An Interview with Ryan Cowan, Author of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal

Ryan Cowan grew up in a small town in Ohio called Middleport. He currently lives in Hawthorne, California. A teacher with twenty years of experience, Ryan has taught all grades from K-6th. He currently works as a school administrator in Los Angeles.

You can buy Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal here.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

My work as a teacher inspired me to write Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal. Additionally, the book was inspired by the cartoon series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. I wanted to write a story with magic, mystery, and suspense that taught kids important lessons. That’s what the He-Man cartoons did for me when I was a kid.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I’m currently an assistant principal of an elementary school. Before that, I worked as a classroom teacher and intervention coordinator. This is my twenty-second year as an educator!

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal came to me easily. To me, Mr. Moonbeam is the focus throughout the book—even though he isn’t always the main character. Additionally, the Halloween crystal is an important artifact in the story, so it is only fitting that it should be mentioned in the title.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

The original book cover was a hand-drawn illustration. At that time, the book was only available via Kindle. Even though it was a very basic cover, I was thrilled to see it “live” on Amazon. Later, I found the right book designer and, several drafts later, we came up with a variety of covers—eventually settling on the current cover. It was a wonderful experience to hold a physical copy of my book for the first time because it was as if I was holding my life and imagination in my hands.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

I listened to various Fleetwood Mac albums and Stevie Nicks’ album “Bella Donna” while writing Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal. The song “Crystal” by Fleetwood Mac would definitely be on the soundtrack, as well as the song “Bella Donna” by Stevie Nicks, along with several songs by Enya.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope it takes them back to a time when Halloween was spooky, mysterious, and innocent—not bloody, violent, and gory.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

For me, the most rewarding part has been sharing this experience with the people from Middleport/Pomeroy, Ohio, or Meigs County, Ohio, which is where I grew up. They helped boost my book to a #1 debut back in 2019, and I’ll always be grateful.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

I am currently writing the sequel to Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal, titled Mr. Moonbeam and the Legends of Moonstone. I can’t wait to share my second book with the world!

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.