In this exclusive interview, we delve into the creative mind behind the captivating Dissonance series and gain a deeper understanding of the inspirations, challenges, and personal experiences that have shaped this dystopian narrative. Join us as we uncover the world-building process, character development, and the future of the series, while also exploring the author’s influences and behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Get ready to embark on a fascinating journey into the literary realm of the Dissonance series and the prolific writer behind it.
But First, Who is Aaron Ryan?
Aaron Ryan lives in Washington with his wife and two sons, along with Macy the dog, Winston the cat, and Merry & Pippin, the finches.
He is the author of the “Dissonance” series, several business books on multimedia production penned under a pseudonym, as well as a previous fictional novel, “The Omega Room.”
When he was in second grade, he was tasked with writing a creative assignment: a fictional book. And thus, “The Electric Boy” was born: a simple novella full of intrigue, fantasy, and 7-year-old wits that electrified Aaron’s desire to write. From that point forward, Aaron evolved into a creative soul that desired to create.
He enjoys the arts, media, music, performing, poetry, and being a daddy. In his lifetime he has been an author, voiceover artist, wedding videographer, stage performer, musician, producer, rock/pop artist, executive assistant, service manager, paperboy, CSR, poet, tech support, worship leader, and more. The diversity of his life experiences gives him a unique approach to business, life, ministry, faith, and entertainment.
Aaron’s favorite author by far is J.R.R. Tolkien, but he also enjoys Suzanne Collins, James S.A. Corey, Marie Lu, Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, and Stephen King.
Aaron has always had a passion for storytelling.
Aaron Ryan’s Books:
- What inspired you to write the Dissonance series, and how did the concept originate?
I definitely wanted a “future Earth” environment that was attainable…not set too far into the future where it would be unrelatable and perhaps too antiseptic or cleaned up. Something that would provide dystopia but relatability to our modern times.
- How has your background influenced the themes and characters in your books?
Anytime I write in the first person POV, it’s fairly inevitable that what I write is going to stem from a personal perspective, and that the characters’ thoughts and worldview will more or less represent my own. I went on a faith journey; so did Cameron. I have a hard time separating out justice vs. revenge; so does Cameron. So, in all honesty, his journey and struggles mirror mine to a certain extent, definitely.
- What challenges did you face while writing the Dissonance series, and how did you overcome them?
I strive for verisimilitude and the quality of it feeling believable, attainable, and grounded in reality. So I really hope my readers come away feeling like this could actually happen in 2026, and the dystopian landscape offered in my novels is very believable for 2042.
- What is the significance of the series title “Dissonance,” and how does it relate to the overarching narrative?
Ultimately this is a story about someone simply trying to do their duty for their country but slowly coming to discover that there are far more nefarious forces working behind the scenes and he realizes slowly that he’s actually ending up fighting two different enemies. Sometimes in life, we end up warring against what we do see, and we have no idea what’s actually going on behind the scenes, which may in fact be far more dangerous to us.
- In creating the character of Cameron “Jet” Shipley, what traits did you want to emphasize and why?
Cameron is a cynic, he ruminates on justice vs. revenge, he has internal dialogues that are sometimes scorching, and he wrestles with pride: all things that I (and most men, I’ll wager) struggle with. As far as tragedy, yes, I’ve had my share. But for obvious reasons Camerons’ tragedies are more acute, heartfelt and damaging in the loss of nearly all members of his family from the outset, to say nothing of the fact that the world has become entirely unsafe out there, and he’s having to eke out a living in the shadows like everyone else, in survival mode.
- How do you approach world-building, particularly in crafting a post-apocalyptic Earth?
I love the question. Ultimately, your first thought to hearing that the setting is 2042 is “okay, that’s the future, so granted, things would be very different and advanced.” But that’s not necessarily the case. Nearly 80% of humanity was killed off in the three months of the initial invasion in September of 2024. Another 5% died of natural causes and calamities over the next bit of time. So, where you have humanity dying off and hiding in the shadows, innovation ceases; advancement ceases; the economy ceases; activity ceases; and building and progress cease. We’re in arrested development, and there is no forward momentum. Therefore, the Earth that you might see two years from now in the invasion is going to be roughly the same as that which you might see sixteen years from now. The same cars, the same guns, the same jets, the same everything. If one goes into hiding, one goes “underground.” So I needed humans to largely live in cloistered and claustrophobic environments where the gorgons couldn’t get at them. You do have to give your protagonists a fighting chance, after all. The people who naturally survive the best are the military who have access to guns, and technology, and can build some form of protection around themselves in order to survive. That’s where the Blockades came from, but they did take several slow years, each of them, to come into fruition. After all, there are gorgons out there, and they had to do it quietly.
- What authors or works have influenced your writing style and thematic choices?
Without a doubt, J.R.R. Tolkien. He created the first piece of creativity that really moved me and inspired me. It was the first piece of creativity where my soul was awakened to wonder. I’ve read The Lord of the Rings now – the entire trilogy – probably 150 times in my lifetime.
- Can you share a behind-the-scenes fact or anecdote about the writing of the Dissonance series that readers might find surprising or interesting?
I’m much more of a pantser than a planner. But I kind of like to think of myself as a “plantser.” Ultimately, I prefer my storytelling to be more organic and follow my characters along, with spur-of-the-moment happenings rather than inflexible mileposts. I do plan an overarching struggle and destination as, bereft of that, they may wander aimlessly and bore the reader. And I love writing on my laptop at night after I’ve put one of our kiddos to bed, there in the dark on my MacBook! #bestcreativetime
- How do you envision the future of the Dissonance series, and are there more volumes planned beyond the second book?
I really hope to inspire people with my trilogy, and have them come away with a renewed sense of understanding the difference between justice and revenge, about accountability and threading your way through difficult circumstances. I really also hope that they are absolutely terrified in coming face to face with these monsters. I know I was. And ultimately I hope that they crave new installments because the story was so gripping. I want them to be left wanting more. Dissonance Volume II: Reckoning was published on March 20th, and Dissonance Volume III: Renegade has 328 pages in it currently. It’s a whopper! It’s already longer than the first two. There is reconciliation and story-wrapping that needs to happen on a few different levels in Volume III, thus, it will require more narrative. I’m THRILLED with how Volume II turned out as well, and Volume III is going to be a knockout punch. It’s amazingly researched, heavy, inspiring, and provides a tremendously powerful climax.
- Apart from writing, what are some of your interests or hobbies, and do they ever intersect with your writing?
I love movies. I think that translates very well to being a novelist, because I do write them as somewhat of a screenplay, or with screenplay-elements built in, to facilitate that eventual migration to the screen. I love reading other authors’ works. I love spending time with my boys and playing with them, going on trips with the family, etc.. My family is my life, and my boys are my heritage, and I am so grateful for them. Thank you for the interview
Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences, Aaron. We appreciate you taking the time to delve into the creative world of the Dissonance series with us.
