LETTING GO with GH YA Finalist Jessica Ruddick

Welcome 2014 Golden Heart YA finalist Jessica Ruddick to the Firebirds blog. Jessica is a 2014 Golden Heart finalist for her new adult novel, Letting Go, which was inspired by her own college experiences. She is married to her college sweetheart—their first date was a fraternity toga party (nothing inspires love like a toga, right?). These days she is a high school English teacher by day and young adult and new adult writer by night, lunch break, soccer practice, basically whenever she can squeeze in a minute to write. She is currently spending her summer wrangling her two rambunctious sons and trying to squeeze in a few minutes at the pool, book in hand. Her Golden Heart finaling manuscript is titled LETTING GO. Here’s a blurb for the story:


After learning her high school sweetheart’s death was suicide instead of an accident, college sophomore and type-A control freak Cori Elliott attends a fraternity party to distract herself. The last thing on her “to do” list is meeting smart, sexy Luke Evans. Drinks flow, sparks fly, and she finds herself attached to Luke at the lips. The next morning, she vows to put her newfound wild side on lockdown, but as luck would have it—in this case, bad luck—Cori can’t seem to get away from Luke, and her self-enforced lockdown is no match for his ice blue eyes and subtle charm. As her reservations fade away, their flirty friendship morphs into a relationship.


If only “happily ever after” could be that easy.


Luke becomes the one bright spot in Cori’s life as everything else falls apart. Afraid her past will contaminate her relationship with Luke, she keeps it a secret until he finds out in the worst way possible. When her past collides with her present, Cori discovers that sometimes letting go is the only way to hold on to what matters most.


Awesome, right? And now we begin the inquisition…err…interview.


Q: I’m sure you’ve told this story a ton of times, but let’s start off with your Golden Heart call. Where were you when the phone rang, and how did you react?


Jessica croppedA: I was at work, getting ready to teach a grammar review lesson to high school seniors. For some reason, I thought the “calls” were going out via email, so I kept checking my personal email. Then I heard my cell phone chime from deep within my wardrobe at school. It was a text from Marnee Bailey, a good friend, telling me she’d finaled. Yay! I was thrilled for her. I’d already witnessed the Golden Heart ride for another friend (ahem…Terri), so I was looking forward to living vicariously yet again. While I had my phone out, I noticed that I had an email in my gmail account, which was a relatively new account that I only used for writing related things and not the one I had on file with RWA. Well, it turns out I was wrong because I had an email from Shirley, an RWA board member. I knew right away what it must be, so I stepped out into the hall to call her back. All I could say was “oh my God, oh my God,” and my hands were shaking like crazy. I jumped up and down and screamed a few times, then ran down to the hallway to find my teacher friends to jump up and down and scream with me. Once I returned to my class, I assured my students that I was not off my rocker and told them what had happened. They clapped for me. It was beyond cool.


Q: I love that you had a class of teens to celebrate finagling with a book you wrote for teens. When did you first decide you wanted to be a writer? Was there a watershed moment when you said, “I think I can do this”?


A: I think I always wanted to write. When I was a child, I wrote short stories. I had a special three pen set that I used—blue for the rough draft, red for editing, and then black for the final draft. I also started writing a knock-off Nancy Drew mystery type story that I still have buried in the closet. I’d always dreamed of being a writer, but I didn’t start taking it seriously until after I’d had children. There’s something about becoming a mother that makes you realize you won’t have infinite time to chase your dreams. I went to my first RWA conference in 2009 because it was only a few hours from me, but I’d yet to finish a book at that point, and then the birth of my second son forced me to put writing on the back burner for a while. In 2012 I hopped on a plane to Anaheim—clear across the country—by myself. When I arrive at that conference, I knew no one. It was a huge step for me, an extreme introvert. That conference changed my life; my writing fire was relit and brighter than ever. I felt so empowered after that conference, and I vowed that I would succeed in this business. I finished my first MS that year, which finaled in a few contests. My next manuscript netted me the final in the Golden Heart. It was all the positive feedback for my GH MS, Letting Go, that made me feel like I really could do this. It wasn’t so much a watershed moment though, as a shake my fist in the air type of moment, an empowering moment.


Q: Love the fist-shaking. And positive feedback is such a boost, especially from a contest. I happen to know that you’re a high school teacher, which means you spend a lot of time with young adults. Do you think you would write in this genre if that wasn’t the case? Do you ever dabble in other genres?


A: I write in this genre because I like to read in this genre. I wonder if I like to read in this genre because I interact with young people so much? I don’t really know the answer to that question. I’ve always read widely, so I have to imagine I would still probably read and write YA even if I didn’t teach high school. YA is exciting to me because the characters have not yet been jaded by the adult daily grind. I first started writing contemporary and a little bit of urban fantasy, and I’d like to revisit those genres when I have the time.


Q: And that leads me into what are you working on now?


A: I’m closing in on the end of the first book in a new YA series. I love, love, love this story and these characters. It’s all based on the saying that is commonly mentioned when a good person dies: God must have needed another angel. Well, what if a teenager were responsible for finding those people who were angel worthy and ultimately had to sentence them to death? It’s an intriguing concept and comes with a lot of moral issues. I can’t tell you how excited I am about it! I hope to have it finished and sent out into the world very soon.


Q: (Side note: I have read the opening and am also very excited about this story! Love the concept.) When you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?


A: Um….what time? LOL! Writing takes up all of my free time right now. I have no knowledge of current TV shows, and in fact, still have Thanksgiving episodes on my DVR that I haven’t found the time to watch. I spend a lot of time with my two boys, shuttling them to their various activities. (I bring my laptop with me to tae kwon do, Little Gym, you name it. Gotta make those minutes count.) I do try to find the time to read though. I think all writers are readers first, and I’m no exception to that. Reading a good book inspires me in my own writing. I hope to be able to write full time eventually, so check back with me in a few years with the free time question.


Q: Now for the lightning round. Coffee or tea?


A: Tea.


Q: Coke or Pepsi?


A: Pepsi.


Q: Plotter or Pantser?


A: Plantser


Q: Paper or e-Reader?


A: Ooh…There’s nothing like holding a paper book in my hands, but e-books are so much more convenient and take up less room. Tie!


Q: Boxers or briefs (for your hero, of course)?


A: Boxers.


Q: White or wheat?


A: Wheat.


Q: Word or Scrivener?


A: Scrivener.


Whew! Way to hang in there. Now let’s get everyone else involved. Is there something you want to ask our esteemed blog readers? Something you’re dying to get input on?


A: (which is really a Q): What was the last book that gave you a reading hangover? (By this I mean the last book that hooked you so much it turned you into a don’t you dare talk to me, I haven’t even showered today, and right now life does not exist for me outside of this book zombie?) 


Excellent question! I can’t wait to read these answers. Thank you, Jessica, for joining us today and answering my (partially silly) questions. One lucky commenter today will win a $5 Starbucks gift card, so good luck.


 

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Published on June 19, 2014 23:27
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