story – Page 2 – Chloe Ruffennach's Stories

Sirens Three Months Later

Over three months have passed since I published my debut sci-fi novel, Sirens. In the time that has elapsed, I have learned quite a few new things about the indie author space and about myself as a writer. Mainly, over the past few months, I have watched as all of the self-publishing blog posts andContinue reading “Sirens Three Months Later”

Finally Ready for Print

So now it’s finally happening. After three long years of nurturing Sirens, this month, I’m kicking her out of the nest. Time for her to fly or fall. I’m equally excited and terrified by the impending October 28th release date of my book, but there’s a feeling of relief that ultimately comes with knowing thatContinue reading “Finally Ready for Print”

Cover Girl

Perhaps one of the most important elements of any book is its cover. As much as we like to deny it, everyone does, in fact, judge books by their covers. This is why I stressed so much about the appearance of Sirens from the moment I decided to self-publish. One of the great aspects ofContinue reading “Cover Girl”

The Editing Ordeal

So I’ve finished editing the final version of my upcoming self-published novel, Sirens, and the process absolutely sucked. Writers famously say that writing is a pain. You’d have a hard time finding one that claims that it’s an easy and fun pastime. In fact, Ernest Hemingway once said, “There is nothing to writing. All youContinue reading “The Editing Ordeal”

Get Into Character

Most people who have read my writing know that one of my biggest challenges is writing succinctly. I can often overexplain things, so when it comes time to edit, I find myself having to cut sentences and chapters down mercilessly. That is why I’ve challenged myself to introduce the main characters of Sirens to youContinue reading “Get Into Character”

Setting the Scene: Pittsburgh in the 2030s

One of the best pieces of writing advice I’ve ever heard is to write about places you are familiar with. By writing of foreign lands that you aren’t building from scratch, you can miss the nuance of these places at best and completely misrepresent them at worst. That is why Sirens is set in PittsburghContinue reading “Setting the Scene: Pittsburgh in the 2030s”

That Reminds Me Of…

In the (failed) pursuit of finding a literary agent to represent my novel, I quickly learned that citing comparable media is a great way to illustrate what a story is about while avoiding spoilers. Usually, literary agencies asked for similar books to reference when querying, though I have found songs, shows, and movies that reflectContinue reading “That Reminds Me Of…”

Sirens – My Wake-Up Call

My debut novel, Sirens, is a book that was born from strange circumstances and a lot of dismay. After roughly three years of keeping this story to myself, I will be publishing it by the fall of 2023.