There were times when I had to stop and think, ‘Am I talking to and about myself, or am I talking with Frank DeRuosi?’ Perhaps more than any other author I’ve interviewed, I am probably more like DeRuosi than not. Both of us have been in education for many years, though DeRuosi has spent his time at the elementary level, while I spent my time at the middle and high school level.
More than that, though, his characters are adolescents, since he writes in the Young Adult Fiction genre, while my characters (besides my three detectives) are adolescents. But I write in the thriller-crime-mystery genre. But the similarity of writing, including our approach to writing is astonishingly similar. Both of us deal with adolescent angst, and inner turmoil is at the core and crux of what we write.
Frank grew up in East Boston, Massachusetts, but moved to Philadelphia in 1991, and has called Pennsylvania his home since. He currently resides in Ambler, Pennsylvania – a small town about 17 miles northwest of Philadelphia – with his wife Karin. He has worked in education for 21 years, teaching second grade through fifth. He recently became a published author with Black Rose Writing. His debut novel, Holding Back the Tide, a young adult coming of age story, was released in May 2023. Based upon my interview with him, I know I will pick up his book and give it a read.
I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did. Here is Frank DeRuosi!
What was it that made you decide you had a story to tell and to become an author?
I have always been an avid reader, and I think my love of reading influenced my desire to write. From an early age, I enjoyed disappearing into a good book and living amongst the characters there. Writing was just an extension of that love of reading. I wanted to create people, and worlds, and events that drew the reader in and made them a part of the world unfolding in the story.
As for the story I had to tell, my neighbor asked me to read his personal narrative for his high school writing class. It was about his struggle as a teenage boy coming to terms with his emotions, being told all his life that boys don’t cry, and how his trying to keep his emotions buried has led to a good deal of anxiety in his life.
As an author or writer, what sets you apart from others?
Well, my first novel is written from the point of view of a teenage boy. But rather than him being a strong, self-assured, over-confident person, he’s vulnerable and uncertain. He second guesses every choice he makes, and allows his own self-deprecating voice to be the loudest in his head. He’s not your typical male main character, in that he is his own antagonist. I think he allows teenage boys to see themselves as something other than stoic and in-control. They can relate to the main character’s struggle with being a person and how that conflicts with the gender box boys are taught to fit into.
How do ideas for your stories present themselves? How do you know what story lines to follow and which to ignore?
It’s difficult to say. The idea for Holding Back the Tide, as I mentioned, came from proof reading a personal narrative. I am currently working on a second novel. That idea came to me as I was listening to No One is to Blame by Howard Jones. As I’m writing, I try to run ideas almost like a movie playing in my head. Sometimes I can see the action, the dialogue, the imagery needed for the chapter. Other’s I hit a wall. I may not be able to describe something well, or hear the dialogue of the characters, or not quite nail the setting. I tend to leave those moments behind and look for a new avenue to travel down.
What genre do you write, and why?
Right now, I’m enjoy writing young adult fiction. I’m a fiction reader to begin with. It really is the only thing I enjoy reading. Teaching fifth grade, I have read so many wonderful middle grade books – Jordan Sonnenblick immediately comes to mind, that I wanted to write something that would resonate with kids, though a bit older than primary school. It’s always been tough to be a teenager- the changes taking place in their lives and the battle with their own feelings and self-doubt. I wanted to write for them. To help them, I guess, navigate that constantly changing landscape.
Besides writing and telling a good story, do you have any other talents?
I love to cook. As a kid, I would watch my mom cook dinner, and I guess it rubbed off on me. I’m a ‘let’s see what is in the refrigerator’ sort of cook. While I have followed recipes, I enjoy flying by the seat of my pants approach to meal prep. And, I am a huge fan of the one pan dinners – where it all just comes together in one frying pan or one pot. Easier clean up.
If you were to name one or two books that you deem unforgettable and that had a major impact on you, what would they be, and why?
That’s an easy one: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. John Irving can pen an incredible tale. What I loved about Owen Meany, beyond the story itself, was how Irving sprinkled what seemed to be random details, and happenstance situations throughout the book, but somehow wove them all together in the end. I have read that book many times and still am enthralled by it.
What authors do you read regularly? Why?
John Irving, of course. I enjoy Richard Russo, Caleb Carr, Jerry Spinelli, and Neil Shusterman. The list is extensive. What I like about these authors is their ability to draw you into the story. It’s not just that the book is good. When you finish their books, you feel like the characters are your friends, and you’re left wanting to know more.
If you were to have dinner with 5 individuals living or dead, who would they be and why?
I’m never good with questions like this. My students are always posing ‘what’s your favorite’ types of questions and I’m almost always at a loss. But, having to choose five, I would say Mark Twain, because he just seemed like the sort of person you’d want to chat up at a bar. Paula Poundstone because I enjoy her sense of humor. I’ve always been interested in the colonial period of the United States, so Ben Franklin would be someone I’d like to sit down and talk with over a meal. Chrissie Hynde, from the Pretenders, simply because I think she writes well and has a beautiful voice. And finally, Martin Short. I think that would be one interesting evening.
What is your writing routine? When you write, do you plan or outline ahead or are you a “pantser”?
I am definitely a “panster” to be sure. I generally have an idea for how I want to the story to start, and a loose thread of where I want it to end up. But, writing works best for me when I let the characters and the events of the story drive the plot. Sometimes the dialogue in a chapter can spur on a new direction, or give way to a change in events. I like to see where my writing takes me. There are times the chapters are gushing like a ruptured six-inch water main, and times when it’s just a dribble from a garden hose. It really depends on the day.
