Susan and John Ruff, Fantasy Authors

Tag: writing

  • A Discovery Writer with a Road Map

    When John and I go on a driving vacation, I tend to prepare for the trip in detail. I know precisely where we are going to stay each night and usually make the resevations in advance. I research what to see in each area and check for interesting local restaurants.…

  • Writing in Paradise

    What is better than travel or writing? Doing both at the same time! My recent trip to Cambodia and Vietnam included a cruise down the Mekong River. The members of our tour group were the only passengers on the ship, which was a wonderful way to travel. One morning, when…

  • New Year – New Photo Page

    The new year got off to a rainy start here in San Diego. With all the water falling from the sky, I was not able to go out walking yesterday, so I sat at home and played with our author website instead. We last updated the site to include our…

  • LosCon 51

    Cookies, conversation, books, and friends. LosCon was great fun! The convention took place last weekend at the Airport Hilton in Los Angeles. John and I participated in several panels during the convention, and I even took a turn at the autograph table signing our books. When we attended Baycon earlier…

  • Indie Authors Under Siege

    Few things warm an author’s heart more than getting an email from a reader who enjoyed the author’s book. The reverse is also true — it can be discouraging to get a sales pitch that masquerades as a fan letter. Lately, an army of AI bots have been spamming Indie…

  • One Weekend – Two Great Events

    There are two fun-filled cozy fantasy events coming up on the weekend of October 11 – 12. But don’t worry — you can participate in both at the same time from the comfort of your own home. First, HearthCon 2025 will take place over that weekend. The online event includes…

  • Where Do You Start?

    What makes a blank page so daunting for a fiction writer? It should be an exciting thing — a place with potential for a thousand different stories. The location where any words you choose can find a home. An unspoiled wilderness waiting for your feet to create a path. Yet,…

  • Our Electrifying Journey

    When John and I drove the 930 mile round-trip from San Diego to Baycon/Westercon last weekend, we decided to try something different — we made the drive using our BMW electric car. Electric vehicles are not really new at this point, but the two of us had never taken a…

  • Preparing for a Challenge

    Every so often, I like to challenge myself. I don’t like too much of a challenge, so I typically pick a task that moves me a little out of my comfort zone, but not too far. Participating in Na-No-Wri-Mo (National Novel Writing Month) back in 2021 was that kind of…

  • The Tenuous Taste of a Fantasy Story

    It can be dangerous to write cozy high fantasy books with a culinary twist. As an author, you spend your time describing sweet, wonderful desserts. While you’re writing, you get hungry. And your mouth is watering for all those lucious treats. You must contend with the lurking menaces of unwanted…