Susan and John Ruff, Fantasy Authors

  • The Road Accidentally Taken

    As a fantasy author, I love to write sweeping adventure stories full of danger and perilous magic. When I am a traveler in real life, however, I prefer my adventures a lot more safe and… Read more

  • Is That Where They Got the Idea?

    “Don’t those rocks look familiar?” John and I were on a road trip passing through the Dixie National Forest in Utah on our way to Bryce Canyon. Suddenly, we found ourselves driving beside the spectacular… Read more

  • Walking Through Someone Else’s Writing Inspiration

    The two pictures sat next to each other on the page in front of us. One was a photograph of Switzerland’s beautiful Lauterbrunnen Valley. The other was artwork done by J.R.R. Tolkien depicting the valley… Read more

  • A Few Thoughts on Writing Prequel Stories

    John and I have been busy writing a new short-story in our fantasy series. We’re hoping to give it out as a thank-you gift to our newsletter subscribers. It takes place earlier in the timeline… Read more

  • A Perfect Day on Vacation

    What makes a perfect vacation day? I suspect every person has a different answer to that question. My years of travel have provided many great experiences. Because today is Cinco de Mayo, it seems like… Read more

  • Writing Inspiration Destination: Delphi, Greece

    Greece is a wonderful place to visit and provides a constant source of writing inspiration for me (as you can tell by the number of times my blog posts have included locations from that country).… Read more

  • Some Irish Castles for the Month of March

    If you are a fantasy author, castles are always a wonderful source of writing inspiration. They are fun to visit, great to explore, and marvelously photogenic. I love them all — from the oldest ruins… Read more

  • Writing Inspiration Destination: Catalina Island, California

    On Valentine’s Day weekend in 1992, John and I went on our very first cruise together. It was a little 3-day jaunt. It sailed from Long Beach, California, to Catalina Island, to Ensenada, Mexico, and… Read more

  • Writing Inspiration Destination: Bergen, Norway

    Bergen, Norway is a wonderful city. A beautiful waterfront, fascinating historical sites, and so many other things make it a great destination. John and I had the privilege of exploring the city during two different… Read more

  • Announcing Our Free Newsletter and Short Story!

    It’s official! John and I now have our own author newsletter/email list. Anyone who signs up will receive a free copy of our short story Reflections of Disdain, a fun little prequel to our full-length… Read more

Welcome to Susan’s Monthly Blog!

On the first Friday of every month, Susan writes a short post about our books, the craft of writing, upcoming projects, travel, writing inspiration, and similar topics that strike her fancy. We hope you enjoy reading them.

Feel free to leave a comment. Susan loves hearing from readers!