When writing, how much do you read? Do you read in or out of your genre?
I don’t read much when I’m writing. I find that it’s too easy to mimic what is in the stories I’m reading. Also, I second guess myself, my style, whether my writing is good enough. So, I try not to delve into books when I’m in the middle of a manuscript.
Is there something you set out to do, but somehow, it didn’t work out for you? (In writing, or something else you felt was important to you at the time?)
Oh gosh, doesn’t everyone? I had every intention of being a lawyer. I’ve always been interested in the law. My bachelor’s degree is in criminal justice. In my twenties, I took a job as a paralegal and realized I hated working in a law firm. So, there was that. And then there was the time as a teenager I had convinced myself to become a Navy pilot. I met with a recruiter, but after some thought, and the realization that I’m afraid of flying and being in water that is over my head, decided that wasn’t a road I should travel down. The list isn’t exactly endless, but it goes on.
What tips would you give to new or even experienced writers?
Don’t be afraid to let other people read what you write. Feedback is so important, even negative feedback. To grow as a writer, you have to be open to what people like and what they don’t like. You learn how to improve upon what is lacking, and how to craft what resonates with people. Just write. Like anything, the more you do it, the more skilled you become.
How did you “teach” yourself to write or did it just come naturally? What lessons would you pass on to others?
Well, I have no real formal training as a writer. I never took creative writing classes in college or grad school. I was never a part of a writers’ group, either in-person or on social media. I think what helped me was the fact that I love to read. Books introduce you to so many writing styles. It gives you background to call upon. I enjoy writing, whether it’s a witty email at work, or a social media post, or a manuscript, writing for me, is almost like therapy.
How do you handle a negative critique?
That’s a great question. I was the president of my school union, as well as an elected official to my town’s council. I’ve gotten rather used to less than flattering critique. At first, I was bothered by it, taking it way too personally. Now, I just brush it off. I saw a meme on Facebook once that read: ‘You can be the sweetest, juiciest peach in the basket. But there will always be someone who doesn’t like peaches.’ I think that applies to writing. There will always be someone who doesn’t like your book for whatever reason. You just have to accept that. Hopefully, there are more people that do like it.
Is there a type of writing/genre that you find difficult to write? Why?
Yes! Non-fiction. Don’t like to read it. Don’t like to write it. I read for entertainment. And non-fiction is the furthest from entertaining for me. I want to tell a story, one that you can see in your mind. Non-fiction writing is like producing a grocery list, or an itemized accounting of your day. It really doesn’t allow for creativity, which is why I like to write.
How important are the elements of character, setting, and atmosphere to a story, and why?
About as important as oxygen. Character, setting, and atmosphere is the story. They are the very thing that draw us into the story and help us decide if we like it or not. Those three-story elements are the lifeblood of the book. They all need to work together in harmony. If they don’t, you lose the reader. When they do, it’s magical.
Do you see yourself in any of the characters you create? How/Why?
If you read Holding Back the Tide, there is a little bit of me in the main character, Charlie McIntyre. I wrestle with my feelings, not really wanting them to be seen. Charlie is like that. John Irving once said, “write what you know” so I think, where characters are concerned, there is a little bit of the author in each character. It might be a mannerism, or a certain personality trait, or even a preferred style of banter, but the author is there.
Is there an unforgettable or memorable character that will not leave your head, either of your own creation or from a book you’ve read?
This may come across as vain or a bit self-involved, but I find myself thinking of the characters in my book. The novel itself took just about two years to write and then another eighteen months or so of edits and revisions. Over that time, I really came to know the characters, and I think of them often. Weird, I know, as they are not real people. The book takes place in Ocean City, New Jersey. I had a reader comment that when she is in Ocean City or on the beach, she finds herself looking for Charlie and his friends. That’s about the best compliment a writer can get, I think.
Tell us about your most recent book. How did you come up with the concept? How did you come up with the title? From your book, who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character? Why?
To date, there is only the one book published. However, I am working on a new manuscript tentatively titled No One Is To Blame. It’s about a fifteen-year-old boy who loses his best friend to illness. The story is about his loss, and how he comes to terms with the immense hole left in his life by his friend’s passing. There is a line in the same titled song by Howard Jones that goes “Doctor says your cured, but you still feel the pain” and I thought to myself, that is what loss is like: a loved one dies, and you go on, but the pain is always there. I wanted to write about that, but from the point of view of a young man. Again, I think teenage boys need to see that it’s okay to be vulnerable. It’s okay to not always be okay.
From my current book, my favorite character is Charlie. He is empathetic and caring. But he is also moody and angry – like most teenage boys. It’s his inner struggle that endears him to you. You want to take away his pain, but you know he must live through it, and find his own way to rid himself of it.
Well, I hope your interest has been nudged enough for you to check out his book, just as mine was. For your convenience, the links to Holding Back the Tide are below. I am also looking forward to the one he’s currently working on, No One Is To Blame.
Author/Media Contact Information:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FrankDeRuosiAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frank_deruosi_author
Links to Book:
Amazon:
Amazon.com: Holding Back the Tide: 9781685131968: DeRuosi, Frank J.: Books
B & N:
Holding Back the Tide by Frank J. DeRuosi, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)
Good Reads:
Holding Back the Tide by Frank J Deruosi | Goodreads
If you are interested in any of my books or any of my writing, check out my author website at https://www.jrlewisauthor.com to find my books, their descriptions and links, as well as two blogs I write. My other author interviews are there, too. Until next time …
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