Ruth Frances Long Author Interview ~ JeanBookNerd

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Ruth Frances Long Author Interview

Book Nerd Interview

A lifelong fan of fantasy, romance, and ancient mysteries, Ruth Frances Long studied English Literature, History of Religions, and Celtic Civilization in college and now works in a specialized library of rare and unusual books. She lives in County Wicklow, Ireland. The Treachery of Beautiful Things is her first novel for teens.

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Was there a defining moment during your youth when you realized you wanted to be a writer?

Not as such. I think I always wanted to tell stories. Although I do remember that I was determined to write no matter what, so much so that I was caught in German class with a copybook balanced on my knees trying to write under the desk. My teacher confiscated it and I had to go to the staff room later to ask for it back. It was mortifying, even when she told me she liked it.

Why is storytelling so important for all of us?

"If you don't know the trees you may be lost in the forest, but if you don't know the stories you may be lost in life" – a saying from a Siberian Elder

What is the best piece of advice you ever received from another author?

Not sure if someone told me, or if I sort of picked it up by osmosis, but the best bit of advice I have is to listen to all advice, even the things you don’t like, to take on board the advice that works for you and to discard the rest without worrying about it too much. So many people will tell you how to write, but what they’re really saying is how “they” write. You have to figure out how your write for yourself.

In your new book; The Treachery of Beautiful Things, can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it and why they should read your novel?

The Treachery of Beautiful Things is a combination of folklore and fantasy, it’s a love story and an adventure. It’s dark and it’s beautiful, much like the faerie Realm.

What part of Jenny did you enjoy writing the most?

I loved watching her grow. She isn’t brave or courageous to begin with, although she wishes she was. And over the course of the story, she learns to be her own heroine, and fights to help the people she loves.

If you could introduce Tom to any character from another book, who would it be and why?

Someone who might knock some sense into him. He can be a bit of a spoilt brat. Jane Eyre might sort him out.

For those who are unfamiliar with Jack, how would you introduce him?

The most important thing in the world to Jack is his duty. He has, over the years, made packs and alliances, and found himself tied in knots so that he can no longer act as he would. Jack has one wish, which he wishes a thousand times over. He longs to be free.

What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?

I’m starting to look at a sequel to The Treachery of Beautiful Things, but nothing as been decided as yet. I’m also working on a Space Opera with hints of pre-Revolutionary France, an urban fantasy novel set in Dublin for adults, and a YA about the Sidhe and humans caught between the sides of the angels and the demons in the war in heaven. Lots of projects, in short. I am very fickle.

When asked, what’s the one question you always answer with a lie?

Do I look fat in this?

What’s the best advice you can give writers to help them develop their own unique voice and style?

Use the advice that works for you, and discard the rest. Trust your story and trust yourself, and listen to others, but don’t slavishly follow every piece of advice you get. It will not all apply to you.

Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?

My husband.

What's the worst summer job you've ever had?

Selling double glazing in Aberdeen. I kid you not. I lasted all of two weeks. Barely.

When was the last time you cried?

Watching archive news footage from 1989 showing Tianammen Square and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

What is the one, single food that you would never give up?

Cheese… Bacon… Cheese & Bacon… wow, this is hard. If I say it really fast does it sound like one thing?

Where can readers stalk you?

My website – www.rflong.com – or Twitter @RFLong (I tweet a LOT). I’ve a facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/RuthFrancesLong and one for The Treachery of Beautiful Things as well - https://www.facebook.com/TheTreachery

A darkly compelling mix of romance, fairy tale, and suspense from a new voice in teen fiction

The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.

Ruth Frances Long’s fantastical book, The Treachery of Beautiful Things, tells the story of siblings Tom and Jenny. When the two decided to take a shortcut into the woods towards their home from their music lessons, Tom is mystically taken by something in the forest. Jenny tries to explain the ordeal to her parents but ends up getting sent away to school for counseling. Returning to the forest after seven years, Jenny is determined to locate her lost brother. While in the forest, she comes across the border between her world and the Fae realm. Inside, she meets the most peculiar characters such as the border guardian, Puck the hobgoblin, and Jack o’ the forest and in no time, Jack and Puck agrees to aid in her search for Tom.

Right from the beginning, the book has a sense that something magical would occur. Readers are immediately mesmerized the moment the siblings step into the forest. When Jenny returns after seven years, readers are fully invested into the story with all of its fantastical world and highly imaginative characters.

Ruth has built a world so out of ours, but manages to explain each detail with high precision and care. All of these new things Jenny was experiencing will come easily to the reader’s imagination. Her choice of words brought everything alive. From the unforgettable characters, good or bad, and the magical land they live on, The Treachery of Beautiful Things is on the forefront for anyone who enjoys fantasy books. This book can stand on its own but has the capabilities of becoming a series that readers will wait eagerly for.

You can purchase The Treachery of Beautiful Things at the following Retailers: