Ruth Axtell Morren studied comparative literature at Smith College, spent her junior year in Paris, taught English in the Canary Islands, and worked in Miami, FL before moving to the Netherlands, where she began seriously pursuing a writing career in historical romance fiction in between raising a family.
Her first book, Winter Is Past, a regency-era inspirational, came out in December, 2003. Recently, Ruth and her family decided to move back to the Netherlands so their children could learn the language and culture of their birth. This year, Ruth’s third book, Lilac Spring, was translated into Dutch. Winter Is Past has been published in Italian by Harlequin. Ruth’s second novel, Wild Rose (2004) was selected as a Booklist “Top Ten Christian Fiction” in 2005. Currently, she is working on her 8th manuscript to be published by Steeple Hill.
Plug time. What new book or project do you have coming out?
The Healing Season came out July of this year. Right now I’m working on another single title regency for Steeple Hill, tentatively titled The Making of a Gentleman. It’s the story of a fugitive who escaped the hangman’s noose and a Christian woman who regularly visits the prisoners at Newgate, and her attempts to reform him.
NJ: To read a review of The Healing Season, click here.
How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific 'what if' moment?
Quite a few years back, I was researching another regency and I read two small snippets of information. One was about a woman who actually did help prisoners at a time when prison conditions were horrific. The other was about how a man sentenced to be hanged received a pardon from the Prince Regent simply because the prince was touched by the man’s wife pleading on her husband’s behalf.
Those two details became the inspiration for my ‘Pygmalion in reverse’ story.
Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?
I had been writing seriously for fourteen years. About four years into that time, I received my first real encouragement: my second manuscript finaled as a Golden Heart entry for historical romance.
Little did I realize at that time what a long journey I would still have to being published. Shortly after that, the Lord began to deal with me toward a deeper walk with Him. At first that drew me toward writing inspirational fiction. Then I came to a moment of truth, when I realized the Lord wanted it all. He required that I put my writing on the altar, even if it meant never writing another word of fiction again. I put it all aside, including any researching of even an idea.
Instead, this time, which turned two years, became a time of rich spiritual growth. At the end of this period, I woke up with the fragment of a dream. That dream evolved into a story idea for a Christian romance in the regency period. I had never even thought of attempting to write something in the regency period, even though I am a die-hard Jane Austen fan.
With much fear and trembling, (after seeking God’s direction if this was truly from Him), I began researching what eventually became my first published novel, Winter Is Past. The time between idea and contract ended up being four years. But at the end of that period, when I received “the Call” from an editor, it was to offer me a 3-book contract, an almost unheard of deal for a new author.
Do you ever struggle with writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?
Not so much writer’s block, as just facing that everyday challenge of sitting down at my desk and writing that first draft. Also, what I think is every author’s fear (I recently read Sandra Brown mention it in an interview), “Can I really do this one more time?”
What is the most difficult part of writing for you (or was when you first started on your writing journey), i.e. plot, POV, characterization, etc? How did (or do) you overcome it?
When I first started, eons ago, I think it was plotting. Characterization was the most fun; I loved dialogue (still do). It was just coming up with that story line…
I think reading books on the craft of writing helped; also multiple critiques, judges’ comments, etc.
Nowadays, it’s trying to capture the essence & uniqueness of the story during that first draft stage (Nora Roberts’ comment about treating every book as absolutely your very first one helped a lot with this).
Where do you write? Do you have a dedicated office or a corner or nook in a room?
Until recently when we lived in a huge house in Maine, I shared a spacious office with my husband. Then we moved to the Netherlands, where space is at a premium, so I have a tiny corner of my bedroom. Ah well, as long as the ideas keep coming….
Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?
During the first draft stage, I shoot for ten pages a day. But I don’t sweat it too much if I don’t make the mark, as long as I write something (more or less five days a week). With 3 children, you can’t be tied too much to a rigid schedule.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Wake up and begin praying (these days usually in bed). Then read the Bible, then breakfast, a few clean up chores, then shower & dress, then on good days, by 9:30 or 10 a.m., sit down at the computer and begin writing. And keep writing until my youngest son comes home from school (in Holland elementary school age children can come home for lunch). Then keep writing some more till they all come home from school around 3 or so.
