Today, I have Ruth Juliano on my blog. Welcome, and let’s get started. Tell us about your books.
I have released five books in the Ruthless Beings series, with plans for more.
(CLICK ON THE BOOK COVERS TO READ PREVIEWS OR TO BUY YOUR COPIES)
What are the stories about?
It’s the saga of the Billionaire Baby, and all the Ruthless Beings that touch her life. It’s about love, hope, people, overcoming adversity, daily life, and also extraordinary things that happen to people that they endure – awful things that really happen to people.
Who is the main character?
Amethyst, Amy, is the main character, but this is a role she begins to share with two others as the story progresses.
What inspired this tale?
I find people fascinating. I wanted to write about different people that all had their lives touched by someone or something. Amy is that someone and that something, but it actually started off as a whole other thing.
How did the story come to you?
She started off as one of the characters I had been thinking about to write a bit of a life story on, then she overtook me and demanded I tell her story, so I did. The story just kept evolving and growing as her world expanded.
Did you have to research for this novel and if so, why?
Not really, I did look into the exact wording of some laws, and checked and double-checked the “Italian” they sometimes speak.
Do you relate to your character?
Yes, and you would think that a beautiful heiress would be hard to relate to, but she isn’t. She wants to be “normal” knowing full well that there is no such thing. I think that most people can relate to having people make assumptions about them or by being hurt by another person. I really feel her pain. I think she’s easy to understand because she has a complexity to her that all people have. That sounds convoluted but she’s direct and authoritative, like she knows what she’s doing, yet because she’s naive and sheltered she doesn’t come across as pushy. All people are like that to a degree because they don’t find under one label. There aren’t enough labels to really identify a person.
Is your protagonist anything like you personally?
In some ways, yes.
If yes, then how?
I have a forgiving nature and I like to help people.
What made you write this character; what made them important to you or made you want to tell their story?
This woman has things in common with the others who become ‘main’ characters. I think she has a lot in common with a lot of people. Okay, most people won’t have suffered nearly as much as she has, but they probably know what it’s like to hold things in, to suffer in silence, to want for other people what you don’t have yourself, to be betrayed by people you trust and to want (more than anything) to be loved for who you are (not what you have) and to belong somewhere. She’s a victim, but she’s never had a victim mentality. She just accepts things. She could have become like the people that mistreated her, you know, passed it on or she could have become a shattered mess or she could have taken her own life, but she didn’t. She knew that love was the answer. She knew that love was important, that it had the power to heal and that it was worth fighting for; that belonging somewhere means your heart will always have a place to call home. And that love, no matter if it’s between parent and child or siblings or a man and a woman is the greatest gift that you can ever receive – it’s infinite and it can last forever. She wants people to read “love” differently. To see it for what it really is – beyond an emotion, a deep affection, it’s something that can shield you in adversity and warm you on a cold night.
Is there anything specific you want readers to know about this piece of work?
I am writing about love, and yes, it does include crime and some drama, and also polyamory which some people may have an issue with. But I think they should know that I have absolute respect for love and for people. I don’t want people to be offended by love, and I think that’s why the relationships have ended up how they have and why the subject of love comes up so often and why love is a powerful tool in this series. Sex not so much, sex is shown in this series from many angles.
Okay, let’s learn more about you, as a writer Who is Ruth G Juliano? What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve been writing stories and making little books since I was very young. I wanted to be an author or a journalist and I used to get prizes in school for my short stories and poems. Due to life taking over, I hadn’t sat down and written for a long time then I did and I couldn’t stop!
What is your favorite book you have written and why
It’s hard to pick a favourite in this series because it’s like the same story of someone’s life that just keeps going, a saga, a soapie, maybe book 4, Ruthless Beings: Just another Day, no, book 5, or 3. I don’t know! The series isn’t over yet.
When you are not writing, what do you do to recharge?
Hang out with my family doing nothing in particular, maybe playing board games or video games with them.
Are you an Indie Author or are you part of a publishing house?
Indie author. I do it all myself, covers, editing, formatting. I’m very indie. Right or wrong.
Do you read books within the genres you write?
I like to read, but between work, family and study, I don’t have as much time as I used to. I like to read anything that tells a story and I’m focusing on indie authors at the moment and seeing what they have.
Besides being an author, do you have a second job?.
I work full time in Justice.
What do you enjoy most about being an author?.
I like being overtaken by the characters and telling their stories. I like to reach out to people and I hope they feel something when they’re reading, whether it’s empathy, anger, happiness, something – I enjoy that we can make a connection without ever speaking a word.
