create. I feel them emotionally, and I see their experience through their eyes, but I’m not able to view them specifically. The way they look I don’t think matters as much as the way in which they portray the feelings, the mystery, the drama, and the suspense that is embedded within the storyline. Many actors and actresses could play each of the roles, and furthermore, I’m not up-to-date on my young teen boy actors names! That being said, if there is ever a movie or a TV show or a play done, I would love to be one of the characters, even if it’s one of the butlers! I want to be a part of this story in every way possible.
Rebecca: In real life, you're a teacher. Do your students ever inspire your writing? Do you ever get ideas from the classroom?
Benjamin: I get asked this question a lot, and the answer is always: NO. While I do take inspiration from my real life, my students are never the inspiration for my characters, or my ideas. That being said, let me completely undermine what I just said in saying that, the idea of calling the boys by their problem not their name came directly from me being a teacher. Because I work with students in Elementary Special Ed, and because students are still people who deserve respect, whenever I tell my crazy stories about my students to my friends or family, I never use the child’s name, so I’ve always created nicknames my entire career. My mother is always updated on what Jiggles does when he stands in line behind Snappy. My friends love the stories about Screamer, Gassy, and Whiner. And of course, Runner is always everyone’s favorite!
Rebecca: If you could ask yourself one question in this interview, what would it be?
Benjamin: What makes you different from other authors? Every author is unique, but the feedback I’ve received for years is that my writing style is something that is refreshingly different. Most of my work is done in third person omniscient, which is rarely seen these days. Furthermore, I’m constantly being told that my book reads like a ready for Netflix series. The narration, the descriptions, and the way in which my writing flows, it feels as though you’re watching a movie. It is for this very reason that when I was querying my manuscript, I had over 16 agents asking for the main script in full. And every single one of them came back to me with the exact same reason for rejection. They told me they wouldn’t know how to market the book, because it was so different from anything else that they had encountered. I am different, my writing is different, I do break the rules, and I find that sometimes a new perspective on a treasured thing can be something to be desired. I was not given the chance to have representation for this book by an agent because they weren’t sure how readers would respond. That being said, I was an Amazon number 1 bestseller, I was the Distinguished Favorite in the New York City Big Book Award, and I won second place in three categories in the BookFest Awards. I have been nominated for several other awards since, and my book reviews are mostly five stars. The point I’m making is that I’m unique, and I celebrate my differences, not changing myself to fit into what others think is good or bad. Just like the moral within my book, I am who I am, be who you are, celebrate your weirdness, and above all else, be authentic, even if others question it.
Rebecca: I agree completely! It seems nowadays that third person omniscient is a no-no, but I actually find it refreshing. Many classic children’s books from the eighties and before use it very successfully. You’ve also employed it well, obviously, due to those 70+ Amazon reviews! Check them out yourself, readers, or find Benjamin Ryan on Twitter (X): @brclothwrites