Meet NUNUM's Contributor: Kelly Ronayne

NUNUM

Blending Flash Fiction & Art

Interview with ​Kelly Ronayne

What was the first book you remember picking up and reading by yourself?
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As a child, I adored Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. My first chapter book was Old Yeller by Fred Gipson.

What writer(s) or which book(s) influenced your decision to become a writer?

Roald Dahl’s dark humor made a lasting impression on me—his story Lamb to the Slaughter especially sticks in my mind.

Is there a writing craft book that you would recommend to new writers?
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While not solely about writing, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron helped unlock my creativity like nothing else.

Is there a writer who has influenced your current writing style?
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Along with Dahl, I’m inspired by O. Henry—his use of irony and twist endings is something I strive for in my own work.

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Why write flash fiction?

We live in a five-minute world. I love crafting stories that fit into life’s in-between moments. Plus, I’m more drawn to short bursts of storytelling than the long haul of a novel.
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What advice would you give someone who is just starting to send their work out to journals?

Grow a thick skin—rejection is part of the process. Be patient; publishing moves slowly. And resist the urge to submit immediately. Let your work sit for a few days—often, its real magic appears after a little distance.

Kelly Ronayne is an award-winning short fiction writer with a primary career in advertising. His passion for concise storytelling grew both at work and while crafting bedtime stories for his children, leading a youth group, and self-publishing illustrated tales. He draws inspiration from O. Henry, Roald Dahl, and Flannery O’Connor.
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Blending Flash Fiction & Art

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