Ruth Kaufman - Award-Winning Author and Romance Writer

Ruth Kaufman is the author of My Life as a Star, My Life as an Extra, My Once & Future Love, The Bride Tournament, Follow Your Heart, At His Command and other books.

Another new boxed set: Medieval Hearts

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My third book, The Bride Tournament, is now part of the boxed set Medieval Hearts: Four Epic Tales of Romance and Passion. It’s on preorder for .99 on Amazon and will be available in Kindle Unlimited when it releases July 12! 

In TBT, The Gone with the Wind love triangle meets The Bachelor in late medieval England. The king wants her to marry the new earl, but she wants to marry her betrothed. So she holds a bride tournament to find the earl a better, more willing bride. Who will win his hand in marriage…and his love?

Also in the set are:

Enthralled by Amazon All-Star Emma Prince

When raiding Northumbria’s holy houses to help his village, Eirik meets Laurel, who stirs him like no other. In an attempt to protect her, he breaks his oath never to claim possession of another person, and claims her as his thrall. But can he claim her heart, or will Laurel fall prey to his enemies’ devious schemes?
Torn between securing her freedom or giving herself to her Viking master, will fate decide for Laurel—and rip them apart forever?

Lady of the Mist by bestseller Elizabeth Rose

Echo, daughter of the infamous pirate, Captain Powell ap Llyr, tries to live up to his expectations of being the son he never had. But when handsome lord Garret is trapped aboard her ship, she can’t let him die at the hands of her father and the crew. Love and honor clash as a nobleman and a pirate fall in love and face the most difficult challenge of their lives.

Knight Storm by Ria Cantrell

Respected as a Healer, Rhianna du Montefort turns a deaf ear to hurtful whispers of “witch” and vows not to marry. Sir Erik Ragnorsen is commanded to marry her, but despite his reputation for honor doesn’t wish to marry a witch. Will love be strong enough to weather the storm that threatens to tear them apart?

Hope you enjoy the set, and, if you’re so inclined, leave an honest review.

Enchanting Knights! New Boxed Set with

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I’m excited to announce that My Once & Future Love, which RT Book Reviews calls a “fantastic blend of romance and Arthurian legend,” will be part of the boxed set Enchanting Knights: Medieval Romances of Legend and Lore with books by Allie Mackay (aka Sue-Ellen Welfonder), April Holthaus and Elizabeth Rose! The set releases 6/20 and is on preorder now! Available on Amazon for just .99 and free in Kindle Unlimited.

We love the cover! Do you? Here’s a bit more information about the books in the set:

SOME LIKE IT KILTED: Allie Mackay
If the roguish Bran doesn’t change Mindy’s mind about him and his bonnie homeland, neither will find peace. But unexpected passion can be the most powerful….
 
MY ONCE AND FUTURE LOVE: Ruth Kaufman
A lady on the run from her scheming uncle aids an imperiled knight. Desire and respect spark as he helps her in return, but secrets, danger and destiny thwart the power of love.
 
LEGEND OF THE FAE: April Holthaus
Returning home from battle, he stumbles upon a lass who can’t speak. While trying to solve the mystery behind who she is, Galen finds himself falling in love with a lass he knows nothing about.
 

THE DRAGON AND THE DREAMWALKER: Elizabeth Rose
She’s the Lady of Fire villagers call a witch. He’s the infamous Dragon’s Son. Can they work together to destroy the dragon, or their haunting pasts stop them as they realize they really fear themselves?


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Welcome! This stop is MY ONCE & FUTURE LOVE (Unsung Knights of the Round Table #1) by Ruth Kaufman, which released May 26th.

Morgan ap Myrddin must rescue his father, Merlin, from imprisonment. But enemies have wounded him, draining his powers. Annora of Amberton flees her castle to seek proof that she’s not a lunatic as her uncle declared when claiming wardship over her so she can reclaim her home and lands.

Morgan stumbles upon Annora’s cottage and enlists her aid. As he helps her in return, respect and undeniable desire spark. But he won’t succumb to the lure of a mortal woman as his father did. She’s wary of caring for a man who won’t discuss his past. When he finally does, she fears he’s the lunatic. Secrets, danger and destiny thwart the power of love.

GET YOUR COPY TODAY!Amazon: http://amzn.com/B01DC8XXNM   Also available in KU.

