A Brief EMail Interview with Ruth Souther
Ruth Souther will be reading for us at Twilight Tales next Monday evening. We emailed her a few questions beforehand pertaining to her writing and process, and thought you’d like to read her answers:
Title of your piece? Immortal Journey: The Death of Innocence
Has it been published, or is it a work in progress? Yes! This book is out (and available for purchase), but is the first volume out of 5 that are planned. I’m currently working on the second titled Immortal Journey: The Rise of Rebellion.
Brief Bio/biblio of your recent publications. In “Immortal Journey: The Death of Innocence” the reader experiences the agony of immortal beings, who are destined to exist as archtypes for the mortal world. Though they are gods, they are not infallible and they cannot control their own endless future. They love carnally and deeply. They hate their enemies and sometimes their brothers. They grieve for their lost children. They yearn over unrequited love, and seek jealous revenge when thwarted. Towering over them all is Ares the Destroyer, (War) his conscience-ridden son Deimos (Terror), and the simple priestess they both love: Niala, a goddess in hiding. The reader comes to know the sound, the smell and the horror of mortal destruction and death, and equally feels and experiences the eroticism of sex, both sacred and profane, and the agony of childbirth as the two worlds collide in a struggle to survive.
Sample chapters are available on my website www.ruthsouther.com.
Occupation other than writer if any? I just retired from ATT as a Project Coordinator, and happily, am now a full-time writer.
Region or city you are from/residing in. Springfield, IL
Any thoughts on your process as a writer or what inspires you to write.
My love of World mythology inspired the Immortal Journey books, particularly the Greeks. There are so many common threads, for instance the creation myths, that I get very excited about taking those ideas and turning them into full blown stories. Currently, I am reading Welsh Faerie mythology for a new inspiration, a much lighter fare than Immortal Journey, tentatively titled ‘Cora Belle Blue’. I believe a writer must be open to whatever muse is speaking at the moment and if one piece is in contemplation mode then it is critical to keep working on another. Not writing stagnates the mind and brings on bad habits, both of which I have experienced first hand. Writers must write, or we will wither away.
We hope you’ll join us at the Mix on Monday April 14th to hear Ruth’s fiction (along with Eric’s) and perhaps more discussion!
