365 Interviews

Interview 7: Ruffle

1 Can you tell me about yourself?
I can but it would be very boring! I'm married, I have four sons who are now grown up and are incredible and amazing men - I'm biased, I know.
I live in the UK, and I have lived in Germany and the Far East. I love travelling and I got married in Vegas.

2. What inspired you to write?
I think like a lot of young girls on Wattpad I first started writing little fan fiction stories, it wasn't 1 Direction in those days though, more like T.Rex, David Bowie, David Cassidy etc. It's something I have always done since then. I wrote my first full length story when I was about 25, all in longhand, no computers in those days, well not in your own home. If I can update it, it might appear on here.

3. If I could have one of my character come to life who would it be and why? What would you do with them? 
That's two questions! Possibly Millie's mother Rene Ashton, she needs a good sorting out! She's a very damaged woman and she needs help.

4. Where do my ideas come from?
Anything can inspire a story, a song you hear on the radio, a conversation you over hear at the bus stop. Sometimes it is a name, Gabriel for instance, the name of an arch angel, put it with Nick - sometimes a name for the devil, shake it up and see what you get.

5. Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?
Hah! Most of it just comes off the top of my head, however, I am trying very hard to at least make notes of where the chapter is going, and it is much easier if I do that.

6. How do you think you have evolved creatively?
i think confidence is part of it, if you have 10,036 people reading your a siingle chapter in less than 48 hours it does something to your confidence, your creativity grows because of that. Perhaps if I wasn't evolving they would stop reading.

7 What is the hardest thing about writing?
The blank screen at the beginning of a new story or chapter.

8.Would you call yourself a Wattpad celebrity? Why so or why not?
Funny you should ask that, someone told me the other day that I was famous on Wattpad. Really?  First I've heard.  I have a few reads on both of my accounts and quite a few followers on them. You are the first one who has ever asked for an interview, so I can't be that famous!  

9. Are you working on any new story you can tell me about?
I have 3 other stories in the pipeline, one is a romantic comedy, one is a vampire story, and one is about an art gallery- sort of naughty.  Also when I get round to it I have to write The Disreputable Banker as a sequel to The Disreputable Duke. plus another couple of ideas which are bubbling away...

10 What is your favourite quote?
No idea!

11. What is your favorite film and why?
I enjoy films which make me laugh, so things like Bridget Jones the Edge of Reason, The Full Monty, which is set in the city where I live. These films make me howl with laughter.

12. Where can you see yourself  in five years time?
Maybe making money out of this?

13.Imagine your main character dies on page one. Everything else remains the same. Describe the new plot to your book.
if my main character dies on the first page?
That would be tricky, not much of a story after that really.

14. What advice would you give to your younger self?
Always, always listen to your mum! She's been there, she's done whatever you are going to do, she's done your mistakes.

15. What famous person living or dead would you like to meet and why?
Freddie Mercury is always near the top of my list, for inspiration and laughs.

16.If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Probably The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye.  It's a towering love story dealing with war and palace politics during the British Raj in India. Molly Kaye lived in India and i just find the whole era fascinating, even though the British Raj was not Britain's finest moment.

17.What is the hardest part of writing your book?
It depends, sometimes it's the pressure, I have readers constantly asking me to update, which really is the best comment they can give, it means they can't wait for the next chapter, which is what every author wants, for your reader to keep turning the page.  I don't like to keep people waiting, but sometimes life does get in the way. Otherwise I don't find writing hard, it's what I want to do and I enjoy it very much.

18, Did you learn anything from writing your book?
Yes a deep sense of satisfaction when I finished The Disreputable Duke, and  also a sense of sadness. I miss every character in that story very much.

19.Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Yes, thank you very much for reading, for voting and for commenting. Every morning I switch on my phone and I am so incredibly happy to read your comments on the latest chapter. You make my day!

20. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Just don't ever stop writing. Grow armour plating for the critics and just enjoy the process of creating your new world and characters.