Osiyo~

Wow. Just awesome wow! Here on the ranch I try to showcase some wonderful authors. Mostly new authors I’ve met through TWRP, my critique groups, or friends I met through workshops like this wonderful guest today. Active on so many levels of RWA and other writing organizations, she still finds time to write such incredible books like Knight of Runes. I first read samplings of this awesome book over a year ago when she was still writing it, it was amazing even in the rough draft stage, so I’m doubly excited to have her tell us about the book today. Please welcome Ruth A. Casie to the round pen! 

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR DEBUT RELEASE, RUTH!!!!!!

How I Got From There to Here

I’m on the Carina Press site admiring the cover of my debut novel, Knight of Runes. Okay, so you may think I’m staring at it because he’s a really hot guy. I have one in residence, hot to me that is. The picture on the book cover may be the illusion of mighty Lord but my novel is really published. That’s no illusion.  

I started the project March, 2009 excited to help a friend with her writing. It quickly escalated into creating a series of romance novels. We each had stories in our head and made plans to connect them. After a few months of hard work and several tens of thousands words on each story, we found the stories worked better individually. It was a big stretch to work them into a series. We decided to critique each other’s stories and finish our books.

Her life was filled with training for the New York Marathon, a beautiful daughter getting ready for high school graduation and college tours, and a job that took her all over the country (and sometimes the world). My situation was very different. My three are children are independent and on their own. I use my treadmill as an extension of my closet, and my job is a ninety minute commute to New York City.

I had the time and I had the story so, I wrote. I researched all sorts of things, the renaissance, manor life, herbs, poisons, karate moves, survival training, field medical procedures, druids, magic, warding, myths, and knights. I wrote some more. By August, I had 105,000 words and a completed manuscript. Now what? I didn’t know what to do with it.

I looked for a support group and found Romance Writers of America. I spent the next fourteen months learning about craft, publishing, and career building. I pitched to agents and editors and kept on polishing my manuscript.

In October, 2010, I participated in an online pitch sponsored by Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal (FFnP), an online RWA special interest chapter. Angela James, the senior editor at Carina Press, requested my full manuscript. I gave it one more polish after taking Eliza Knight’s class, Edit Your Book in a Month, and sent it off January 2011. February, Angela James called. Carina Press wanted to publish my story. 

I asked her to repeat her name. I must have heard it wrong. It sounded like she said Angela James. It finally sunk in. This was THE CALL. All that practicing in the shower going over and over what I would say, how sophisticated I would sound and the brilliant questions I would ask, must have floated down the drain. I sounded anything but coherent and witty.

For days I thought, Angela must be mistaken or she must be calling everyone that pitched. So many agents and editors told me that time travel romance wouldn’t sell. I was certain Carina Press would change their minds. When the contract came I had to admit that it was real. 

My family, day job colleagues, and friends (writers and non-writers), all celebrated with me as the project moved into its next phase, ready for production. With my editor, Denise Nielsen, we worked through the edits, cover fact sheet, and back cover blurb.

So, I sit and look at the cover (on the Carina Press buy site) and realize that all that hard work, the disappointments, and even the doubts were so worth it. I look at the cover, a symbol of reality to me, and the excitement bubbles up all over again. And that hot guy, the one in residence, told me he knew it all along.

Knight of Runes

It’s the 21st century and time travel is still a Wellsian fantasy but not for Rebeka Tyler. While on an impromptu tour of Avebury, she takes a misstep at the standing stones, and finds herself in the right place but tossed back into the 17th century. When Lord Arik, a druid knight, finds Rebeka wandering his lands without protection, he swears to keep her safe. But Rebeka can take care of herself. When Arik sees her clash with a group of attackers using a strange fighting style he is intrigued.

Rebeka is desparate to return to her time. She poses as a scholar sent by the king to help find out what’s killing Arik’s land to get access to the library. But as she decodes the ancient runes that are the key to solving his mystery and sending her home, she finds herself drawn to the charismatic and powerful Arik.

As Arik and Rebeka fall in love, someone in Arik’s household schemes to keep them apart and a dark druid with a grudge prepares his revenge. To defeat him, Arik and Rebeka must combine their skills. Soon Rebeka will have to decide whether to return to the future or trust Arik with the secret of her time travel and her heart.

Ruth’s Bio

Ruth A. Casie was born in Brooklyn, New York. For twenty-five years she’s been writing for corporate America. Encouraged by her family and friends this ballroom dancing, Sudoku playing, aspiring gourmet cook has given way to her inner muse. She’s let her creative juices flow and started writing a series of historical time travel romance stories. She hopes you read and enjoy her stories.

Ruth A. Casie

Title: Knight of Runes

ISBN: 978-14268-9258-5

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: November 14, 2011

Genre: Historical time travel

Ruth’s web site: http://ruthacasie.com

Ruth’s blog: http://ruthacasie.blogspot.com

Ruth’s Twitter: Twitter.com/RuthACasie

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Did you miss that? Yesterday was Ruth’s RELEASE DAY!!!! Don’t forget to leave your email in a comment!

Dodadagohvi~