~ ENTER TO WIN AN E-BOOK OF AT HIS COMMAND, double finalist in the 2016 Booksellers’ Best Awards: http://amzn.com/B00QPG52A6

What’s a lady to do when the king commands her to marry a lord, but she’s falling for the knight sent to protect her from undesirable suitors and is a scribe for the king’s rival for the throne? Could she defy her king for love?

Q: What’s your favorite historical setting and why?
A: Leave your answer in the comments!

And please be sure to “like” this page so I can notify you if you ‪#‎win‬!‬

NEXT STOP: @Tammy Andresen https://www.facebook.com/authortammyandresen 

Thank you for participating in our blog hop! Winners will be drawn Monday, June 13, and announced on each post. ‪#‎NewReleaseHop‬‬  

(No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.)

https://ruthkaufman.com/uncategorized/128/

What are you and your books worth?

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In addition to being an author and writer, I’m a voiceover and on-camera talent.

When I book acting jobs through a talent agent, rates for the shoot and usage (national TV, internet, internal only, etc.) are already set. If I think they’re too low, I decline the audition. For example: a radio commercial for a hospital in perpetuity (unlimited time period) for $500. That might seem like a lot to a beginner, but I could have conflicts trouble down the road when the next hospital doesn’t want to hire someone who already has hospital spots running.

If I book a gig myself, I set the rates with the client. When I self-publish, I set the prices for my print and e-books after taking prices I see for other books in my genres and Amazon’s suggestions into account.

Yet there’s often pressure to discount or lower rates or prices I set for acting work or books. Questions abound.

Acting: The client may have what I think is a very low budget or say they can find someone do to the project for less. Do I meet their rate to get the job, or wait until I find a client willing to pay the rates I’ve researched and think are fair for my skills, expertise and experience? If a client sends me a large quantity of work, do I offer a volume discount? Is there value in meeting/working with new clients at a lower rate, hoping for more projects in the future?

Books: There are dozens of discount/free book e-newsletters. To even get a spot in one, I have to pay and/or meet certain criteria. The cream of the crop, BookBub, cost $390 to advertise my first book for free in the US, UK, and Canada.

Will the ad earn out in terms of sales? Now that I have four novels available, do I make the first free to encourage readers to read it, and hope they’ll pay for the others? Do I stay in Kindle Unlimited, for which readers pay a monthly fee and I get paid when readers read my books…usually around .005 cents per page? Do I do more boxed sets, which often have 4 books for .99…but since all 4 authors share in the marketing and promotion I’ll probably sell more copies than I can on my own? How many giveaways do I do via blog hops, Facebook parties and online promotions?

At the moment, my first book, AT HIS COMMAND (a double Booksellers’ Best Award finalist in Best Historical and Best First Book) is on sale from $2.99 to .99. How much time and money do I spend to promote that?

Often, the only way to know is to try something and see if it works. If not, try something else.

Release Day! MY ONCE & FUTURE LOVE

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Today is release day for my fourth book, MY ONCE & FUTURE LOVE, Unsung Knights of the Round Table #1.

 In MO&FL, Annora of Amberton flees her castle to seek proof that she’s not a lunatic as her uncle declared when claiming wardship over her and her lands.  

Morgan ap Myrddin must rescue his father, Merlin, from imprisonment. But enemies have wounded him, draining his powers.
He stumbles upon her cottage and enlists her aid. As he helps her in return, undeniable desire and respect spark. But he won’t succumb to the lure of a mortal woman as his father did. She’s wary of caring for a man who refuses to discuss his past. When he finally tells her he’s a Knight of the Round Table, she fears he’s the lunatic as danger, secrets and destiny thwart the power of love.

 To celebrate, I’m having a virtual release party today from 4-7PM CDT, featuring amazing guest authors and giveaways. I hope you can stop by to chat with us.

RT Book Reviews says, “Kaufman is an excellent storyteller with an affinity for setting stories in the Middle Ages. My Once & Future Love is a fantastic blend of romance and Arthurian legend, and it paves the way for the start of the Unsung Knights of the Round Table series. The characters are intriguing and their insecurities and fears make them seem more real.”

Night Owl Reviews says, “The chemistry between Morgan and Annora sizzles with vibrant energy from every page right along with their strong, compelling personalities which makes it easy for readers to relate to the characters and to become ensnared in their relationship quandary, which has a maelstrom of emotions keeping suspense and anticipations high throughout the steady to fast paced plot full of intrigue, excitement and romance.”

I love the tales of King Arthur and his nights, and wondered, “What if there were knights we’d never heard of?

And here’s my first international interview!

Happy reading!


Hope you’ll visit these upcoming events on Facebook!

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I hope you’ll be able to stop by these amazing online events! Chat with authors and enter for a chance to win giveaways and prizes. 
May 23 – May 28
Introductions begin May 16!

 Romance Writers Gone Wild! A week-long romance reader’s paradise! Join over 100 romance writers for sneak peeks, excerpts and giveaways, with a specific day dedicated to your favorite romance genres, all without leaving the comfort of your home (or changing out of your bunny slippers). There’s something for every romance reader — contemporary to Scottish Highlands, romantic suspense to inspirational, paranormal to urban fantasy and everything in between. Prizes include Amazon gift cards and a Kindle Fire!

May 26, 4:00-7:00PM CDT

 An online release party for My Once & Future Love, Unsung Knights of the Round Table #1.

RT Book Reviews says, “Kaufman is an excellent storyteller with an affinity for setting stories in the Middle Ages. My Once & Future Love is a fantastic blend of romance and Arthurian legend, and it paves the way for the start of the Unsung Knights of the Round Table series. The characters are intriguing and their insecurities and fears make them seem more real.”

And Night Owl Reviews says, “The chemistry between Morgan and Annora sizzles with vibrant energy from every page right along with their strong, compelling personalities which makes it easy for readers to relate to the characters and to become ensnared in their relationship quandary, which has a maelstrom of emotions keeping suspense and anticipations high throughout the steady to fast paced plot full of intrigue, excitement and romance.”

 I’m thrilled to have a great lineup of guest authors: 
4:00 Anna Campbell Author Page
4:20 Cathy MacRae Author
4:40 Elizabeth Rose
5:00 Ruth Kaufman Author & Actress
5:20 Laurel O’Donnell
5:40 April Holthaus-Author
6:00 Ruth Kaufman Author & Actress
6:20 Barbara Devlin’s Nautionniers
6:40 Kathryn Le Veque, Author

 Anyone who leaves a comment will be entered for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Individual authors may offer giveaways. 

*Promotions held during the Romance Writers Gone Wild Event are in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. Contest and giveaway entrants are providing information to the authors participating in this Event and not to Facebook. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

The MO&FL release party is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

Dealing with Setbacks & Disappointment

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We all know that not everything can go our way, despite our best efforts. And that sometimes, despite putting many irons in the fire, none of the big ones get hot. We won’t get every job/gig/opportunity we apply/submit for, most authors will receive some unfavorable and/or inaccurate reviews, someone you want to date may not want to date you.

Rejection and disappointment are part of everyone’s life. As an actor, author, speaker/storyteller and single person, some months I can receive more than most. When they arrive within a short time and I don’t have good news to counteract them, I admit it’s hard to believe I’ve chosen the right career paths. Self-doubt creeps in. It can be hard to know what to work on next, whose advice to take, what to change.

Recent setbacks/disappointments include:
–An on-camera job I was on check avail for never materialized
–A live corporate job and a VO job I was on hold for were canceled
–Didn’t get a big VO job I was shortlisted for
–Learned that a role I’d done in a film was recast
–A dream agent who’d said she loved my voice rejected one of my books.

Being on hold/check avail, shortlisted and callbacks are great because they show your agent you can do that kind of job and the client was interested. But they don’t pay the bills. And the gig was so close, you could taste it.

Patience is not my strong suit, and waiting for good news isn’t the answer. The solution is to find the energy and motivation to move on. Control what you can, and do something that helps you move forward.

I revamped my ruthtalks.com website, including a new commercial demo. I’m working on a new narration demo, with new elearning and medical to come after that. I got headshots with a new look: straight hair. I’ve been working on promotion for my May 26 release, MY ONCE & FUTURE LOVE, and continue to audition and submit.

How do you deal with disappointment?

