Author Interview: Ruki Williams
- fridaynightwritesi
- Jul 4
- 8 min read
Hello, everyone! Welcome back to Friday Night Writes! As always, our goal is to shine a spotlight on members of the book community and introduce readers to awesome authors, narrators, event hosts, influencers, and more. This week, we'll be speaking with author Ruki Williams. Sam will be leading the interview.
Thanks for joining us, Ruki! Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I am a thirty-seven-year-old stay-at-home mom of five amazing kids. I have two dogs and a giant cat. My husband and I have been married for seven years!
Congratulations! That's an impressive feat in and of itself! Where are you from?
I grew up in a small town in Oregon, but now live in Michigan. The journey it took for me to find my happily ever after is sometimes unbelievable, but that's also a story for later!
It's always great to speak to a fellow Michigander. There are a lot of authors here! We like to ask our guests to share a few of their favorite things so we can get to know them better. What are some of yours?
I love Thai food, baking, camping and hunting, wrestling, and books. I hate clowns.
That dislike seems pretty common, I think. My mother-in-law can't stand them, either. Did you always know you wanted to be an author?
Actually, no. I wrote for fun as a kid and took all the fun writing classes, but I had other dreams. I wanted to work with my dad, and then I wanted to be a chef.
Very cool. I used to go to work with my dad on the weekends as a kid. He was a cook at a local restaurant. It was a blast. So, when did you realize you wanted to be an author?
My sister got me back into writing after we lost my father, and the result was this dark love story.
I was the biggest Daddy’s girl. We talked every day, and he was my rock. When I lost him, my world spiraled and I had no lifeline. So, my sister told me to start writing again. Just get it all out.
The result was a series that dove into the darkness and fought to find the way back to the light. It was the best piece of advice she could have ever given me.
I'm sorry for your loss. It's truly impressive how much healing can come from writing, isn't it? I use my stories to process my trauma, too. That's part of what makes writing so beautiful. How long have you been writing?
I have been writing for just over a year now.
And which genres do you write in?
So far, I have written dark suspense romance, grim dark, and an origin story.
I love everything dark. Sounds right up my alley! How many books have you published as of now?
Two books and one anthology story: Breaking Me, How My Knight Got His Scars, and "The Love of His Mother" (in the See Me As I Am anthology).
Are you independently published or traditionally published?
I am an independently published author. I wanted to be able to write my story the way it deserves to be written.
That's why I decided to go the indie route, too. We hear that from a lot of writers. What do you enjoy most about being an author? What do you like the least?
I love my readers, but I hate having to remember to advertise and making ads. I am not so tech-savvy.
I completely understand. Meeting readers is great, but marketing is a whole different beast! Would you mind sharing where you find your inspiration?
My inspiration came after my dad passed away. I always talk to my husband about what life would have been like if we'd met in high school and it all went from there. I never thought it would go this dark, but it did.
Do you find yourself using your real life for inspiration, then?
I take lots of pieces from the people in my life to create my characters.
That's pretty neat. Do you ever put pieces of yourself in your books? For example, do your characters share any of your interests?
Remi, my first FMC, has a lot of the same hobbies and interests that I do.
Our lives do have a way of sneaking into our books. I love seeing a reflection of the writer in the piece I'm reading. Is there anything else you're passionate about? I know you donated a story to See Me As I Am, our 2025 charity anthology.
Anti-bullying. My son was hurt horribly by a bully, and it has taken over a year for him to heal.
Oh, no! I'm glad to hear he is healing, though. Bullying is absolutely awful. I was a teacher before I became an author. I'm also a parent. What kids go through can be so tough. How do you handle being a mom and an author? Do you have any writing routines?
[I] send my kiddos to school, turn on my music, and cuddle up with my puppy dog and write.
That sounds so relaxing! Both my kids will be in school this fall, so I'm looking forward to days like that myself. I'm curious, how many WIPs do you have going right now?
I have book two of the Breaking Me series, Changing Me; book three, Saving Me; and A Christmas Ride, a part of the Breaking Me Series. [I also have] a co-authored project, my second series, Double Aces, and two other side stories I am almost ready to share.
That's a lot to juggle! I applaud you. It feels like the most I can handle is three at a time. With so many projects going on at once, how do you deal with writer's block?
I bounce to another story, then another, then another, and then go back. It gets to be a lot, honestly.
That's probably part of the reason for how many WIPs you have going, but it seems like you're doing great! One thing is for sure, though. If you let it, writing can consume your life. What do you do outside of writing for author/life balance? You know, in the real world?
I’ll let you know when I figure it out. Haha
When I'm not writing, I'm running kiddos to dance and play practice. Juggling the two has been an adventure in itself, but with the help of some amazing people, we keep making the magic happen.
What do you do for your mental health? It's so important, especially because being an author can be isolating sometimes.
[I] spend time with my kids and my husband. Go to the zoo or go camping.
Community and family are absolutely everything. I'm with you 100% on that one. As for the writing process itself, are you a plotter or a panster?
I’m a little bit of everything.
Me too. I tell people I'm a plantser. I get an idea and the characters change things as I go. Do you prefer to write standalones or series?
Currently series.
And are there any other authors who have inspired you?
D. Raven and Jamie Dalton. Also, Heidi Stark, and so many more I can now call friends.
That's wonderful. The writing community has so much to offer. Let's talk about your books specifically for a minute. Which one would you say is the most popular?
Currently, Breaking Me.
That's the main book in the series, right? That would make sense. Do you have a favorite or least favorite character?
My favorite characters are Lonnie, because he is based on my father, and Cherry, because she is the girl I wish I could be. My least favorite characters are the bad guys because they are based off of me and all my past demons.
Everyone has demons. That's for sure.
One thing we always like to ask our author guests is what advice they have for aspiring authors. What would you say to them?
You and your story are worth the voice. It’s worth taking the shot. Don’t live with regret about something you deserve.
I love that! It kind of mirrors what I usually say, "Get out of your own way." It's hard, but it's worth it. Let's do some fun questions now. Hmm, what was your most recent five-star read?
Fourteen Years by D. Raven.
What's your favorite dinosaur? That one is Evie's favorite question.
Triceratops.
I like triceratops, too. What's the best gift you've ever been given?
I had just had surgery to have my leg fused back to my spine. My son brought me a screw he made out of paper and said he had come to fix me.
That's so stinking adorable! Kids. Um, how many pairs of shoes do you own?
Three.
Nice. What's the most daring thing you've ever done?
Took on a bully to keep him from hurting my brother and leaving my ex-husband.
I can see how both of those things would require a lot of nerve. Good for you! Are you a messy or a clean person?
I have a family of eight. I like it to be clean, but we are a bit messy.
Naturally. Kids create chaos. I only have two, but I feel that. Do you collect anything besides books?
Horses, Coca-Cola bears, and self-defense hair clips.
Interesting. Do you believe in aliens or ghosts?
Yes and yes.
Me too. What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Butter Pecan
We don't hear that one a lot. If you could be a shifter of any kind, what would your alternate form be?
A wolf, not because of all the stories, but because of my daddy.
He must have been an amazing person. I bet he would be honored. Okay, which inanimate object would be most annoying if it played loud, upbeat music while being used?
A bedframe.
Gosh, I'd never sleep again. What's something you were interested in as a child that most people didn't understand?
I used to collect mole skins as a kid. My grandpa would [hunt] them and I would skin them.
Use every part of the animal. That's what I say. Is there any food you've never tried but would love to?
Scottish food.
Me too! Okay, this is one of my favorite questions. What would you use to survive the zombie apocalypse?
That's classified! Haha My country-bumpkin upbringing. I was taught how to survive by the people who loved me most. I can hunt, shoot fish, and so much more. So, who wants to join me?
We'd definitely have to form a party. I couldn't survive on my own! Thanks for playing along, Ruki. That was super fun, but I think we're coming to the end here. Can you remind our readers where they can find you?
And is there anything else you'd like our readers to know?
Please, please read the trigger warnings. You guys mean more to me than ratings.
Absolutely. I say the same thing all the time. Before you go, are you offering anything special to the Friday Night Writes community today?
Yes, anyone who places a paid order for a signed book will be put into a drawing for one of the last interactive book boxes I have for Breaking Me.
That's awesome! Be sure to check it out, guys. Are there any restrictions?
There are alternate options available for overseas [orders].
Sounds good. If you're outside of the United States, I'd suggest reaching out to Ruki to work that out. How can readers expect to hear from you if they win?
Email, PayPal, or Facebook Messenger.
Cool beans. Again, thanks for joining us today, Ruki! We've loved chatting with you.
To our readers, we hope you've enjoyed this interview. Check back next week as we talk with Kitschy Kat's, our first bookish vendor! Until next time, see you soon!
The Friday Night Writes Crew
Samantha Moran & Evie Black
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