Ron McGee's Blog

Very excited to have the first review for the new Ryan Quinn Adventure, RYAN QUINN AND THE LION'S CLAW, come in. The whole review from Kirkus Reviews is available here, but this was my favorite part:"...solid characters, snappy dialogue, and tons of action keep pages flipping. Hits the spot for adventure junkies. "The book comes out October 24 -- can't wait to hear what you all think!

Exciting news - Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape was named to theWinter 2016–2017 Kids’ Indie Next Great Reads List!  All Indie Next List picks are based on recommendations from booksellers at independent bookstores, so I'm very proud of this.  Independent booksellers are a treasure trove of information - if you haven't visited your local store recently, I highly recommend it.Here's the recommendation from the announcement:“Eighth-grader Ryan Quinn has no idea that his parents are part of a super secret Underground Railroad-type organization that operates in many of the world’s most dangerous places. Now he must try to save both of them with the help of some of his school friends. I love the way that debut author McGee gets inside the head of his protagonist and that of his techno-geek friend, Danny. These characters ring true, the action is non-stop, and fans of adventure, spy thrillers, and just plain fun storytelling will be eagerly awaiting the next installment.” —Maureen Palacios, Once Upon a Time, Montrose, CA

Humanitarian is a big word with a complicated history. But for me, a humanitarian is simply a person who treats all people with sympathy and kindness, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, age, religion, ability, or nationality.In Ryan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape, 13-year-old Ryan’s father works for the real-life United Nations as well as a fictional version of the Emergency Rescue Committee doing humanitarian work around the globe. When the events of the book put Ryan in a position to help a stranger in need, he is empowered to do the right thing by the qualities his parents have imbued in him.Over the years, I’ve tried to teach my son and daughter the same principles. Here are a few ideas that might help you pass along humanitarian ideals to your own kids.1. Start Early & Start SmallIt's never too early to start helping others. Kids may not understand (or be interested in!) politics and world issues, but they do understand things like bullying, people in need, and the difference between right and wrong. Even in small ways, kids can practice kindness through their actions like by helping an elderly neighbor carry in groceries or inviting all the kids in their class to a birthday party. Humanitarianism is a lifelong habit and can start with the smallest acts.2. Make It FunLook for ways to connect with those in need through activities your kids already love. If they enjoy sports, maybe they could volunteer with the Special Olympics. If your child loves to read, programs like Reach Out and Read pair readers with hospital-bound children. Helping others doesn't have to be "work" – it can be fun and a natural extension of things your kids love to do anyway!3. Engage the Tough QuestionsKids ask a lot questions, so it's good to embrace their natural curiosity. Sure, there will be issues you don’t want to get into specifics about. But whenever you can, try to validate their interest, not deflect it. Kids hear all sorts of things from friends and at school. If they ask about something you don’t know, look it up with them and research it together. You might learn something new yourself! A humanitarian is someone who doesn't accept the status quo at face value and asks questions.4. Keep It ActiveFor parents with hectic schedules, it’s often easier to just do things ourselves than to supervise our kids’ involvement. Unfortunately, that makes our kids passive participants. But when doing humanitarian activities, look for ways to keep your kid actively engaged in the process. If you’re shopping for a holiday toy drive, have them pick out which toys to donate to other kids in need. It may be a little more work for you, but keeping your child actively engaged in the process will empower them to start thinking like a humanitarian on their own.5. Lead By ExampleAs parents, our kids look to us as role models. That’s a lot of pressure, especially when we’re feeling stressed and frustrated. But nothing is more important for a child than seeing us show kindness and compassion in our everyday interactions. You can take your child to volunteer at a soup kitchen every weekend, but if you make a disparaging remark about the homeless man sleeping at Starbucks, that’s what they’ll remember. Raising a humanitarian means being one yourself – you are the most powerful influence on your kids’ lives!What are some of the ways you show your kids how to be a humanitarian?  Head over to theRon McGee Facebookpage and share your story.

Check out the book trailer for Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape here: https://youtu.be/iooxfZeZSLQ

When I go on a trip, I like to bring back a fun souvenir to remind me of the place that I’ve been.  Some people collect post cards when they travel, others collect snow globes (my personal favorite!).  Ryan Quinn collects chocolates.  You might be surprised to know that chocolate isn’t the same all over the world.  In fact, many countries have their own unique spin on the world’s favorite treat.



Mexico is considered the birthplace of chocolate.  Over 500 years ago, the Aztecs would drink a hot beverage flavored with the seeds of the cacao plant.  Today, hot cocoa is still a favorite way of enjoying chocolate in the country.  Mexican chocolate is sold in the shape of discs, instead of bars, and melted in warm milk.  They even add spices to the drink to enhance its flavor – from sweet vanilla to super-hot chili powder.

The cacao plant that gives chocolate its flavor grows best near the equator.  So it’s no wonder that the plants from Ecuador (a country whose Spanish name actually means “equator”) produce some of the highest rated cacao.  Ecuador grows over half of the world’s “Fine Aroma” cacao beans and sells them to fancy chocolate makers in over 40 countries.



Although far from the equator, Switzerland has a place in chocolate history as well.  In the 1870s, the Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter added powdered milk to chocolate and created the world’s first milk chocolate.  Daniel Peter co-founded a company whose name you probably recognize – Nestlé!  They still use milk chocolate in the popular candy bars they sell around the world, like Butterfinger, Kit-Kat, and Crunch.

