Butterfly Betrayal: A Seneca James Mystery by Ruth J Hartman | Author Interview

Tell us a little about yourself. Thank you for having me on your blog! My name is Ruth J. Hartman. I live in rural Indiana with my husband of 41 years and our three spoiled cats.

How long have you been writing? I’ve loved to write my entire life. Recently, I found a box my mom had saved in her closet, where there were several stories I’d written when I was eight or nine. But my first book was published in 2008. What a thrill that was!

Did you always want to be an author? What made you choose the cozy mystery genre? I always wanted to write, but being an author wasn’t very practical at the time. I became a dental hygienist, and wrote in my spare time, but now that I’m no longer practicing dentistry, I write full time and love it! I love cozy mysteries for their interesting storylines and quirky characters.

Do you prefer to read cozy mystery books, or do you have another favorite genre? What are you reading now? Right now I’m reading The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden. I love any kind of mysteries, as long as they aren’t too gory.

Do you have a favorite place to write? I love to write on our screened–in porch. Our three cats love to stay out there with me, giving me direct supervision, of course

What’s on your desk (if you write at one!)? On our porch, I sit in an old recliner, with my laptop on my lap, so I rarely sit at a desk.

What is the first book you remember reading as a child? What was one of your favorite books you read as a child? The first book I remember was Three Little Kittens, which I still have! I also loved Charlotte’s Web.

Do you like audiobooks, physical books, or e-books better? Why? I’ve never listened to audio books, but several of mine are available in audio. I like physical books and ebooks both. It doesn’t matter to me which one I have, as long as it’s a good story!

If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose? One of my series takes place in a cat café. I wouldn’t mind spending lots of time in one of those!

What or who has influenced you the most as a writer? My dad, who is a retired pastor, has been a huge influence in my life. He had to write a brand-new sermon every Sunday for over fifty years. Imagine that! We talk a lot about my books, writing, and he has great advice on searching for new ideas for stories.

Do you have any author friends who support you while you’re writing? Do you belong to any writing groups? I have so many writer friends, editor friends, and my agent, who is a good friend. I value their support, advice, and friendship so much. I don’t belong to a writing group, but my agent has an online venue where we meet monthly and all talk about what’s going on with our books and writing.

Finally, what are you working on now? Can you tell us a bit about it? I’m getting ready for edits on Murder She Meowed, Book 1 in the Bookshop Kitties Mysteries. That book will be out on Feb 6th. Also, I’m looking forward to the release of Butterfly Betrayal on November 21st. And I’m finishing up Book 4 in my Kitty Beret Café Series, Claws and Conflict.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions! Thank you so much for the invitation!