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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Bars for Days?

For years, people had been telling me I needed to document my life. I have just had a lot of amazing experiences and had a lot of run-ins with interesting people. When I returned to finish my degree at the University of Miami, I was excelling in my writing classes, and one of my professors encouraged me to expand my assignments into an all out book.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Bars for Days, what would they be?

Well, the story itself comes with a soundtrack. There is a full album that is being released alongside this book. One song I’d recommend listening to would be Sky City, by Mic Nickels. This one really encompasses the vibe of the book. I’d also say Travellin Man, by Mos Def, and New York State of Mind, by Nas would be fitting for the motif.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

I love reading dystopian sci-fi; 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, Cat’s Cradle etc. I haven’t written anything like this yet, but I am planning to delve into fiction next, and most likely the story will fall into this vein.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Be Water My Friend, by Shannon Lee. Magicians of the Gods, by Graham Hancock. Griot by Jeremy Pelt. Lost Continent of Mu, by James Churchward.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

There were a lot of scenes that I really enjoyed writing. Visiting Peru to go to Machu Picchu was a special experience. Hanging out with Tracy Morgan for a weekend was pretty wild too. I also enjoyed revisiting my daughter being born during the eclipse of 2017. It was fun going back to these moments and bringing them to life for the audience.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I like to listen to instrumental music on YouTube while I write. Mostly loft study beats, or heavy synth concentration music in strange frequencies.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

You can't control anything in life, except outlook.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

That life is short. Try to do your best to enjoy every moment.

Mic Nickels is the author of the new book Bars for Days

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What's the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Rips and Tears?

The inspiration for Rips and Tears came from the decades-old redacted government files that are declassified every so often. I found myself poring through them, trying to decipher what I could from what wasn’t redacted. The stories between the black bars were often implied, often invented, but my imagination always ran wild when thinking of what was behind the black bars. It’s also inspired by old SCP stories and Control (the video game), which I played right before I started writing and convinced me I could write a story like this.

What's your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genres to read are definitely science fiction and fantasy (most of the times a mix between the two), and they are also by far my favorite to write. Taking something that doesn’t exist and making it relevant to the human experience, to our base fears and wants, is very fun for me.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’ve been meaning to finally tackle Dune (by Frank Herbert) ever since watching and enjoying the movie, but I haven’t had the time. Right now I’m reading Ronin (by Emma Mieko Candon), a samurai Star Wars novel, that is absolutely fantastic.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

My favorite scene in the novel to write was definitely the case file on the GLITTER, which is simultaneously a single speck of glitter / an infinite, exponentially growing pile of glitter. Once it touches human skin, it multiplies until it engulfs and suffocates the person it came into contact with. I absolutely loathe using glitter in crafts, and how it gets everywhere, so turning that hatred into a terrifying/hilarious existential threat was very fun.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I write in bursts of twenty minutes or so. I find it very hard to write for extended periods of time; it’s much easier for me to write in ten twenty minute increments throughout the day than to write for three hours straight. Not sure if that’s weird or not, but that’s how I write.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

I don’t have a singular motto I live by, but I try to be as kind and understanding as I can be, and I value empathy very highly in the people I choose to keep around me.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

If readers remember one thing after reading my book, it’s this: the paranormal events in my book are obviously fictional, but the various alphabet agencies (FBI/CIA/etc) have done some WILD, insane, crazy things that have been declassified since they occurred, and reading about them can make you feel insane. And those are the things they’ve admitted to; imagine what they haven’t.

Andrew Rivas is the author of the new book Rips and Tears

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