New Release! Medieval w/Magical Realism: My Once & Future Love

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 When did you first hear about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table? Probably when you were a child, because the tales have been passed down for centuries. There are hundreds of books and movies, including the upcoming Knights of the Round Table: King Arthur. 
My favorite Arthurian books include The Once and Future King by T.H. White. And my favorite movie is still Excalibur (who could forget the wedding scene?). I watched that dozens of times when it first came out on HBO. 
We’ve all heard of Sirs Lancelot and Galahad. Some know of Sirs Kay, Bedivere and others. But what if there were some we didn’t know about? I decided to tell their tales and journeys toward love in the Unsung Knights of the Round Table series.
Book #1 is MY ONCE & FUTURE LOVE, a medieval romance with magical realism. Morgan ap Myrddin must rescue his father from imprisonment. But enemies have wounded him, draining his powers.

Annora of Amberton flees her castle to seek proof that she’s not a lunatic as her uncle declared when claiming wardship over her and her lands.
He stumbles upon her cottage and enlists her aid. As he helps her in return, undeniable desire sparks. But he won’t succumb to the lure of a mortal woman as his father did. She’s wary of caring for a man who refuses to discuss his past. When he finally tells her he’s a Knight of the Round Table, she fears he’s the lunatic as danger, secrets and destiny thwart the power of love.

I’m working on book #2, featuring a main character in MY&FL. Stay tuned!


Authors in Bloom!

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Hello, and thank you for stopping by! I hope you’re enjoying the Authors in Bloom blog hop. 

 I’ve released three medievals in my Wars of the Roses Brides series. 

And my May release, MY ONCE & FUTURE LOVE, starts a new medieval Arthurian series: Unsung Knights of the Round Table. 

 When a lady on the run aids an immortal knight in peril, can love flourish?


As you can see, I take a lot of flower pictures…with my cell phone. My tip is to appreciate and share the results of your gardening efforts with pictures. Choose interesting angles and close-ups that accentuate details and will look great on social media. 

 Wide shots of gardens and flower beds usually don’t stand out as much as closeups, especially when viewed in small or thumbnail sizes. Also check the background to make sure it’s visually appealing and not distracting.

 Another idea is to create a calendar using your best shots, via a site such as Vistaprint (which often has discounts up to 50%) and give them as gifts. I’ve gotten many compliments from family, friends and clients (I’m also an on-camera and voiceover talent).

 My favorite flower is the peony, because I love how they look and smell. I need to take some peony pictures! What’s your favorite flower and why? 

 I’ll be giving away an ebook of AT HIS COMMAND to three people who comment below and leave their contact email so you can be reached if you win. 

 And anyone who signs up on my website for my occasional newsletter will receive another entry to win a copy of AT HIS COMMAND.


Other authors participating in the blog hop:

Anatomy of a Headshot & Curly vs. Straight

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Next time you watch TV or a movie, notice how many women have curly hair. Not that many. And what roles do they play? The quirky best friend or co-worker, the out there aunt or neighbor. Not a newscaster, executive or businessperson, spokesperson or business owner or doctor.

So with Chicago Justice coming to town and hoping to pursue more serious roles, I decided to get a headshot in a suit with straight hair. For me, that’s not an easy decision…because the process of blow drying, flat-ironing and de-frizzing takes well over an hour and many products.

First I had to choose a photographer. I went with someone I know who rents a studio in what she calls the South Loop (but I think is past that).  A half hour session is $100, and you do you own hair and makeup.

I’m a morning person, so getting up early to start transforming my hair wasn’t a problem. With my now-straight hair tucked beneath a silk scarf for de-frizzing, I was ready to apply light makeup. Wait. When did my eyebrows morph into an old man’s, with random hairs sticking out hither and yon?

I’m glad I brought two suits, because the navy one I really wanted to wear, with what I think is flattering, small peplum on a zippered jacket, looked too dark on camera. I ended up in a traditional pinstripe, with a bright deep blue tee underneath for a pop of color. Pearl instead of hoop earrings. Some with glasses, some full length. Some smiling, some not.

Keeping your chin down while tilting your head and smizing as Tyra instructs can be a challenge. How will they turn out? Will my agents like them? Will casting directors/producers/directors?

How will I know if I’ve been submitted with straight or curly hair, so I know which to have if called in for an audition? Looking like your headshot is essential. Stay tuned….

A current, curlier and slightly shorter hair headshot: