About the Author
Born in former Königsberg, now Russian Kaliningrad, Ruth Morse grew up in a city with a complicated history. Ruth always belonged to cosmopolitans, learning different cultures and seeking beauty in the world. She worked as a model, traveling to completely different corners of the world such as Milan and Dubai. In each country, Ruth met teens her age and soon discovered that wherever you are from, teenagers face similar problems.
Ruth tackles these issues in her debut novel "Fireflies Glow Only in the Dark", a story about family, falling in love, and growing up. It will help teens learn her methods for dealing with the chaos of events and tribulations striking all at once.
Q: What is your favorite book from your childhood?
A: I thought about answering “Remarque,” but it feels like I should stick to London’s “Martin Eden” anyway. You see, Remarque showed me my emotional side, his books made me ache and feel and learn the true value of sensuality. But in “Martin Eden” I found motivation. The desire to live and make art and learn more about life, and never give up for it’s never too late to change your life. And me being me, this moody, full of self-doubt teen, I guess “Martin Eden” gave me what I needed the most.
Q. When did you write your first story and how old were you?
A: I was around six, seven maybe? I never remember important dates, for better or worse. All I know I was too young for that story to be beautifully written but the fact that I did write it from the beginning to the end is beautiful.
Q. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
A: This one is simple — I wanted to be a writer.
Q. Who inspired you to be an author?
A: My family. In my childhood, it was a normal thing for us, to read books and then gather up in the living room to discuss them. My father was the one who gave me “Martin Eden” in the first place, and his father was the one who gave it to him when my father was a teen. Both my parents love books and they supported me when I made my first clumsy steps on the writing path and wrote a little story about a snowflake. I should definitely find it and read again, though.
Q: If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?
A: Insta thought — “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. It’s just that you can’t dislike his books because of his own personality. A bit selfish choice, heh?
Q: What do you like doing when you're not reading?
A: I love reading, that’s no surprise, and also I love spending time outside my house, just walking around with music in my headphones and my head in the clouds. Also, I play the piano and love sports, especially tennis.
Q: Where do you get your writing ideas from?
A: I’m a hell of a dreamer and also a big fan of movies. When I write my stories, those qualities mix together in a weird symbiosis where I see the scenes and dialogues as if I watched a movie. In good movies, the camera shows you little details that help you understand the story without the characters saying anything. Watching my own film, I just pick up those details and put them on paper.
Q: Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
A: With books I write, it’s always little details that come from my own experience and people around me. For example, when writing my latest novella, Not Yours but Forever, I gave one of the main characters, Hope, my friend's eye color. Blue with white dots and lines, it’s just too beautiful of a picture to not put it on paper. Same goes for scenes and personalities. My books are full of little remarks, details that I broadcast from real life. And finally, the struggle of the main character, it’s my struggle, too. Pretty much always.
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