Q&A with Anne Marie Ruff discussion

Hi Everyone. I just wanted to say welcome and thanks for signing up. I really appreciate it -- it gives me confidence! We'll be starting this Q&A May 7. I'm really looking forward to it.

Best,
Anne Marie

Hi Anne,
I got your book end of last week and started to read it over the weekend. I am working in the Balkins and it was sent to my house and then my wife sent it to me, that is the reason for the delay. I am only a couple of chapters in, looking forward to the discussion.

Steve

Steve,

I am so delighted to hear that my book is traveling the world. What is your overseas work? That is a part of the world I have never seen. I am a bit of a xenophile and love to experience people, culture, and geography in unusual places. So please, do send a detail or a story about your experience, and I will look forward to having you join the discussion. (I promise I won't give any of the plot away).

Safe travels and best wishes with your work.
AM

Anne,
I am an Air Traffic Controller working in Kosovo, I did that for my career in the Marines but didn't work in this part of the world then. The country is beautiful but the people are very poor in general. I have been to Macedonia and hope to get some other traveling done in the fall. I am looking forward to getting back to SoCal for a visit next month to see my family.

Talk to you soon,
Steve

I just finished up this semester so i am only a few chapters in too. Had to get all those final assignments done

Steve,
Interesting assignment for an air traffic controller. Is it a busy posting?

I saw an interesting film set in Albania, "Forgiveness of Blood" that is about as close I have ever been to Kosovo.

Mikeandginger wrote: "I just finished up this semester so i am only a few chapters in too. Had to get all those final assignments done"

I have heard from other readers that by the 5th chapter they feel compelled to find out what happens to the characters. (Note to self: in the next book sink the hook earlier!)

Anne,
There is not much traffic but other duties keep me busy, paper work and such. I have not seen that movie but I will look for it.

I was not able to really get started with your book until this weekend and I'm far from finished yet.

I'm intrigued by the subject, but was not really able to get "hooked," until the murder of Zahara's father took place. I'm not sure what that says about me. So far, I'm torn between comparisons (good) to Michael Crichton and (not so good) to Peter Benchley, but its mostly the former. But I'm still withholding judgment until I finish.

Hello Ms.Ruff,
I just want to say that I'm looking forward to reading your book. I feel the subject is important and always timely. Thank You.

James-clifton wrote: "I was not able to really get started with your book until this weekend and I'm far from finished yet.

I'm intrigued by the subject, but was not really able to get "hooked," until the murder of Zah..."

James-clifton,
I hope you are still hooked. I have heard of the delayed attachment from several readers, and am pushing myself to sink the hook faster in the novel I am currently writing. I am flattered to be compared to either Chrichton or Benchley. Another reader had mentioned Chrichton. Were you thinking of Next? I haven't read it. Do you recommend it? And as far as Benchley, I am not familiar with his work, except of course for Jaws. But I understand he has become a champion for the environment, so that seems like good company to me. At the time I was writing the book (after several years of research and plotting) a friend recommended Jon LeCarre's Constant Gardener, as in a similar vein (no pun in tended). I quite liked the book, and thought the movie was perhaps even better (one of those rare instances where the directors vision is even better than the reader's). I will look forward to your thoughts after you finish reading.

Diana wrote: "Hello Ms.Ruff,
I just want to say that I'm looking forward to reading your book. I feel the subject is important and always timely. Thank You."

Diana,

Thanks for your note. I have thought the subject remains timely as so many people around the world still suffer from the effects of AIDS. Unfortunately I have had literary agents tell me the topic is no longer 'fresh' in the U.S. market. Perhaps. Indeed the disease has become survivable for those who have access to therapies. So the disease has receded from the headlines, but it is still painfully fresh for many.

Anne wrote: "James-clifton wrote: "I was not able to really get started with your book until this weekend and I'm far from finished yet.

I'm intrigued by the subject, but was not really able to get "hooked," u..."

Anne:

Thanks for your reply. I'm not comparing your book to a specific Crichton novel, because he's actually very diverse. Part of what I assume is Crichton's appeal to readers is his very detailed explanation of scientific and technological issues --- almost like James Michener did with prehistoric geological history. In fact, for me, their tendencies to do so in their longer books didn't work so well.

Fortunately, you seem to have a gift for more concise descriptions --- I assume that's from your journalism background, which I share, albeit from a less well-traveled perspective from yours. And that's something I'm coming to realize that I'm starting to appreciate as I read further in your novel.

