• Can you tell us something about yourself? Somethings that's not written on your Author Bio.

I have a twin sister who I am really close to. She has three children, one of which is severely autistic. Brianna is seven, still wears diapers, and is nonverbal, but she is one of the most loving little girls you could ever meet. I am a huge autism advocate, and I donate part of my proceeds to the cause. I have a special place in my heart for families who have been touched by autism <3 

• How did you discover your love for writing?

My family didn't have a lot of money when I was growing up. We didn't have television. When I was around five years old, my mother took my sister and I to the local library for a library card. That card changed my world. It opened up a whole new level of imagination, and I discovered a love for stories. At first, I simply made up stories and told them to my twin sister at night while we were in bed. As I got older, and I learned to write, I began writing the stories down. I rarely kept them. I didn't have a lot of confidence in my writing abilities as a child and young adult. It was my mother, a single mother of two who did not finish high school, who gave me the wings to fly. She "rescued" anything I threw away. Years later when I asked her why, she told me, "What you considered trash, I considered genuis." It is a motto I live by. My mother was a brilliant woman. I can honestly say there has never been a moment in my life where I didn't want to be a writer.

• Where do you base your characters?

My characters are a wild mix of people I have met, people I know, and people I wish I knew. And there is always a little bit of my personality in each of them as well. Only a few characters are based almost entirely on just one person I know. My character, Monroe, in the Redemption series for example, is based on my own best friend, Audrey Welch.

• What are the different perks of being a published author?

I think the biggest perk of having a book published, whether traditionally or independently, is having other people become a part of your life through your stories. It's being able to get your work out there, to make it available to the public.

• What is the hardest thing on being an author?

The hardest part of being an author is editing and promotion. Writing a story is the easy part. Writing is about emptying your heart and soul on paper, stripping yourself naked in front of millions of people. But, in order to get the story out there, it has to be edited first, and there has to be an audience who will buy it. I am fortunate enough to have an amazing editor named Melanie Bruce. She is such a dear friend and she really cares about the books. As for promotion, It can be a hard road trying to figure out what you need to do to make people take notice. Even if they hate the book, it's still attention. And even though promoting is time consuming and sometimes complex, I have met some absolutely amazing people because of it.

• When the word "HOT" is uttered, who is the first person that comes into your mind?

My husband . . . That said, I'm also going to say Sam Worthington from the movie Clash of the Titans and Avatar. *sigh* yum!

• Who is that one celebrity you would want to marry if you're not married yet?

I'm married, but if I wasn't I think I'd have to say Sam Worthington or Jensen Ackles.

• One movie that you are dying to watch?

I would say Hunger Games, but I have already gotten the chance to see that (loved it, btw). So I think I'd have to say the second Hunger Games movie.

• If you're going to heaven, who is that one person you would want to be with you?

Such a hard question! And I would have to admit, that unless I could take at least four people with me, I'd have to stay on earth. lol. I would want to take my three daughters and my husband with me.

• If you're going to hell, who is that one person you would drag down with you?

Now that, my dears, is a secret. . . ;)

• What is next for Ms. R.K. Ryals?

Right now, I am currently working on Retribution: book 3 in the Redemption series. It is slated for a May release and should be out no later than the end of that month. After that, I will be working on two anthology submissions, and then I will be starting on the second book in the Acropolis Series. I also have a fantasy series and another paranormal series in the draft stage.