Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a comedy writer and a cartoonist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have written one graphic novel and recently released my first non-fiction work. I’m also a regular contributor to satire fake news sites.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Trump Tweets: Best of the Presidency.
The President’s Twitter feed has been incredibly influential and powerful. I selected the best of his 26,000 tweets from his presidency and compiled them into a book which gives us insight to Donald Trump and tells the story of his presidency.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Is procrastination unusual? I’ll figure it out and get back to you later.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve always been drawn to comedic sequential art. An image can enable the brevity or gag needed for a joke that text alone cannot provide.
I grew up reading the newspaper funnies, Cracked and Mad magazines. Later, television shows like South Park showed me that cartoons can be dark and made for adults. Scott McCloud has been very influential as well. His work should be mandatory reading for anyone making comics.
What are you working on now?
I currently produce a webcomic titled First World Problems. It is a series where poorly-drawn, but always happy characters overreact to minor inconveniences, usually fatally.
I am working on turning this webcomic into a full novel; a hybrid of webcomic gags and traditional writing. It is a dark humor story of finding purpose in a world of chaos.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Stay connected to your readers. I like to release webcomics and satire news stories for my own enjoyment and in hopes that they will help readers find their way to my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just write! Get your ideas on paper and finish the story without getting hung up on minor details. You can fill in the gaps and do corrections later. Don’t let perfectionism kill your project.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Reheat left-over pizza with a glass of water in the microwave.
Changed my life.
What are you reading now?
The Secret Lives of Presidents. I primarily read history books. A lot of history’s characters, stories and themes find their way in to my work.
What’s next for you as a writer?
My primary goal is to increase production and explore long form satire in addition to the short articles I write.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Bible, Surviving Desert Islands for Dummies and two copies of my graphic novel, The Dirtsheets, so I can be the best selling author on the island.
Author Websites and Profiles
Richie Richards Website
Richie Richards Amazon Profile
Richie Richards’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account