Ryan Gregory Floyd is a writer of songs and stories and 2017 marks the publication of his first book, "The Ballad Of Cody Byrne: And Other Stories," and the release of a new compilation CD, "A Fire In Your Blood," both backed by an extensive US tour through late 2017. Ryan divides his time between his hometowns of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Bend, Oregon, both of which feature prominently in his writing. "The Ballad of Cody Byrne: And Other Stories" is a fiction collection containing two novellas, ten short stories, poetry, and lyrics. The titular novella tells the story of Cody Byrne, a twenty-four year old aspiring writer who has never been in love. As his own family is torn apart by potential infidelity and a bitter divorce, he meets Amara Reston, a free-spirited college student who lives in the apartment next to him. With Amara at his side, love leads the way to experience as Cody's sheltered scholarly life gives way to the many beautiful and often painful events that mark the passage into adulthood. The other stories in the collection range from the gritty realism of "Earthward," a coming of age novella set in Central Oregon, to historical dramas with flashes of sci-fi and fantasy, such as "Isabel," "The Curse Of Sprout," "The God Of The Island," and "Diotima: A Prologue." "A Fire In Your Blood" is an exclusively direct from artist-to-fan compilation CD of Ryan's best originals and cover songs. The album kicks off with Ryan's dark but alluring pop ode to Daenerys Targaryen, "A Fire In Your Blood," and follows up with a stirring live rendition of Kris Kristofferson's, "Sunday Morning, Coming Down." "Arya," a Balkan influenced gothic fantasy of vampiric seduction, "Stable Song," and "Ghosts" round out the next few tracks. The album is a testament to Ryan's ability to channel diverse genres into a captivating and compelling live show. Ryan's professional career in music began in 2014 with an 18-month focus on writing and recording that yielded two LPs (Of Muses and Men, Hekatombaion), three EPs (Sara, Equinox, The Red And The Black), and a live LP (Live At The Hi-Ho Lounge). The next 18 months saw a focus on live performances, both solo and with multiple bands, resulting in over 200 live shows and a new live EP (The Nazarene) in 2016. The publication of "The Ballad Of Cody Byrne: And Other Stories" marks Ryan's debut as a writer of fiction. He dedicated the book to the memories of two of his greatest influences, Jim Harrison and Leonard Cohen, both of whom passed in 2016.
About the Author: Ryan Gregory Floyd is a writer of songs and stories and 2017 marks the publication of his first book, "The Ballad Of Cody Byrne: And Other Stories," and the release of a new compilation CD, "A Fire In Your Blood," both backed by an extensive US tour through late 2017. Ryan divides his time between his hometowns of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Bend, Oregon, both of which feature prominently in his writing.