Novels
Novels are my mainstream. They're what I'm passionate about, they're what I know, they're my natural lead.
Running Mascara
1999
Rowena lives in the country, a young teenager struggling to find who she is. Hamish, a paparazzi hunted celebrity, takes refuge in a large estate down the road from Rowena, and destiny throws them across each other's path. While Rowena faces emotions and challenges that force her to consider who she wants to be, she struggles with Hamish's sudden friendliness and confidence.
This is a Young Adult novel about doing what's best for yourself over what others expect of you.
The Short Nails Duo
The Short Nails Series | 1999
Book one: Wake Up In L.A
Wake Up In L.A. is book one in an uncompleted four book series. Almost autobiographical it flips between our main character's - Gillian- reality and imagination. On the outside she is self conscious, unbelieving things are working out for her, romance and schooling come together with friends and family. On the inside, every second chapter, is how she perceives herself. The woman that lives in her head, her soul, her supportive voice, even sometimes the criticising condescending voice, is named Carmen. Carmen lives Gillian's life in her head.
Book Two: Vanilla Butterflies
Vanilla Butterflies is the continued story of Gillian trying to find herself in amongst her life. She struggles through self esteem and confidence, and attempts to cope with sexual, physical and emotional changes and challanges.
The series was never finished because in the middle of the four book series I needed to get away from it, so that Gillian would grow. I then wrote The Invasion of the Edinbrought Boys as a change, and completed that in approximately four months. I never returned to the series, I might one day!
The Invasion of the Edinbrought Boys
2002
Angelina is in her last year at the prestigious Chronwell Boarding School for Ladies, but the elements are against her attempts to be good, be on the straight and narrow, and keep her attention off her strikingly handsome English teacher, Mr Frankton.
She does her best to ignore the hive of activity at the school when a bet is struck between the Ladies school and it's brother school Edinbrought Boarding School for Boys. An adolescent stand for much needed liberation, the young men and women of the school place bets to see how many boys can sneak onto the grounds of Chronwell without bring arrested (desperate times call for desperate measures).
Angelina finds it's not the invasion that has her stir crazy in her last months at school, but all those occassions with Mr Frank that leave her more drawn to him than the last time, until she's bound to crack.
The Sand Trilogy
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Book one: The Monotony Among the Chaos | 2005
It's 2014 and Kyle Lole is looking for something more than the monotonous living of his existence. He is a banker, a businessman,a salesman, a suit. His home town of Arthur is a bustling town full of money, control and prejudice. The Power is coming to it's peak in the city and people are either embracing, or shunning it which brings together the community of SWAP (Society of Wills Against Power).
As Kyle begins to break out of his shell and touch the world around him, his Power expands and what was once monotonous now becomes dangerous and seductive.
This is the prequal to The Sand At The Bottom Of The Sea, and it's newest entry on the racetrack- The Anchor. This was my second attempt at NaNoWriMo 2005. I managed to get 128,000 words down in the entire month, and complete the book. This book will not be edited, or redrafted for publication unless by some strange, unseen force of miracle the feedback I get from it excels beyond my wildest dreams.
It was written without morals or ethics, or any thought what-so-ever to any potentially good writing style. It was full of revolving, cliche adjectives, sex, an awful plot holes and extensive 10,000 worded chapters.Book Two: The Sand at the Bottom of the Sea | 2004
It's 2015 and pirates are still ravaging the seas. Magic is playing havoc with society, and humanity is being split as effortless as a peach with bias and fear. Those who have it are discriminated against, pointed out and isolated; those who don't keep together in packs and groups and communities.
The Link sails the world in pursuit of more bounty, glitter and death with it's Captain- Aroset- hungry for life. It is on the Link that life and death meet and discrimination and fear is raised and destroyed- but for what price?
This novel was written for Nanowrimo 2004, with no plot layout and one character at the beginning. On October 31st at midnight I sat there, fifteen minutes before the clock rolled over, with nothing. I saw Aroset, I saw where she was but other than that I had nothing. Surprisingly enough when I began the first paragraph there was someone else telling the story, nay Aroset.
The sequel is simmering, and then will come up hard and fast. You'll be able to see the details for that on Current Projects. The Link will storm, and Aroset will rule.Book Three: The Anchor 2005-2006
The sequel to The Sand At The Bottom of the Sea, tells of the continuing story of Hamlet and Aroset. Aroset returns to the Link to find that Hamlet has been cast off by a prejudice crew, and so a new roll of months go buy in which they must reign in more crew and hunt down the one man that could balance out the equasion. Hamlet.
Meanwhile on his search for his parents Hamlet comes across an unexpected friend, and begins to create his own life under the pirate tide. What happens to him in societies that are deeply bias against those with the Power?
To complete the piratical series The Anchor brings together the climatical triumph.
