Take Five and Meet Author Ruth Kaufman

Today we get to meet Ruth Kaufman. I can't wait to read about her Unsung Knights of the Round Table and find out more about her.  

Join me and read on.

Welcome to An Indie Adventure, Ruth.  Tell us, what inspired you to write your new release, My Once & Future Love, first in your Unsung Knights of the Round Table series?

Hi, LA. Thanks for hosting me today, it's a pleasure to be here. I usually start a book with a bit of a scene that pops into my head. Often it’s the first scene.

I saw a man—handsome and powerful, of course…running at night in a forest. Then I wondered why he was running, and from whom? I realized he was injured…who did it, and why? Where was he trying to go in the first place, and why? If he’s injured in a forest, who’s going to help him, and why?

I also saw a scene with the heroine, which became a prologue that I ended up cutting. (I really like it though, so I think I’ll send it to my newsletter subscribers or put it on my site.)

Have you been a lifelong reader?  What are some the first books you remember reading?

I started reading historical romances, or should I say devouring, in high school…Kathleen Woodiwiss (Shanna and The Wolf and The Dove) and Roberta Gellis (The Roselynde Chronicles) were my first favorites. I moved on to Julie Garwood’s, Madeline Hunter’s and Susan Wigg’s medievals.

I love blending real history with fictional characters. I don’t recall when I first discovered paranormals, but I also love the freedom of world building without the constraints of history or things we think we know.

What do you do to rev your creative juices?

I do other things besides writing. Then ideas or solutions to character or plot issues pop into my head at random times. I’m a pantser (meaning I don’t plot or outline first) and give workshops on what I call anti-plotting. I believe the characters should tell the story, not you. So it’s not always about me being creative but seeing through their eyes.

What would be your advice to people who are considering a writing career?  And/or what would do differently in your career?

How much space do I have? I’d have to say that people have to really want it. The market is so competitive and fast-changing that even a great book with great reviews may not be discovered.

I keep hearing that content is king, which means one book isn’t enough, and many say one a year isn’t, either. So you have to be committed to a lot of product and, IMO, a lot of time on social media/marketing so readers can find your work amidst the dozens of releases every day. You also have to know the market, so you can decide what path to publication you want to follow.

You’ll hear a lot of advice, and it’s hard to know what to follow. I would have gone against the advice of writing the books of your heart/what you want to write and written what’s selling. I love English set medievals and time travels, but the market for those hasn’t been as strong as, say, that for Regency era books or those set in Scotland. An editor once asked me to move one of my books to Scotland, but it involved actual English history that didn’t transfer. Of course, by the time you write that book, the market could have moved on….

You’re having a dinner party.  What character from your novel do you hope doesn’t show up? Why?

Jankyn ap Lewis. He’s a mean guy!

Give us a brief summary of My Once & Future Love:

Annora of Amberton flees her castle to seek proof that she’s not a lunatic as her uncle declared when claiming wardship over her and her lands.  

Morgan ap Myrddin must rescue his father, Merlin, from imprisonment. But enemies have wounded him, draining his powers.

He stumbles upon her cottage and enlists her aid. As he helps her in return, undeniable desire and respect spark. But he won’t succumb to the lure of a mortal woman as his father did. She’s wary of caring for a man who refuses to discuss his past. When he finally tells her he’s a Knight of the Round Table, she fears he’s the lunatic as danger and secrets thwart the power of love.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Bio:

Amazon bestselling author, on-camera and voiceover talent, freelance editor and speaker Ruth Kaufman enjoys chocolate peanut butter milkshakes and going to the theatre.

RT Book Reviews says MY ONCE & FUTURE LOVE (Unsung Knights of the Round Table #1) is a “fantastic blend of romance and Arthurian legend.” And AT HIS COMMAND, first in her Wars of the Roses Brides series, is a Booksellers’ Best Award finalist in the Historical and Best First Book categories.

The Chicago-based Golden Heart® winner has had roles in indie features, web series and national TV commercials, and has voiced hundreds of explainer videos, e-learning courses, commercials and assorted characters.

Find Ruth:

Ruth’s Website | Ruth’s Blog, Gainfully Unemployed | 

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page