Women’s fiction author Ruth F. Stevens joins me today to chat about her new contemporary novel, My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
She’s currently touring with Wow! Women on Writing – full tour details are below the interview. I invite you to visit her other stops, too!
Bio:
Ruth F. Stevens likes to create stories that will make readers laugh and cry. A former public relations executive in New York and Los Angeles, she is a produced playwright and author of a previous novel, Stage Seven, which was a featured selection of national online book club and Alzheimer’s awareness organizations. Ruth is a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Dramatists Guild of America and serves as a volunteer and acquisitions editor for AlzAuthors.
Ruth lives in Torrance, California with her husband. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, hiking, hip-hop and fitness classes, yoga, Broadway musicals, wine tasting, leading a book club, and visiting her grandsons in NYC
Welcome, Ruth. Please tell us about your current release.
The narrator, Mar Meyer, is trying to reinvent herself after a bitter divorce by cutting herself off from her past life and starting fresh. Fifty years old but fit and young-looking, Mar now lives in a cozy apartment by the water and joins a nearby health club, Seaside Fitness, where she hopes to meet new people. But she’s determined to keep her life carefree and casual—no commitments.
Much has been written about middle-age divorce, but this novel has a unique premise. Every month focuses on a different “acquaintance”—some platonic, some romantic. It’s a kind of episodic format where each month tells the story of how that new acquaintance impacts Mar’s life. And then there’s the overriding story of how Mar grows and changes during the course of her first year as a divorcee. We meet lots of quirky characters along the way—some funny, some tragic. There is also a very appealing main love interest, a celebrated novelist named Charlie; but I won’t reveal too much about him here.
What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve always thought 50 is an interesting age for a woman. She’s not young but she’s not old; she’s complex and interesting, with well-formed tastes and opinions; she’s been around the block. Also, for years I’ve belonged to health clubs and been intrigued by the relationships forged between fellow gym members. A gym seemed like the ideal setting for a woman who’s out to meet lots of new people without forming deep commitments. So those two ideas merged together to create the premise for the book.
Excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances:
Following are a few short excerpts that will shed light on the narrator’s character. Here’s what Mar thinks about…
Meditation: “I respect people who meditate, the same way I respect people who never touch alcohol. Both are admirable practices I have no intention of pursuing myself.”
Her new casual acquaintance, Whitney: “She doesn’t carry much baggage or wield much intellectual heft. In short, she is exactly the kind of person I want to associate with. Fun, fun, fun, with no commitments—that’s what I want my life to be now.”
Her ex-husband’s annoyingly sweet girlfriend Alice: “I envision her on her birthday, receiving an avalanche of Hallmark cards festooned with adorable kittens or sprays of colorful spring blooms . . . The few cards I get invariably feature cartoon figures who are swearing, farting, or giving someone the finger. Sometimes all three. That’s the difference between Alice and me.”
Reinventing herself: “Instead of throwing away my past, maybe this can be more of a winnowing process. Maybe I can find a way to sift through the good and bad parts of my previous life and hold on to the things that are worth keeping.”
It’s not you, it’s me. “This has become an all too familiar catchphrase during the past year. But I never expected to utter these words to a dog.”
What exciting story are you working on next?
I’ve completed a sequel to My Year of Casual Acquaintances, titled The Unexpected Guests. It’s coming out December 2024. The story picks up right where the previous book leaves off. Mar—now called Margaret—is still a major player, but she’s no longer the narrator. This book is told in the alternating POV of three characters from the previous novel, and it provides a funny-sad look at family dynamics and the different types of love we experience in our lives.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When I was a very young girl.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
I spent my career as a public relations and advertising professional, so I was writing full-time. By the end of the work day, the last thing I wanted to do was spend hours more at the computer. It wasn’t until I gave up my day job that I found the time to write other things! I started with theatrical plays and then moved on to novels.
When I’m working on a book, I don’t follow a schedule: I become so engrossed in the project that I will sometimes write morning, noon, and night. I have to force myself to take breaks to eat, exercise, or relax.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Whenever I complete a new manuscript, I’m totally convinced that I will never, ever have another idea. I’m done, washed up, finito. Okay, maybe that’s more neurotic than interesting.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a writer of some kind. I hated writing by hand and taught myself to type at a very early age. I would sit at the typewriter and come up with stories and poems—or sometimes I put on my “editorial hat” to create newsletters about my family, featuring man-on-the-street interviews with my older brother. I guess it was good training for my PR career.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but authors wouldn’t exist without readers. And readers like you can be an enormous help to authors like me. If you enjoy my book, the number one way to help is to post a review online. Other ways to help: Spread the word to friends, to book clubs, and to your local library and bookseller.
Links:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Bookbub | Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org | Barnes and Noble | Publisher (Black Rose Writing)
Blog Tour Calendar
September 23rd @ The Muffin
Join us at The Muffin when we celebrate the launch of Ruth F. Stevens’ book My Year of Casual Acquaintances. We’ll be interviewing the author and giving away a copy of her book. https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
September 24th @ The Faerie Review
Join by Lily’s blog for a spotlight of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://www.thefaeriereview.com/
September 25th @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi’s blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://www.jodiwebbwriter.com/blog
September 27th HERE!
September 29th @ Book Review From an Avid Reader
Visit Joan’s blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances.
https://bookwomanjoan.blogspot.com/
September 30th @ Just Katherine
Visit Katherine’s blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://justkatherineblog.wordpress.com
September 30th @ Choices
Visit Madeline’s blog for a guest post about how casual acquaintances play an important role in our life. http://www.madelinesharples.com/
October 1st @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra’s blog for a spotlight of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://www.astorybookworld.com/
October 2nd @ Create Write Now
Visit Mari’s blog for a guest post by Ruth F. Stevens about why fifty is nifty for a fictional character. https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog
October 3rd @ Knotty Needle
Visit Judy’s blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. http://knottyneedle.blogspot.com/
October 5th @ What Is That Book About
Stop by Michelle’s blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://www.whatisthatbookabout.com
October 6th @ Storey Book Reviews
Visit Leslie’s blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://storeybookreviews.com/
October 7th @ Life According to Jamie
Stop by Jamie’s blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://lifeaccordingtojamie.com/
October 9th @ Beverley A. Baird’s blog
Stop by Beverley’s blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
October 11th @ Beverley A. Baird’s blog
Visit Beverley’s blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com
October 12th @ Author Anthony Avina’s blog
Join Anthony for his review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/category/blog-tours/
October 13th @ Rosh’s Reviews
Visit Roshni’s blog for her review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://roshreviews.blogspot.com/
October 15th @ Frugal Freelancer
Visit Sara Trimble’s blog for a guest post by the author about whether AI is a friend or a foe. https://saratrimble.wordpress.com/
October 18th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy’s blog for an excerpt from My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com/
October 20th @ Chapter Break
Visit Julie’s blog for an interview with author, Ruth F. Stevens. https://chapterbreak.net/
October 23rd @ Boys’ Mom Reads!
Visit Karen’s blog for a review of My Year of Casual Acquaintances. https://karensiddall.wordpress.com/
October 26th @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion
Visit Linda’s blog for an interview with author Ruth F. Stevens. http://bootsshoesandfashion.com/
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Thank you for featuring my book, Lisa. I enjoyed our interview!