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And None Of The Ladies Wore Gloves
2008
In the Victorian steampunk city of Garyelloch, laws have been passed that allow people with Power to be monitored, arrested and tested upon. But research has been stolen from the government, research that claims that they have a cure for people with Power.
Nanette Beauty can't get a job because of her criminal record, but rich and intelligent Gabriel Macheroux invites her further into the world of the Power. Her brother and herself are enveloped beneath the wing of Mr Macheroux, and she gives herself to him when Mr Macheroux makes a proprosal to her that is too good to refuse.
But her political and moral ethics are tangled. And her love is overpowering. And her Power is potentially one of the greatest in the world- if only she would use it. Will she be the one to break the discrimination against those with the Power?
Frank
2008-Current
Frank Farley is young and determined. After an accident in his teenage years destroys his dreams, he searches for a way to heal his damaged body. The search takes a turn for the spiritual, when Frank taps onto the next step in human evolution.
Challenging the idea that belief will pull us beyond the threshold of impossibility Frank manages to jar the idea of impossible, to possible. After the city of Galahad is seized by the sudden turn in humanity, he is faced with leading the revolution. The change sweeps the globe; seeing is believing.
Culture doesn't like change, and people crave Power. So how far will Frank's belief and determination take him?
A Slave to Karma
2010
Beth Steiger has been driving cabs in New York City to support her artistic endeavours. She's an outspoken, in your face, raw and honest girl, confronting her passengers and being a role model for her intelligent, but humble best friend Claudia. When Leo Hill, an art curator at Smith and Danner, climbs into her cab she steers her life into his with enough force to derail them both. But as much as he can't stand Beth his boss is immediately stricken by her very peculiar style of art, entwining their lives together unforvingly.
I needed a break from the heavy stuff and wanted to write a real Mills and Boon. I crossed a real threshold with this novel. It was a turning point for my plotting, my outlining, and my character development. I decided to stop being nice to my characters, stop making them such a boring read. Beth is definitely the most flawed and crass character I've come across so far, and I love her.
The Wizard of Oz: A Dark Retelling
2011
The Wizard of Oz is a dark, wicked tale remake of the 1939 original. The Great and Power Oz is a myth, a legend, in the city of Emerald. Everyone knows someone who has been hunted by him, everyone knows someone that could be him.
Dorothy Gale arrives in Emerald after falling asleep on the bus and missing her stop and after a while realises that there is something very unusual and unsafe about the city. The only way she can get a ticket home is to buy one off Oz, the man who runs the black market, alone and in secret.
On the way she meets Mr Scarecrow, Mr Tin Man and Mr Lion who all need something from the wizard.
Novellas
Someone's Eyes
Driving 15
A Night of Corner
Water Against the Rose Petals
Mortuary Eros
Jupiter
Coma
Oscar & Josephine
- In January a few years ago to write 500 word chapters, two a day for the entire month.
Oscar and Josephine is the story of a brother and sister who, through desperate circumstances, become immortal. As they say: be careful what you wish for. Oscar is doomed to live his existance in the body of a 5 year old, and beautiful, youthful Josephine will never visibly cross the threshold into her 20s. The struggle for trying to adapt to each new wave of life, of progress, and society.
- In January a few years ago to write 500 word chapters, two a day for the entire month.
The French Girl
Short Stories
I tend to snag on short stories. How a writer can compact so much into so little, it's weird wizardry, I swear. I admire and praise those who have defined the art.
Paparazzi
2010
A collection of short stories. Different situations of a determined paparazzi, hunting the heads of Celebrities. This story collection continues to grow and grow, and here I share with you the first.
You can view the design and print of the book at ScarlettRugers.com, bound in a wooden box with a glass top, depicting a display cabinet that collectors keep butterflies inside.
Story 1: The Scandal
Dolly is a hard working photographer in Hollywood. She's tricky, cunning, and the cherry on top of a dirty business. She is a paparazzo who can't be trusted, by the hunted or the hunters.
She's been broke for a long time, and realises she needs to up the ante. But there's a new photographer in the bushes who's come a long way to earn a lot of money. Donald is some mean competition, can she get rid of him to reap the benefits herself?
The Mister
Addiction
Ashing Away
The Dead
Oil
The Blood
The House
Snippets
These snippets are unedited and unrevised. I always appreciate feedback, but please keep in mind that these pieces are deleted scenes so to speak, and are not within the finished work.
Oscar & Josephine
The Monotony Among The Chaos
A Slave to Karma
Kings
Other Project and Publications
Article | The Three Faces of NaNoWriMo
Short Story Blitz May 2005
Short Story Blitz August 2005
Short Story Blitz January 2006
Article | The Box Magazine 2009
Article | FUCM Magazine 2005
