Q&A with Ricky Dragoni

Originally from Puerto Rico, Ricky Dragoni  spent half of his life in the United States. His true passions are writing and cooking. His favorite authors include Edgar Allan Poe and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. From an early age, he started writing poetry and short stories, and his books are born out of the nightmares of his mind and melded with his life experiences. He would describe his books as reality sprinkled with a good magical dose of faerie dust and hopes they can be entertaining and make the reader think.

1.       What inspired you to write The Angel of a MadMan?

I wanted to do my part in encouraging an honest conversation regarding mental illness.  Just before I started writing it, two local middle schoolers committed suicide as well as Robin Williams.  Everyone seemed eager to talk about mental illness, then Kim Kardashian got naked on the cover of Paper magazine and everyone forgot about the conversation.  I understand it is hard to talk about mental illness during a time of tragedy, so I wanted the book to open the conversation to focus on the everyday, the funny, the brilliant, the sad, the scary and the human part of mental illness.

 

2.       Upon first meeting, why was Bracket so surprised that Gabriel could see him?

Bracket believes he can become invisible.  He rationalizes the failure of his “powers” at the convenience store, but with Gabriel he doesn’t quite have an answer.  It is the beginning of his anchoring back to reality.

 

 

3.       What did Bracket and Gabriel provide for each other?

Friendship, support, and the belief in each other.  Even though they looked at the world through incredibly different prisms they believed in each other.  Sometimes in life that is what we need the most.

 

4.       What did each character achieve in the end?

Even though the end is bitter sweet, each character got the opportunity to redeem themselves. 

 

5.       What are some of the main sociological issues that you explore in this book and why did you explore them?

Mental illness, grieving and stigma associated with the mentally ill.  If you look through history some of the most brilliant minds, whether scientific or artistic, would be considered mentally ill.  If we can stop looking at mental illness as someone being broken, and instead looking at is as someone experiencing life through a different prism, I think the conversation could finally advance beyond prayers during times of tragedy.

 

 

6.       In the end, who was the angel and who was the madman?

Wouldn’t you like to know? LOL. The reality is that we all have a little madness inside of us and we can all be an angel to someone else.

 

7.       What do you hope readers will gain from your book?

I want the reader to know that whether it is mental illness or dealing with the loss of someone we love, they are not alone.  We all go through it and it is ok.  No matter how lost a situation might seem there is always light at the end of the tunnel and a chance for redemption and happiness.

 

 

8.       What do you like best and what do you like least about being a writer?

I love being able to express my ideas through my imagination and hopefully make a positive impact on the world.  I love being able to spend quality time with my kids.  I love the feeling of being able to be happy following my passion.

What I like the least?   The uncertainty of when the paycheck is coming.  Having worked in the corporate world for over 12 years and having the stability of a paycheck, it has been an adjustment on how the literary world works.

 

9.       Who are some of your favorite authors?

Edgar Allan Poe, love his short stories, they are not only entertaining but they keep you thinking for days.  Gabriel Garcia Marquez was a big influence as well during my formative years.  Current authors I enjoy Simon Green’s Nightside series, Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files, Dean Koontz, I am partial to the Odd Thomas books and Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake Vampire hunter series.

 

10.   If your book would be turned into a movie, who would you imagine playing the part of the main characters? (Actor can be ANYONE, living or dead.)

For Gabriel there is no question, it would be Gabriel Iglesias also known as “Fluffy.  I went to his show around that time and he talked a lot about the passing of his mom.  It was a huge influence and inspiration for the character.  Bracket I would love if Don Cheadle would play him.  He is an amazing actor and I could see him being able to play an outlandish character yet keeping the kindness and humanity in his eyes. 

 

11.   Are you working on anything right now?

Yes, I am working on “The Swift” It is a dark story, along the same vein as “I am Legend” but with different creepy crawler monsters.  It is a post-apocalyptic survival story but with a huge twist in the end.  That is all I can say right now without giving too much away.

I am also working on Tommy Jones, a young adult series which I am writing with my 13 year old, Lorenzo.

 

12.   And, finally, what do you think is in store for the future of Latino literature?

I think the sky is the limit.  Many of us get exposed to so many kinds of different literatures, whether American, Hispano-American, European and the local ones from our countries that it polishes us as authors and writers.  I think we need to keep writing from our unique and interesting perspectives.  Soon the days of Gabriel Garcia Marquez being the only well-known international Latino author would be a thing of the past, and the Ramirez, Dragoni and Santiago will be as common as Koontz, King and Rice.