A lot of the real work, however, doesn’t happen at the computer. It happens in the afternoons when I go on my walk or bike ride and think about what happens now in the story. Or, it’ll come to me at 3 a.m. when I’ll wake up and my mind will fill with scene and dialogue ideas. Or at 5 a.m. I know then it’s useless to try to go back to sleep until I groggily jot as much down (sometimes in the dark) as I can.
Otherwise, by morning, it’ll be gone.
Take us through your process of writing a novel briefly—from conception to revision.
Quite a few years back, I was researching another regency and I read two small snippets of information. One was about a woman who actually did help prisoners at a time when prison conditions were horrific. The other was about how a man sentenced to be hanged received a pardon from the Prince Regent simply because the prince was touched by the man’s wife pleading on her husband’s behalf.
Those two details became the inspiration for my ‘Pygmalion in reverse’ story.
Tell us about your publishing journey. How long had you been writing before you got a contract? How did you find out and what went through your mind?
I had been writing seriously for fourteen years. About four years into that time, I received my first real encouragement: my second manuscript finaled as a Golden Heart entry for historical romance.
Little did I realize at that time what a long journey I would still have to being published. Shortly after that, the Lord began to deal with me toward a deeper walk with Him. At first that drew me toward writing inspirational fiction. Then I came to a moment of truth, when I realized the Lord wanted it all. He required that I put my writing on the altar, even if it meant never writing another word of fiction again. I put it all aside, including any researching of even an idea.
Instead, this time, which turned two years, became a time of rich spiritual growth. At the end of this period, I woke up with the fragment of a dream. That dream evolved into a story idea for a Christian romance in the regency period. I had never even thought of attempting to write something in the regency period, even though I am a die-hard Jane Austen fan.
With much fear and trembling, (after seeking God’s direction if this was truly from Him), I began researching what eventually became my first published novel, Winter Is Past. The time between idea and contract ended up being four years. But at the end of that period, when I received “the Call” from an editor, it was to offer me a 3-book contract, an almost unheard of deal for a new author.
Do you ever struggle with writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?
Not so much writer’s block, as just facing that everyday challenge of sitting down at my desk and writing that first draft. Also, what I think is every author’s fear (I recently read Sandra Brown mention it in an interview), “Can I really do this one more time?”
What is the most difficult part of writing for you (or was when you first started on your writing journey), i.e. plot, POV, characterization, etc? How did (or do) you overcome it?
When I first started, eons ago, I think it was plotting. Characterization was the most fun; I loved dialogue (still do). It was just coming up with that story line…
I think reading books on the craft of writing helped; also multiple critiques, judges’ comments, etc.
Nowadays, it’s trying to capture the essence & uniqueness of the story during that first draft stage (Nora Roberts’ comment about treating every book as absolutely your very first one helped a lot with this).
Where do you write? Do you have a dedicated office or a corner or nook in a room?
Until recently when we lived in a huge house in Maine, I shared a spacious office with my husband. Then we moved to the Netherlands, where space is at a premium, so I have a tiny corner of my bedroom. Ah well, as long as the ideas keep coming….
Do you have a word or page goal you set for each day?
During the first draft stage, I shoot for ten pages a day. But I don’t sweat it too much if I don’t make the mark, as long as I write something (more or less five days a week). With 3 children, you can’t be tied too much to a rigid schedule.
What does a typical day look like for you?
Wake up and begin praying (these days usually in bed). Then read the Bible, then breakfast, a few clean up chores, then shower & dress, then on good days, by 9:30 or 10 a.m., sit down at the computer and begin writing. And keep writing until my youngest son comes home from school (in Holland elementary school age children can come home for lunch). Then keep writing some more till they all come home from school around 3 or so.
A lot of the real work, however, doesn’t happen at the computer. It happens in the afternoons when I go on my walk or bike ride and think about what happens now in the story. Or, it’ll come to me at 3 a.m. when I’ll wake up and my mind will fill with scene and dialogue ideas. Or at 5 a.m. I know then it’s useless to try to go back to sleep until I groggily jot as much down (sometimes in the dark) as I can.
Otherwise, by morning, it’ll be gone.
Take us through your process of writing a novel briefly—from conception to revision.
