Expanding Into Other Genres: An Author's Dilemma by USA Today Bestseller @RuthACasie #guestpost
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  • N. N. Light
    • Jul 30, 2018
    • 5 min read

Expanding Into Other Genres: An Author's Dilemma by USA Today Bestseller @RuthACasie #guestpost


Writing historical stories are a technical challenge. They use a different voice and cadence. Historical stories require research and are heavy with description to help readers visualize setting, clothes, etc. This isn’t usually necessary for the more familiar contemporary story.

I LOVE my medieval heroes and heroines. I enjoy weaving historical elements into my stories. I enjoy elements of magic the what-if’s of time travel and the romance of the period. All have a basis of history, some stories more loosely than others. My druid knights and magical witches are the stories of my heart and always will be. So, why do I also write contemporary romance?

My writing partners and I enjoy critiquing each other’s work, brainstorming stories and exploring characters although lunch is a highlight when we get together. We had such a good time together that we decided to develop a series of stories and produce a collection.

We knew unrelated stories would not work well in a box set (we tried that). When we started to really hash out what we would do we were amazed that we all had the same idea, stories centered on a small New England town. In order to make that concept work, all the stories had to be in the same time period and connect in some way. As the only medieval author in the group I opted to write contemporary stories.

My mind was filled with knights, druids, and the fae. I had no idea where to start with a contemporary story. “Write what you know,” one writing partner said. “You’ve told us so many stories about your family use those as the story’s premise.”

The first family ‘expose’ I wrote was a short story about a couple who after being married for ten years find that their wedding was never registered. That’s my story, Chronical One – Alan Stuart, about my brother and sister-in-law Eloise (their real names). While my short story has the hero and heroine questioning their relationship, I’m happy to tell you my brother and his wife married for a second time. I proudly was their witness, again.

Tag line: Married for ten years, a couple at odds find their marriage was never registered. Will an impending disaster be the final straw that breaks them up or will it rekindle their love and send them back to the altar for a second chance?

My younger daughter and her boyfriend were a perfect couple. They had everything, good jobs, great friends, and a wonderful relationship. They moved in together and life was great. She began telling me that engagement and marriage were a thing of the past and my antenna went up. Was she happy? Was commitment a question for each of them? That’s the story behind Chronical Two – Morgan Stuart.

Tag Line: No commitment. That’s what they’ve both always wanted. Or do they? After ten years, they’re not so certain. Will a small deception push them toward that next step or pull them apart?

These two stories will be available in How to Love a Stuart Brother scheduled for release the end of August.

Writing stories based on my family was fun, but my kids told me to pick something from my own experience. That was more difficult. Not that I couldn’t find anything, but what would really be interesting. I decided to choose something from my author’s life.

An author lays out a lot of their emotion and themselves when they craft a book. Even if they aren’t using instances like I’ve mentioned above, the emotion they draw on for their writing is very real and very exposing. So when an author receives a review there is a bit of fear and trepidation. Will the reader like my story? Will the reader buy more of my work? Does the reader like me? It’s hard to be impartial to criticism when you are so invested in your work, especially your first book. You’re looking for validation.

My first book Knight of Runes was a historic time travel romance. I had spent a year making it the best it could be before Carina Press offered to publish it. I was excited and worked hard with my editor to make it perfect.

Tag line: She was his witch, his warrior, and his wife. He was her greatest love. Four centuries couldn’t keep them apart.

The sales had been steady and the reviews had me soaring with confidence until I read one that stabbed me in the heart. I could understand criticism about the story, even about the characters, but it was criticism about me as a person that caught me off guard.

While it hurt, I didn’t let it stop me from writing. On the contrary, I moved on understanding that I can’t please everyone and that there are some nasty people, bullies out there. BUT, in a way I got my revenge.

I used excerpts from that actual ruthless review, personal attack and all as the basis for my heroine’s fall from literary stardom in my story, Happily Ever After. I must admit there was satisfaction in taking those lemons and turning them into lemonade!

I love the challenge of crafting historical fantasies and I also enjoy the realism of contemporary stories. My October story with my writing partners, Echoes of Betrayal is the best of both worlds. We decided that each of us would write a story about a legend. I was able to include both genres in this story!

Which genre do you prefer to read? Why?

Title: Happily Ever After

Author: Ruth A. Casie

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Timeless Scribes Publishing

Book Blurb:

From a fall from literary stardom to becoming the heroine in her own romance story, Beth Holmes has turned around her career and her love life. She owes it all to one very special person.

Jarred Watson has loved Beth since he read her first novel and suspected the heroine was the embodiment of the author. But the road to romance was fraught with pitfalls. He almost lost everything because of a conniving agent and a little white lie that got out of hand. At the eleventh hour, with honesty and hard work, their book sales are off the charts and a movie deal is in negotiations.

Interfering families and changed plans take their toll. Will they go their separate ways or will Holmes and Watson continue their literary collaboration and personal partnership in order to find their own happily ever after?

Buy Links:

Amazon/Kindle: http://a.co/8DGxCzf

Author Biography:

RUTH A. CASIE is a USA Today bestselling author of historical swashbuckling action-adventures and contemporary romance with enough action to keep you turning pages. Her stories feature strong women and the men who deserve them, endearing flaws and all. She lives in New Jersey with her hero, three empty bedrooms and a growing number of incomplete counted cross-stitch projects. Before she found her voice, she was a speech therapist (pun intended), client liaison for a corrugated manufacturer, and vice president at an international bank where she was a product/ marketing manager, but her favorite job is the one she’s doing now—writing romance. She hopes her stories become your favorite adventures. For more information, please visit www.RuthACasie.com or visit her on Facebook, @RuthACasie, Twitter, @RuthACasie, or Pinterest RuthACasie.

Social Media Links:

Email: ruth@ruthacasie.com

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