“Words Have Always Been A Part Of My Life” – An Interview with Ruth Anne Acheson

In which I interview a good friend about reading, writing, and her life.

Hello, friends!

I said a few weeks ago I had a new feature coming to The Kindness Cafe, and today, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m going to start conducting interviews with other readers and writers like me! In each interview, I will ask the interviewee questions about their life, reading, and writing.

For my first interview, I’m featuring Ruth Anne Acheson, a good friend and writer from Washington State! You can find Ruth Anne at her Substack here.

Let’s get into the interview!

Introduce yourself!

Hello, my name is Ruth Anne Acheson! I’m a writer from the beautiful Washington State.

What are three things that you love?

Just three things? Well, I love to write, I enjoy long walks to satisfy the wanderlust hobbit part of my soul, and one of the highlights of my summer is working at farmers market with my family.

What is your favorite piece of artwork or music?

I’d have to say “Only the Beginning of the Adventure,” composed by Harry Gregson Williams. That song inspires the adventurer in me while making me want to cry. So, yes, “Only the Beginning of the Adventure.”

If time travel were possible, would you want to try it?

If time travel were possible, I’d be torn between wanting to try it and not wanting to. I love reading about historical events and places and people, but I’m unsure as to whether I’d want to visit Ancient Egypt or meet William Shakespeare or live during WWI. However, time travel would make writing historical fiction a lot easier, so there’s always that…

What genre(s) do you write?

I write contemporary and historical Christian fiction, with crossovers between the YA and Middle-Grade genres. I’m also a poet of middling ability and I write articles for my county newspaper, so that makes me a nonfiction writer too, I think.

Which project is your favorite?

My favorite project is a four-book series I began in 2023 and finished in 2025. The characters, setting, and story are very dear to my heart, and I hope that I can someday share my favorite project with the world.

Which themes or tropes do you put in your books and stories (intentionally or unintentionally)?

Intentionally, I always wanted flawed humanity to encounter the grace and mercy of God. That theme has shaped my writing since I began, and if people get nothing else from my stories, that’s what I want them to take away.

Unintentionally, there’s always romance, snarky humor, and references to classic books. I’ve never written a story without a romance and since I’m an admittedly sarcastic person, sarcastic characters come naturally to me. Plus, books are always better when they reference other books, right?

What are three books that have influenced your writing?

Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series, for one. Betsy Ray is very much like me and reading the stories of her high school life and writing journey always inspire me while giving me a cozy book to come back to.

Secondly, I’d pick Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery. Emily Byrd Starr first inspired me to try my hand at poetry, and her tenacity in “climbing the Alpine Path” has been an encouragement through the years.

Lastly, Go Teen Writers: Write Your Novel by Stephanie Morrill, Jill Williamson, and Shannon Dittemore. Write Your Novel is a teen’s handbook to the world of storytelling, and that book provided the foundation for every part of my writing life.

Tell us a little bit about your writing journey!

I was raised in a family of booklovers, so words have always been a part of my life. I spent my pre-teen years starting my own picture books and never finishing them. However, in 2020, I read a friend’s story and said to myself, I can do that. I want to do that. I wrote a story which was eventually fleshed out into a 31,000-word “novel.”

Since that first story, I’ve learned how to write strong main characters, create plots, weave in theme, setting, and backstory. With that knowledge, I’ve completed multiple stories and written a four-book series while strengthening my craft with the help of Dr. Jonathan Rogers’ Habit community.

Are you working on anything fun right now?

Yes, actually! I’m working on the first book of a three-book contract I signed in January. The books are going to be Middle-Grade fiction focusing on famous women of the Bible, told in a Dear America diary-style. You can find more details and updates as I share them on my Substack site!

Anything else you’d like to share?

Just a huge thank you to you, Addie, for giving me my first interview opportunity! It’s been a delight to talk to you.

Ruth Anne Acheson is a teenage writer who lives in the PNW. She aims to write like her heroes, L.M. Montgomery and Maud Hart Lovelace, while enjoying a large cup of steaming oolong tea. You can find her at ruthanneacheson.substack.com or traipsing through the woods, pretending she’s in Narnia.

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Would you like more writing resources? Check out My Writing Compilation Post!

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