Ideas can come from anywhere, during researching as mentioned above, from dreams, from a secondary character in a WIP. If they’re sustainable, the idea will usually start taking shape into a full story within matter of days, and I have to interrupt the current WIP enough to just go with it and jot down any ideas/scenes/dialogue that come to me.
Then I put that away in a folder until I can come back to it.
When the time comes, I write a proposal (first 3 chaps. + synopsis). If my editors approve it, then it gets contracted & scheduled. When I begin working on it under deadline (trying to allow myself 6-7 months for a single title; 4-6 mos. for a category length), I do the historical research and begin plotting as I do this, and keep sketching out any scenes/dialogue that come to me during that stage.
When I reach some sort of critical mass, I know it’s time to start writing at my computer. That’s when I try to discipline myself to the 10 pp/day. Then once that first draft is finished, I go over and edit it a couple of times, then email it chap. by chap. to my critique partner. When I go over her suggestions, I still read through it a few more times (depending on deadline pressure by this time) before emailing the whole thing to my editor.
What are some of your favorite books (not written by you)?
I just finished the last installment of Karen Hancock’s Guardian-King series, which absolutely blew me away.
Jane Austen (everything, favorites being P & P and Persuasion)
I recently rediscovered Grace Livingston Hill from my high school days
The Curate of Glaston by George MacDonald
Also, recently read The Kite Runner—very good
Pieces of Silver by Maureen Lang, a new author, whose story I liked very much.
Only do it if you can’t imagine not writing (regardless of whether you ever sell your work or get any recognition for it)
What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?
Keep the day job. (grin)
How much marketing do you do? What have you found that particularly works well for you?
Very little, having neither the time, budget nor much talent in that area. Recently, I’ve felt that I also have to hand the whole “promotion” thing over to the Lord. It’s up to Him to give my books favor; to open up promotional opportunities, etc. And He has been doing this, usually in ways I didn’t expect.
Do you have any parting words of advice?
I’ve just been reading Karen Hancock’s writing blog and she has some very good advice about keeping it all in perspective—it’s for God’s glory. When that gets out of whack, it all suffers.
Then I put that away in a folder until I can come back to it.
When the time comes, I write a proposal (first 3 chaps. + synopsis). If my editors approve it, then it gets contracted & scheduled. When I begin working on it under deadline (trying to allow myself 6-7 months for a single title; 4-6 mos. for a category length), I do the historical research and begin plotting as I do this, and keep sketching out any scenes/dialogue that come to me during that stage.
When I reach some sort of critical mass, I know it’s time to start writing at my computer. That’s when I try to discipline myself to the 10 pp/day. Then once that first draft is finished, I go over and edit it a couple of times, then email it chap. by chap. to my critique partner. When I go over her suggestions, I still read through it a few more times (depending on deadline pressure by this time) before emailing the whole thing to my editor.
What are some of your favorite books (not written by you)?
I just finished the last installment of Karen Hancock’s Guardian-King series, which absolutely blew me away.
Jane Austen (everything, favorites being P & P and Persuasion)
I recently rediscovered Grace Livingston Hill from my high school days
The Curate of Glaston by George MacDonald
Also, recently read The Kite Runner—very good
Pieces of Silver by Maureen Lang, a new author, whose story I liked very much.
Only do it if you can’t imagine not writing (regardless of whether you ever sell your work or get any recognition for it)
What do you wish you’d known early in your career that might have saved you some time and/or frustration in writing? In publishing?
Keep the day job. (grin)
How much marketing do you do? What have you found that particularly works well for you?
Very little, having neither the time, budget nor much talent in that area. Recently, I’ve felt that I also have to hand the whole “promotion” thing over to the Lord. It’s up to Him to give my books favor; to open up promotional opportunities, etc. And He has been doing this, usually in ways I didn’t expect.
Do you have any parting words of advice?
I’ve just been reading Karen Hancock’s writing blog and she has some very good advice about keeping it all in perspective—it’s for God’s glory. When that gets out of whack, it all suffers.
Thanks, Ruth, for sharing your writing journey with us.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview, Ruth, thanks for sharing! I love your novels -- keep 'em coming! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great interview! I was privileged to read and review The Healing Season and Wild Rose and I have to confess that I went to the library and rented two of Ruth's other books after that.
ReplyDeleteShe is a prolific writer and her words will grab you right away! I am so excited to hear that another book is on the way!