We chat with author Katie Ruggle about Fish Out of Water, which is packed with adventure, action, tall dark & scruffy heroes, and a sense of quirky humour that will be your next perfect escape.
Hi, Katie! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Thank you for having me! I write romantic suspense and murdery romcoms set in the Colorado Rockies. I’m up for anything that sounds like an interesting time, so I’ve lived in an off-grid house in the mountains; trained in krav maga, gymnastics, and cold-water rescue diving; and received a degree in law enforcement (I’m a total forensics nerd). Currently, I live in Minnesota, and I teach horseback riding in my spare (ha!) time.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve been devoring books since I was tiny and basically grew up at our local library (shoutout to all the amazing librarians!). It was always my dream to be an author, even while I was working as a mechanical engineer. One day, it occurred to me that if I wanted to be published, I had to actually write a whole book. So I did.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
- The one that made you want to become an author: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Umm…this one’s tough, because I think about all the books all the time. Maybe Under Locke by Mariana Zapata. Or Henchgirl by Rita Stradling. Or A Brazen Curiosity by Lynn Messina. Or Shadows by Robin McKinley. Or The City Between series by WR Gingell. I’ll stop now, before I list off at least a hundred more titles.
Your latest novel, Fish Out of Water, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Hermit + Extrovert (in) Only One Tent [Yes, I totally cheated!]
What can readers expect?
I like to call it a murdery romcom. There’s lots of humor and very little angst—plus no third-act breakup! I was in a rough spot healthwise when I wrote Fish Out of Water, and the book reflects what I needed at the time: a funny, gentle hug of a story. There is an explosion or two (it’s a Katie Ruggle book, after all), some bad guys, and also a bear (again, almost required in my books), but most of the conflict is outside the main characters’ relationship. In trope speak, the book has a heaping helping of grumpy/sunshine, only one sleeping bag, a virgin male main character, forced proximity, fish out of water (of course), and some booby traps (that’s not a trope, I don’t think, but this book definitely has them).
Where did the inspiration for Fish Out of Water come from?
I’m not a fan of the “not like other girls” trend, so I wanted to make a strong, determined, funny main female character who loved all things considered traditionally feminine, including makeup and fashion. From this idea, Dahlia the LA makeover artist was born. I love an opposites-attract romance, and Winston the cranky hermit is such a fun foil to Dahlia’s extroverted self.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
As readers of my books know, I’m a sucker for a grumpy mountain man with a marshmallow-soft heart, so writing pretty much all of Winston was a treat for me. And even though I spent about eighty-two percent of my writing time researching makeup techniques and inventing names for imaginary clothing designers and various lipstick shades, Dahlia was a blast to create, as well. One of my favorite parts to write was when Dahlia was using the contents of her makeup kit in unconventional ways to save the day, MacGyvering it up like a boss.
What’s next for you?
More bounty-hunter sisters! In Her Sights and Risk It All were the first two books in the series about the five Pax sisters who run their own bounty-hunting business. There was a long break while I was switched over from mass market to trade paperbacks, but it gave me time to write the next three books in the series. Felicity’s book, The Scenic Route is releasing July 30th, followed by Norah’s, Crossing Paths, in January 2025, and finally Charlie’s, Take a Hike, in Summer 2025.
Lastly, are there any 2024 book releases that you’re looking forward to?
So many! Girls with Bad Reputations by Xio Axelrod is at the very top of my to-be-read pile. I’m also very excited about When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein—as I mentioned, I’m a sucker for that trope, and Charlotte’s an autobuy author for me. Bride by Ali Hazelwood looks amazing—and all three of these books are February 2024 releases, so there are ten more months of incredible books to look forward to!
You can find Katie on Instagram and Threads, and at her website.