One of the chocolates in Ryan Quinn’s collection is a treat from Japan called Pocky.  Pocky is a box ofdelicious thin cookie sticks that are each dipped in milk chocolate.  Although Pocky started out with only plain chocolate, it now comes dipped in all sorts of unusual flavors like strawberry, green tea, and even grape.  I bet the Aztecs never dreamed their beloved cacao drink would one day lead to grape-flavored cookie sticks!

So the next time you go on a trip, take a moment to check out the candy aisle at a local market.  Maybe you’ll discover something new and delicious that you can share with your friends (or favorite authors!) when you return home.

Ryan Quinn’s father uses his job with the United Nations Development Programme to travel the globe and conduct secret work for theEmergency Rescue Committee.  Although I don’t personally know any real-life adventurers working there, the United Nations Development Programme is very real.  The work they do helps millions around the world.The United Nations was founded after World War II so that countries could work together and prevent a war like that from ever happening again.  Today, the UN is made up of nearly 200 different governments, which means almost any country you can think of is represented there.  The UN meets between September and December at their headquarters in New York City, but the work they do is year-round and spans the entire globe.Since achieving world peace is no small goal, the UN is comprised of many smaller programs that each focus on specific ways to help.  The focus of the United Nations Development Programme is to improve the lives of people living in some of the poorest parts of the world.  During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the UNDP was one of the first groups to respond.  But the organization does more than just provide aid during a crisis.  Every day, the UNDP works with underdeveloped nations to reduce poverty and promote democracy for a better future.Several real-life celebrities have become “Goodwill Ambassadors” for the organization.  Film and TV stars like Michelle Yeoh, Antonio Banderas, and Connie Britton use their fame to help raise awareness for issues important to the UNDP.But you don’t have to be a celebrity to get involved in the type of work the United Nations does.  In fact, you don’t even have to be an adult.  Ask your teacher if there’s a Model UN Club at your school.If there isn’t, you can learn about how to start one here.Because the United Nations deals with so many important issues, it often appears in works of fiction – and not just my novel.  Just recently, the UN was featured in the hit film Captain America: Civil War.  So the next time you pick up a book or go to the movies, be on the lookout.  You might be surprised just how frequently the United Nations pops up, and now you’ll know what it’s all about.

InRyan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape, Ryan travels to the country of Andakar.  But before you go trying to find it on a map, let me save you the effort – I made it up.  Although Andakar is not a real country, it’s not all fake.  Most of the exotic sights, sounds, and customs in the book were inspired by real places and cultures in Southeast Asia – countries like Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia.If you travel to Southeast Asia, the first thing you’ll notice when you get off the plane is the weather.  The region is hot year-round and often very humid.  Even when it rains, it’s warm.  The coldest month of the year in Bangkok, Thailand, averages a balmy 79° Fahrenheit (or 26° Celsius, as they’d say there).The big cities are full of contrasts.  Modern skyscrapers made of glass and steel sit right next door to wooden temples built hundreds of years ago.  Businessmen in grey suits ride the bus beside bald monks in bright orange robes.  It’s a fascinating combination of old world and new.Once you leave the city, Southeast Asia becomes even more diverse and interesting.  Although each country has an official language (like Malaysian in Malaysia or Cambodian in Cambodia), rural areas are often home to tribes of people who speak their own unique dialects.  In the book, Ryan’s friend Danny’s family is originally from the Philippines.  While they can speak Tagalog, the official Filipino language, there are actually 18 other local languages spoken in the Philippines alone.The Buddhist tradition in Southeast Asia goes back over one thousand years.  There are ancient ruins of Buddhist holy sites scattered throughout the region.  The fictional Mae Wong Temples I wrote into the book were inspired by Bagan, an ancient city located in Myanmar.  Founded in the 9th century, Bagan grew to include ten thousand temples, pagodas, and monasteries.  Today, the ruins of over two thousand of those original buildings still remain and are a sight to behold.So in the same way that the real Southeast Asia inspired me as I wrote the book, I hope Ryan’s adventures in Andakar inspire readers like you to learn more about that part of the world.  Maybe one day, you’ll even travel there yourself like Ryan Quinn – although I’d recommend you use your real passport.

While the adventures of Ryan Quinn and his friends come from my imagination, they were inspired by the real-life heroism of a group of people who came together to form the actual Emergency Rescue Committee. When I first heard about Varian Fry and this secret organization he was part of, I was struck by the courage it took to risk so much to help strangers.



Varian Fry was just a normal guy.  He was an American journalist working in France right at the end of the 1930s.  At that time, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany was imprisoning and killing anyone who threatened their total control – that included political rebels, creative artists, and minority groups, especially people of Jewish heritage. Varian Fry witnessed many Germans fleeing to safety in France during his time there.  But soon, even France was no longer a safe place to hide.  Those refugees needed to escape again – and they needed help.

The Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC) was founded to help people get out of Nazi-occupied France.  But because the work they did was technically illegal, the group had to be kept secret.  The ERC didn’t have the support of the government or any larger organization.  It was just Varian Fry and a team of like-minded people who saw an injustice and decided to do something about it.  There were men and women from all sorts of backgrounds: wealthy individuals who provided funding, people inside the government who forged documents, and those like Varian Fry himself who were actually on the ground in France, risking their lives to help strangers in need.

Varian Fry worked tirelessly with the ERC for 13 months as Hitler’s armies continued to conquer Europe.  Eventually, the French and American authorities caught on to Fry’s illegal activities helping people escape and made him stop.  He was forced to return to the United States.  That meant the end of the Emergency Rescue Committee, but not before it had helped save over 2,000 people.  Years later, when Varian Fry spoke about why he got involved against Nazi Germany, he said, "I could not remain idle as long as I had any chances at all of saving even a few of its intended victims."