Counterpoint: Dylan's Story

Words, imagination, books, music, and writing have always been the means by which I could slip into more exciting lives than my own. When the chance finally came for me to write full-time, i was able to focus on the stories that have been in my head for years. My many characters are thankful to escape; it was getting crowded in there. Ruth Sims has never seen a moor and never seen the sea, but she knows what a silo is and what an Amish buggy be. (Apologies to Emily Dickinson.) In other words, she was born, raised, and still lives in small-town central Illinois, a world apart from Chicago. She read early and started writing early, though publishing had to wait until husband and children were raised. The husband, especially, came along splendidly and 2010 saw a Golden wedding anniversary. She has had several novels and short stories published but describes her writing speed as "glacial." She reads almost everything, especially biographies and memoirs (not the "celebrity" kind!) Her bookshelves are weighed down with history, psychology, diverse religions, social controversies, plays, humor, and lots of fiction written by friends. One of her passions is music, especially classical and Romantic music, with jazz, blues, and '80s rock thrown in for fun. There are few upsets in her life that can't be made better by Andrea Bocelli's voice or Josh Bell's violin. Years of piano and vocal lessons proved Ruth had no talent, but they gave her great appreciation for those who do.