Ruth Douthitt Charms with New Book Releases and an Amazing Talent

Stop all crafting, just for a moment or two, readers! I've got a live one for you. She not only writes books, holds down a job, runs marathons, teaches women's Bible Studies, and volunteers, but she's an artist too! So dunk those brushes, unplug that hot glue gun, and slam the lid down on all those unsorted beads so you can meet author and artist Ruth Douthitt!

PT: Welcome, Ruth! So glad to have your visiting the Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction. How did you start writing, and what genre do you write in?

RD: Hello! Thank you for having me. It’s a pleasure to meet your readers.  I started writing when I was in my 20s way back in 1989. I wrote poetry in high school, but no stories. I decided my first book would be a fantasy book for kids about a boy prince who enters the mysterious Dragon Forest to slay the dragon within just so he can prove that he is a prince. That book, The Dragon Forest, was published in 2011. Since then, I have written many more dragon books and released dragon coloring books, too. But I also write mysteries for kids, YA contemporary, and women’s contemporary fiction as well as suspense.

PT: Nice! I love dabbling in multiple genres. Is writing a full time job or do you do other jobs as well?

 RD: I wish I could write full time! But I work as a curriculum developer at a local university for now and do volunteer work, too. I write and teach women’s Bible studies. I also host a podcast called A Writer’s Day where I talk about the writing craft and interview best-selling authors. You can listen to A Writer’s Day on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

PT: Let’s get a feel for the place you call home. Where do you hail from?

RD: Arizona is home but we also lived in North Carolina early in our marriage. I miss it and would love to retire there.

PT: Best vacation?

RD: Rome!!! We visited in 2018, and I ran the Rome Marathon that spring. We toured the city, took trains to Naples, Florence, and the Vatican City. It was such a wonderful experience, I got a book series out of it: The Doors of Rome, The Windows of Venice, and The Streets of Florence, which releases this October. You can preorder it today on Amazon.

PT: Any hobbies?

RD: I am a professional artist, so I paint and draw all the time. I love to draw fantasy art and paint wildlife art. Right now, I am creating hand-painted bookmarks to sell at book festivals. So far, they are a big hit with customers! I also do commissioned pet portraits when I am not creating my dragon coloring books. I wish I had a pet dragon to paint! But so far, I only do commissioned dog and cat portraits. You can see my work on my website under the “artist” tab. I also love to run and hike the desert trails near our home and flower garden when it isn’t 1000 degrees outside. LOL.

PT: Give some favs: color, food, music, season, and best place to write.

RD: Hunter green is my favorite color. Because I am Mexican, I adore Mexican food but also Italian and Chinese food. I love classical music (Bach is my favorite) but also movie soundtracks ever since I saw Star Wars in 1977 as a kid. I love John Williams and Hans Zimmer soundtracks the most. We were honored to have seen John Williams conduct our local symphony and Steven Spielberg came on stage to discuss the importance of John’s music. It was AMAZING!!!

My favorite season is Fall. Although in the desert southwest, we don’t see the leaves change, I still love the transition from hot weather to cool weather. And the whisper of Christmas coming in the breeze…

PT: Tell about the series Desert Shadows Suspense and how it started.

RD: I used to work in Superior Court as a bailiff and sat in some terrible criminal court trials. But the way the detectives solved the crimes always intrigued me. This was way before forensic files and other true crime shows. As a result of loving stories and seeing all these court trials, I began brainstorming suspense stories way back in 1996-1997. But it wasn’t until 2022 that I seriously began writing them down. I know many readers of this genre want a small town setting, so I set my stories in a fictional desert town outside of Sedona, AZ. These stories are clean reunited-slow-burn romances that are full of suspense and intrigue. I write suspense because I enjoy reading suspense.

PT: Give a little peek into Fatal Standoff that released in June.

RD: Fatal Standoff is book 2 in the series and follows Emma and Liam on their next big investigation. In Fatal Chapters, Emma brings up her adoptive parents and how they were killed in a car accident. In Fatal Standoff, she receives mysterious text messages telling her that her parents were actually murdered. Emma decides to investigate the pharmaceutical company her mother worked for at the time of her death. When she uncovers dark secrets about the billion-dollar “Big Pharma” company, Emma realizes her life may be in danger. Meanwhile, Liam is in Arizona investigating a missing college student who is the granddaughter of a family friend. When a dead body is found in the desert, Liam experiences paralyzing flashbacks to when his little brother was kidnapped and later found dead near home. Can Liam overcome his trauma to solve the crime and help Emma?

PT: Does Fatal Standoff connect to Fatal Chapters or is it a stand alone?

RD: Yes, there is a connection. Readers should read book one first.

PT: Are you working on the next book in this series or something else?

RD: Yes, I am working on book three in the suspense series. Title and cover reveal are coming soon!

I just finished book 3 in my Love and Romance in Italy series titled The Streets of Florence. I can hardly wait for readers to read this story. It will take them to Florence, the Tuscan hillsides, a cooking class, and more. The three friends from the first two books reunite to heal from tragic loss, sip wine, and laugh again. When they encounter an American waitress with a broken heart, the three decide to be matchmakers for the girl. Adventure, friendship, and Italian food…what could be better than that? The Streets of Florence releases October 7th and is available for preorder on Amazon.

11. Tell 5 things about Ruth Douthitt that have nothing to do with writing.

•           I am an Arizona native who was literally born in the city. My parents didn’t make it to the hospital in time, so they pulled over and my dad delivered me in the car.

•           I saw Star Wars 26 times in the theater the summer it released in 1977.

•           I’ve traveled to Eastern Europe 2 times for short-term mission trips and toured Auschwitz in Poland because I love WWII history. That was a life-changing experience!

•           I have a master’s degree in Mental Health and Wellness because mental health is very important to me. I facilitate GriefShare sessions online and wanted to know more about grief and how it affects the body so I can help others cope. I learn so much from facilitating these grief sessions. It helps me cope with my own loss.

•           I have completed 7 full marathons, 24 half marathons, 4 ultra marathons, and two sprint triathlons all after age 40. I also completed the Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World. It is aptly named because you have to be dopey to do that challenge! Four races in four days. But it was a blast to run through the park with all the Christmas decorations up. Magical!

PT: Whew! I don't know about you but I'm exhausted just thinking about all those marathons! You're one energetic lady. And all of us wish you the best in your many endeavors. Thanks for joining us, Ruth!

There's a free copy for someone out there of Ruth Douthitt's Book Fatal Standoff. Just leave a comment below with your email or enter by using our contact form. If you are dying to read her new book, it's on sale right now! Don't miss your chance, and thanks for joining us! Crafting may commence.

Four Mothers, One Father, Twelve Sons

                                                               Carlene Havel

Hi Everyone!

Gay N. Lewis here, and I am happy to introduce you to a fellow Texan, Carlen Havel. Carlene lives in San Antonio, and I’m in the Houston area. We’ve been friends for about fourteen years, but we’ve yet to meet face to face. We visit on the phone, email and social media. Carlene Havel writes Christian-themed romances and historical novels, often with co-author, Sharon Faucheux. Carlene has lived in Turkey, Republic of the Philippines, and numerous US states. Before becoming an author, she worked in human resources and software development.

As of this date, Carlene has eighteen active books. She and her mother, Billie Houston, co-authored four of them, and fellow author, Sharon Faucheux collaborated on five others. Carlene has been published by traditional publishers, and now she is self-published.

Let’s find out more from Carlene. Tell us how you organize your advertising. What sort of records do you keep?

Carlene: I’ve always been a fan of Microsoft Excel. My marketing workbook consists of several spreadsheets that track ad history for each book to include ad site, date, price, and the number of books sold through the campaign.  I also chart Kindle Unlimited expiration dates and miscellaneous data such as the number of pages in each book. It’s helpful to be able to see all of this information at once and to be able to sort by various factors. At the end of each month, I compile a spreadsheet containing stats for each book, number sold, pages read, amounts earned; expenditures during the month, such as advertising, copyright, isbn purchase, etc., and amounts paid to editors and a virtual assistant. These really come in handy when I do the taxes for my LLC.

Gay: You and Sharon Faucheux write together.  What happens if you disagree about a plot or a twist?

 

Carlene: Sharon and I have a very workable division of labor. I do most of the plotting, while Sharon specializes in historical research. That line gets blurry at times, but so far, we have been able to talk through any disagreement to find a solution we’re both happy with.

Gay: Both you and Sharon do a lot of research, do you both attend a lot of Bible studies?

Carlene: I love attending women’s Bible studies. I occasionally facilitate discussions, but I’m no teacher. Nor is Sharon. She’s more inclined to hole up with a stack of books and not be seen until she’s finished reading.

Gay: Have you ever tried cooking some of the dishes the people ate in the OT?

Carlene: I gave up cooking a few years ago, when my husband took over the kitchen. He does the meal planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation. My only job is cleaning up the kitchen. We eat a lot better than we ever did when I was the family chef!

Gay: Let’s talk about your book, Mother’s of a Nation. I love the title. How did you come up with it?

 

Carlene: I wish I could answer that question, but I don’t know how titles get into my mind any more than I understand where book concepts come from. Sometimes when I’m doing something unrelated to writing, an idea overtakes me. The shower is one of my favorite think tanks. It might be a title, a scene, or a line of dialogue I fall in love with. The idea just appears, and from it the rest of a book takes shape.

Gay: The story of Jacob’s wives in the Bible blows my mind. Which of the sisters did you feel the most sorry for?

Carlene: I felt some sadness for all four of the women who bore Jacob’s children. Their situation was difficult, made worse by each woman’s own human failings. We are so blessed to live in a time and place where we are valued for more than our ability to give birth.

Gay: Which sister did you like the most?

Carlene: I didn’t know this when I started writing the book, but Leah turned out to be my favorite character. She was so loyal and so dedicated to being a good mother. She never allowed Jacob’s favoritism to make her bitter. I admired how Leah soldiered on unselfishly, regardless of the circumstances.

 

Gay: Which maidservant did you like the most?

 

I felt sorry for Bilhah’s tragic life, but my heart is drawn to Zilpah. She was optimistic, kind, and always looked for the best in others.

Gay: In the book, all four women are related. Zilpah was Leah’s maidservant and Bilhah was Rachel’s maidservant. These servants were given to the ladies by their father. How did you determine all four women might have had the same father?

 

Carlene: There’s a whole body of Jewish lore, tradition, and history, known as rabbinical literature. The notion that Laban fathered the two maidservants came from those writings. We know from the Bible that a handmaiden could be the surrogate mother of children that would belong to her mistress, as Hagar was for Sarah. It may or may not be true that Bilhah and Zilpah were Rachel and Leah’s half-sisters, but it is possible. I thought the family tie added an interesting layer to the relationships among Jacob’s women. 

Gay:  All four women called Jacob “husband.” Even though the handmaidens never married Jacob.  I can’t imagine sharing my husband with another woman. Do you think it was hard for these four women?  I can’t imagine giving my husband to another woman.

Carlene: I’m right there with you, Gay. I’m not willing to share my husband with another woman! Ancient traditions were vastly different from ours. Women were viewed more as possessions than as individual human beings, which is still prevalent in some places in our “moden” world. Jesus did a great deal to elevate the status of women.

Gay: Do you think Jacob would have ever said to the women, “This is enough. Don’t offer me anymore women.”

 

Carlene: It would have been his duty to give his wives the opportunity to bear children. It does appear he carried out his assignment with enthusiasm.

Gay: I’m sure he did! Do you think Jacob loved each of the four?

Carlene: Our concept of marriage is based on love. Theirs was based on family strength and honor. I believe the New Testament admonition for a man to love his wife the way Christ loves His church was a radical idea for that time.  In the context of that difference, I believe Jacob did love the four women who gave him children, for that reason if no other.

Gay: Not counting Joseph, which son was your favorite?

 

Carlene: I like Judah’s character. He seemed to me to be more compassionate than his brothers. All of the sons were imperfect, but Judah took responsibility for his sin instead of trying to shift blame onto Tamar.

 

Gay: Genesis records the death of Rachel and Leah, but it doesn’t mention the deaths other two women, but in your book, they all die. How did you come up with their final words? I also love that Zilpah, the surviving “wife” was accepted by the family as Jacob’s companion.

Carlene: The death of each woman felt like a natural way to close out her part of the narrative. As for final words, I tried to put myself in each character’s place, thinking what she would have wanted to say.

Thanks Carlene for visiting with us. This is a wonderful new take on an old story.

Carlene plans to give someone a $10 Amazon gift certificate, so

 please leave a comment! Names are drawn for the winner.

Carlene on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlene.havel

Book: Mother's of a Nation

Carlene's email: CHAVEL@satx.rr.com