Today we have another Indie
Writer as our guest, Mr. Jamie C. Ruff.
Jamie has helped me immensely with editing and revisions in my own
stories, and has a diverse field of experience as well as the ability to make
you wonder if the story is true or simply fiction.
Ann:
Welcome to my blog, Jamie. Thank
you so much for agreeing to this interview.
I hope you have as much fun with it as I do.
Jamie C. Ruff: I’m sure I
will. Thank you for this opportunity.
Ann:
So, how did you get started in your professional writing career, and how
long have you been a professional writer?
Jamie C. Ruff: I graduated
from North Carolina A&T State University in May 1984 and got my first
reporting job that October. I worked at
several newspapers. I had grown unhappy
with my job and was in prayer for God to lead me. I got laid off almost five years ago, and you
can’t get a better sign than being let go.
I knew in my heart it meant I should pursue my dream, goal and desire of
being a writer, and that’s what I’ve done.
Ann:
There are many elements involved with the writing process. What is it about writing that you enjoy the
most?
Jamie C. Ruff: I enjoy
everything about writing. I love creating characters… describing feelings,
scenes; putting the story together.
I’ve taken to telling people
that writing is a lot like chess: with every move there are a thousand
different directions you can go in. Some
of them are brilliant and some of them are pretty stupid. That’s why you always have to think hard and
think ahead.
Ann: I
know that you once worked for the Richmond Times Dispatch. How different is your newspaper writing
experience from writing your novels?
Jamie C. Ruff: Well,
contrary to what people think, when you’re a reporter you really have to stick
to the facts, and what you don’t know you can’t make up. When you’re a writer you can fill in the
blanks… make the story end like you want.
With journalism, what happened is what happened, and that’s what you
write – that’s it!
Jamie C. Ruff: Yeah, one is
a western and the other is contemporary.
I write what I like; whatever strikes my fancy. An idea will occur to me and I’ll just start
making notes. Scenes will start to come
to me. Seldom does an idea come fully
developed. Sometimes I’ll start with the
beginning, sometimes the end. Sometimes
I start somewhere in the middle. I just
start writing and fill every thing in as I go.
That’s not to say I don’t really have an idea what I’m going to do. By time I’m about a third of the way through
the book, I’ve usually decided generally what direction I’m going to take.
Ann;
Tell us about your newest project.
I want everyone to know that, while I don't normally read this genre, I
enjoyed your book immensely. But I will
let you tell the readers can expect from you in the near future?
Jamie C. Ruff: Well, my love
for historical fiction led me to the book I’m finishing up. By the way, thank you again for being
gracious enough to edit it. You did a
great job. The book is set in the 1960s
and early 1970s and highlights the friendship between a white man and black man
who served in Vietnam together. They
return home and try to maintain their friendship with the changing times as a
backdrop.
Ann;
Do you have any specific goals for your writing?
Jamie C. Ruff: My goal is to
be a Pulitzer Prize winning author.
I like to tell people I want
to be as prolific as Langston Hughes, my writing as raw as James Baldwin, as
clean and powerful as Richard Wright, and as insightful as Ralph Ellison.
Ann;
Where can people go to contact you?
Jamie C. Ruff:
Unfortunately, I don’t have a webpage, so people can reach me through my
email: ruffjamie@ymail.com
Ann:
How does your family react and feel about your writing?
Jamie C. Ruff: Well, my wife
has been wonderful. She has supported me emotionally and us financially since I
got laid off so that I could concentrate on my writing. I went from making a pretty good salary to
making nothing—well, let’s say just about nothing. I do freelance work, but there hasn’t been
that much. Overall my family has been
supportive. I think they agree with me that it’s just a matter of time before
it happens for me. I’ve been successful in the past, and if it’s meant for you,
you will achieve it… and I know this is what God has for me.
Ann:
Every writer has their own struggles in life and in writing. What are some of the more significant
struggles that you have overcome to make it this far?
Jamie C. Ruff: Well, not
having money is certainly a difficulty. But I think the real struggle comes
from having to wait for your success. You have to trust and believe – have
faith -- even when you can’t see anything happening.
Ann:
Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you and/or
your writing?
Jamie C. Ruff: All I can say
is listen to that little voice on your heart, in your mind… because that’s
where you should be. That’s what I’m doing and that’s what you should do.
Ann:
Thank you so much for joining us.
I look forward to seeing your newest book published. Maybe you can come back and share with us
when it is ready. Readers can also follow
Jamie at the following links.
Keep an eye out for Jamie's upcoming novel The Peculiar Friendship!!!
Here is my review of it:
The Peculiar Friendship is a powerful and moving story about
two men in the Deep South during the Civil Rights Movement. They are from
opposite sides of the tracks, but are drawn together in an unbreakable bond
while serving in Vietnam. Becoming closer than brothers, these two men
return from the war zone only to face the fight of everyday life in a changing
country.
Jamie C. Ruff writes in a style that makes you wonder if
these are based on real people or not. His characters come alive in a
blunt, brutally honest look into the lives of two men forever changed.
His style weaves the historical information into the fictional lives of
characters that makes you feel an instant connection. The emotions and situations are completely
believable in an honest look of the friction and turmoil of America during the
late 60's to 70's.
The Peculiar Friendship has drawn me out of my normal genre
and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys engaging,
life-changing stories of struggle and overcoming adversity. It is a story
that extends beyond the time in which it is written. While I would not
classify this as "chick lit," it has a power to it that will touch
your heart.
