Ruby wrote her first book on a dare — an accountant who'd never wanted to write, plotting a love story in her head at the kitchen table. Four books, a number-one release, and an Audible deal later, she'll tell you she still can't believe she did it. What she won't say upfront: she wrote the book that hit number one while going through breast cancer treatment — and did it anyway. ABOUT THIS REPLAY: This is an encore of one of our early episodes, with bonus content and a fresh update from Ruby added. After the cold open you'll hear a quick housekeeping note from Molly, and at the end we've added extended bonus conversation plus a summer catch-up on where Ruby is now. ABOUT THE GUEST: Ruby Raynes lives a double life — accountant by day, romance author by night. Under her pen name she writes the Love in Ink series: low-angst, high-spice MM romance that has built a devoted and growing readership. In four years she's published four books, landed an Audible deal, and watched every release go further than the one before. She wrote her third book, Jasper — the one that went to number one — while undergoing treatment for stage 3C triple-negative breast cancer. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, daughter, and a whole zoo of animals. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN: [03:10] The offhand comment from a friend that turned a lifelong reader into a first-time writer [04:57] Why MM romance freed her from a battle she'd been having with herself every time she read [08:14] The deliberate choice behind the book's setting — and the quiet safety signal woven through the story [10:18] Why she publishes under a pen name, and what "Ruby Raynes" has come to mean to her [11:26] The writing schedule of a full-time accountant: late nights, early mornings, 500 words a day [12:26] The full indie pipeline — alpha, beta, editor, proofreader, ARC — and what she got wrong the first time [14:26] How Kindle Unlimited actually pays, and why she's staying in it for now [16:23] Landing the Audible deal — getting ghosted, then getting the yes [20:12] Writing Jasper through chemo, and why that book became her lifeline [24:33] The one-to-three-percent outcome that left her cancer-free [31:37] Can indie writing replace a day job? Ruby's honest math on back catalog and margins [32:34] Hiring, firing, and finding the assistant who let her write, fight, and still be there for her family [38:11] What she hopes her daughter takes from watching all of this [41:23] Release-day nerves, imposter syndrome, and why it gets harder, not easier BONUS CONTENT IN THIS REPLAY: [52:24] A closer look at self-publishing on Amazon KDP — and why it costs nothing to start [54:01] Paperbacks, cover design, and why buying direct from an author's website matters [55:15] The Audible process and landing her dream narrators [57:05] The real-life friends who show up as characters — including a true story that made it into Jasper [59:32] A first tease of her Christmas novella UPDATE FROM RUBY (Summer): Molly reconnected with Ruby — in person! — this summer. Ruby's reconstructive surgery this past April went well and she's mostly healed. She attended RomantiCon with her best friend and extended the trip with a vacation in Provincetown. All four Love in Ink books are now available on Audible. And she's just done the cover reveal for her upcoming Christmas story — preorder link and blurb below. COMING SOON FROM RUBY — "Beautiful Mile" Release date: November 10, 2025. Preorder now — paperback available on Amazon or Ruby's website. Preorder: https://books2read.com/BMile-sm About "Beautiful Mile" A standalone holiday romance. When a wrecked car and a Minnesota blizzard strand a city guy two days before Christmas, the only shelter for miles is a cabin owned by a grumpy, fiercely attractive lumberjack who lives in the woods for the quiet — and now has an unexpected houseguest. Snowed in, sharing one broken couch, two people from completely different worlds discover the spark between them runs a lot warmer than the storm outside. Expect a dramatic first meeting, plenty of heat and humor, and all the warmth you want from a Christmas story. GUEST LINKS: Ruby Raynes Website: https://www.rubyraynes.com Series: Love in Ink — Finn, Jackson, Jasper, Dom (book five on the way) Available on Amazon, Audible, and https://www.rubyraynes.com (illustrated covers, book boxes, and more) CONNECT WITH SPONSOR: AION Listener promotion: 10% off with code MOLLY10, stackable with AION's current sale. HSA/FSA eligible. Website: https://www.aiongear.com/collections/mens-and-womens-workout-vest CONNECT WITH HIR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herintentionalreset.co/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587329908947 Website: https://www.herintentionalreset.com RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Until I Saw You by Diana Romaine Heated Rivalry (Ruby's happy-place watch) If HIR has been valuable to you, you can support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/herintentionalreset No pressure — just making it easy for listeners who want to say so. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/hemlock/the-way-forward License code: RVGOVVHKDJFBKVJC This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through my link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend books and resources discussed on the show that I genuinely use and believe in. Note: This episode discusses a cancer diagnosis and treatment. If any of this is close to home for you, take care while listening.
