You'll Fall in Love With Ruby

When Chicken Soup for the Soul® co-creator Mark Victor Hansen tells you to consider writing fiction, you should probably listen. Naples author Randall Kenneth Jones listened. And thanks to their collaboration we have “Ruby: Magic Come from the Heart,” Jones’ first novel.

Hansen is launching a new fiction book series on September 23, and Jones is right in the thick of it. “Ruby” is part of a six-book launch by Hansen being promoted as the Savannah Valley Book Series.

“He asked me if I was interested in fiction,” Jones said. “I said, ‘Well, yes, I have a partially finished piece right now.’ I wrote a local newspaper column that became a book, that became a podcast. If you look at Mark Victor Hansen, and his history with Chicken Soup for the Soul®, it also makes sense that we’re taking a self-help element into fiction. Ruby is definitely meant to inspire. Ruby is definitely meant to have people question the decisions they make, and what they believe in, and how they live their lives.”

Hansen is having all six books, by six different authors, released at the same time.

“I think Ruby is the teacher,” Jones said, "she’s here to teach us how to live better, be better. And she is comprised largely of the people I have interviewed. Because the people I’ve interviewed have influenced my vision, my view of the world.”

The six Savannah Valley books are set in the make-believe Savannah Valley, a 55 and over development for the richest of the rich. Jones has always been a champion of seniors. And now he’s a senior himself.

"One of the most major things that I can say is that I have long believed in seniors’ rights,” Jones said. "I just turned 60 and my first fiction book is being released. I’m walking the walk and talking the talk that it’s never too late to create and it’s never too late to contribute. Far too many people quit doing both. That’s the message I’m sending.”

Hansen gave Jones and his fellow-authors specific guidelines.

“I was given the instruction to write ‘Hallmark meets the Golden Girls,’ Jones laughs. “I believe I did Hallmark meets the Golden Girls, meets Harry Potter, meets Peyton Place, meets every single film Meryl Streep ever did.”

"Mark Victor Hansen found it very important that we reflect that people over the age of 55-60 live, laugh, learn, and love,” Jones said. “We still do all of these things. Nobody ever writes about that. This is one of six books about fictitious Savannah Valley. Savannah Valley is totally made up, but I live in Naples, so it wasn’t difficult for me to understand Savannah Valley. I didn't write ‘old people,' I wrote people discovering, learning, changing. That’s who I am. So why would I write any differently? All of the characters range in age from 59 to 90. I was ecstatic that he wanted that to happen."

While Jones is careful not to give too much away about the plot of “Ruby,” he is willing to share a little about a favorite character who is obsessed with Meryl Streep movies. The male character is called Streep.

"Streep the character truly lives his life parallel to her plot lines,” Jones said.

Jones sees “Ruby” becoming a movie.

"My goal is to have a movie done,” Jones said flatly. 

“Ruby” is a short book. It’s a quick read. But Jones’ characters stick with you. Jones is quite adept at slipping in hints if you’re a clever reader.

“A lot of the early readers are reading it twice,” Jones said. "They find out the hints are there. They’re all over the place. There are so many teeny, tiny hints about who Ruby could be."

Besides his newspaper columns, Jones has a successful podcast, www.Jones.Show. The website for “Ruby” is www.RubyBook.info. Jones will be doing a book signing at the Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center at 300 Tower Road in Naples, Thursday, October 6th, at 6:00 PM. A Ft. Myers signing is Tuesday, October 4th, at 6:00 PM at the Laboratory Theater of Florida.