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Barry Lyga

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Barry Lyga

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in The United States
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Member Since
August 2013

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Barry Lyga is a recovering comic book geek. According to Kirkus, he's also a "YA rebel-author." Somehow, the two just don't seem to go together to him.

When he was a kid, everyone told him that comic books were garbage and would rot his brain, but he had the last laugh. Raised on a steady diet of comics, he worked in the comic book industry for ten years, but now writes full-time because, well, wouldn't you?

The Astonishing Adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl is his first novel. Unsoul'd is his latest. There are a whole bunch in between, featuring everything from the aftermath of child abuse to pre-teens with superpowers to serial killers. He clearly does not know how to stick to one subject.
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Barry Lyga Hi! Thanks for your question.

I did a TON of research before writing the book -- everything from serial killer pathology to LEO tactics to the history …more
Hi! Thanks for your question.

I did a TON of research before writing the book -- everything from serial killer pathology to LEO tactics to the history of serial murder. I was just steeped in this stuff and so, honestly, it wasn't difficult or taxing at all. I just sort of channeled it all.

If I have any gift as an author, it's this: I am really, really good at pretending to be really, really bad people. So that's what I used for this. I tried to approach Billy in particular without judgement. Because he wouldn't judge himself. He thinks what he does is both good and necessary, so I just turned off that inner voice that says, "You can't do that!!!" and let it ride.

Glad you enjoyed it!

(Edited because all these months later, I just noticed a typo!!!)(less)
Barry Lyga Oatmeal for breakfast. Every morning. It's the Big Secret for writers. 😉…moreOatmeal for breakfast. Every morning. It's the Big Secret for writers. 😉(less)
Average rating: 3.98 · 106,148 ratings · 13,364 reviews · 71 distinct worksSimilar authors
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Blood of My Blood (I Hunt K...

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More books by Barry Lyga…

From My Hard Drive: Smallville, The Monday Man!

Until I stumbled across this file, I had completely forgotten that a million years ago, I planned to pitch a Smallville novel to DC! I never got far enough along to do so, but I did write the first chapter. Please realize that this was in, like, 2003. I hadn’t published my first novel yet. It was not great writing. But hey, here is the beginning of Chapter One of…

Smallville: The Monday Man!

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Published on January 22, 2026 10:52
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Barry’s Recent Updates

Barry Lyga wrote a new blog post

Writer’s Advent Calendar, Day 20!

Let’s get right to it, with an exercise designed to help you use small moments to build to bigger ones…
Bad Habit, Bad Moment
Give a character a mild ba Read more of this blog post »
Barry Lyga and 1 other person liked 🌙's review of Before the Hunt:
Before the Hunt by Barry Lyga
"i genuinely apologise for the person i will become once i get my hands on a physical copy of this book"
Before the Hunt by Barry Lyga
" Thanks! Glad you liked the stories! "
Barry Lyga and 3 other people liked Britt C's review of Before the Hunt:
Before the Hunt by Barry Lyga
"this was a great read !!
it was nice to see other perspectives on what was going on in lobos nod !
this is my favorite book series and I am happy to have the prequels in on physical collection :)"
Before the Hunt by Barry Lyga
" Thank you for your kind words, Barbara! So glad you enjoyed the books! "
Barry Lyga and 2 other people liked Barbara's review of Before the Hunt:
Before the Hunt by Barry Lyga
"Thank Barry Lyga you for your generosity. Not only did he send me the book I won, but included the other books in the series. I should have thanked him much sooner, but I made the mistake of starting to read and it took me on an enjoyable journey. Th" Read more of this review »
" Chuk wrote: "That is cool. I started these late too and I'm trying to take a break between them but it's hard to force myself. (That way they'll last ...more "
Before the Hunt by Barry Lyga
" Glad you liked it! One of these days -- if everything works out -- I may sit down and write the Billy novel I've had in my head for years! ...more "
Before the Hunt by Barry Lyga
" WHERE: All the usual places
WHAT: You know...
"
Barry Lyga answered Got Books? 's question: Barry Lyga
Well, part of it might have been that when I wrote that book about a dead baby, I was a new father! So I was writing about that tragedy while my little daughter slept in a bassinet next to me. It made it very raw and real for me.

But this is the key t See Full Answer
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Quotes by Barry Lyga  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“You won't even know you've crossed the line until it's way back in your rearview mirror.”
Barry Lyga, I Hunt Killers

“See, forgiveness doesn't happen all at once. It's not an event -- it's a process. Forgiveness happens while you're asleep, while you're dreaming, while you're inline at the coffee shop, while you're showering, eating, farting, jerking off. It happens in the back of your mind, and then one day you realize that you don't hate the person anymore, that your anger has gone away somewhere. And you understand. You've forgiven them. You don't know how or why. It sneaked up on you. It happened in the small spaces between thoughts and in the seconds between ideas and blinks. That's where forgiveness happens. Because anger and hatred, when left unfed, bleed away like air from a punctured tire, over time and days and years. Forgiveness is stealth. At least, that's what I hope.”
Barry Lyga, Boy Toy

“This is why I forgive, but I don't forget. When you forget someone, the forgiveness doesn't mean anything anymore.”
Barry Lyga, I Hunt Killers

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