I'm currently at the place where Zahara has begun tutoring with Elizabeth. And there's been this separate storyline introduced where we meet Ruth and Robert. I can see something interesting developing here --- strong and interesting female characters which could be a selling point. Zahara is the "hook" character, as far as I'm concerned --- I don't think I've ever encountered a lead character as unique as she is.

Peter Benchley writes entertaining maritime thrillers --- I started reading him with "Jaws" --- BEFORE there ever was a movie, and I stopped reading him after "The Deep" and the movie version. A rare case of the film being better than the novel. I think I will withdraw my earlier comparison as unfair to your novel --- it's obviously tackling a more important issue than man-eating sharks gulping down tourists in New Jersey.

Obviously, I'm not far enough along to make a full judgment. I'm recovery from eye surgery last December and my eyes get tired, so my progress is slow. But I think I've reached the point where I WANT to finish the book, not only to give you feedback, but because it's starting to make me want to turn the pages.

Glad to hear you're writing a new work. I won't ask you about it because I'm superstitious about that. When you post the words, "It's finished," then I'll ask questions, lol!

James

Anne wrote: "James-clifton wrote: "I was not able to really get started with your book until this weekend and I'm far from finished yet.

I'm intrigued by the subject, but was not really able to get "hooked," u..."

Anne, I just thought of some Crichton references that might be interesting:

"Congo," which was made into a successful film, is a story about a group of researchers investigating a race of white apes --- again, it's a thriller, so it might not be an exact comparison for your work, but one of the reasons it works is because it's more concise than some of his other novels.

Also --- and I have to Google this Crichton title, bear with me --- it's called "Prey," which was a challenging book for me to read, because it deals with nanotechnology. I ended up going the route of Books on Tape, because it was easier to absorb aurally rather than read the printed page. Again, it's a technological thriller of scientific technology gone amok.

What I like about what you're doing is that you explain and make interesting the pursuit of scientific knowledge and give personality to what are usually dry supporting characters, namely the researchers whose passions explode in their minds, but seldom show on the surface.

Pursuit of knowledge as a mystery thriller; what a concept ...

James

James-clifton wrote: "Anne wrote: "James-clifton wrote: "I was not able to really get started with your book until this weekend and I'm far from finished yet.

I'm intrigued by the subject, but was not really able to ge..."

Thank you for your comments. I did see Congo years ago. And you are right that journalism taught me how to keep everything brief. I do like science in novels so will check out a bit more of Chrichton's work. Years ago I worked in a US Department of Agriculture lab where the research focus was date palm and citrus varieties. I observed the genetic marking work enough to understand it and enough to realize that I wasn't cut out to be a scientist. I also realized that scientists generally don't make good narrators of their own work for lay audiences. I have considered myself something of a translator. Then years later, my seemingly useless experience of working in a lab proved valuable as I was able to style that lab into Robert's lab at the NIH.

I will look forward to your further thoughts as you are obviously a thoughtful and observant reader.

Warmly,
AM

Anne:

Good morning and thank you for writing back. I'm still working on your book --- which I WILL be finishing eventually. Just a matter of disciplining myself to find time to read, lol.

I've decided that I admire your conciseness in writing. It has a very clean feel to it. I have an Appalachian storyteller's tendency to go all over the place when I tell a tale. One of your book's virtues is the clean lines of narratives.

I have to say I find myself annoyed when the story drifts away from Zahara. I recall seeing international students like her when I was in school and never thought about them observing the oddness of being in America. I particularly liked the scene where she buys the overpriced cup of coffee, only to be disappointed in it. I'm assuming that scene may be based on some real incident that you've observed or heard about in your own experience. It felt very real --- and I suspect it's a universal travel experience.

The other night I was at a community theater play rehearsal --- we're doing "The Mousetrap" by Agatha Christie. I brought your book along to read while I was offstage between scenes. One of the other actors --- a female attorney --- inquired about what I was reading and I told her about it. She's demanded to read it when I'm done. That's a good sign, don't you think? The subject matter is what drew her to it.

James

James-clifton wrote: "Anne:

Good morning and thank you for writing back. I'm still working on your book --- which I WILL be finishing eventually. Just a matter of disciplining myself to find time to read, lol.

I've d..."
James, thanks for your comments. Delighted to hear that your fellow actor is demanding my book of you. I hope the play rehearsal goes well.

About the coffee scene, actually, that was a bit of pure fiction. Glad to hear that it felt real to you.

Forgive my short reply, the hour is late and the day was long...