Deanne Rupert’s Debut Novel
By Taylor Evans
Deanne Rupert is a 2009 alumni of Mahanoy Area who has taken off on a career as a writer with her debut novel, “To Live Without Knowing.”
She is self-taught and worked hard to get to where she is today. I interviewed Deanne to learn more about her childhood and how it led up to the start of her writing career.
Coal Cracker: What inspired you to write your novel, “To Live Without Knowing”?
Deanne Rupert: I’ve always loved writing, and writing a book has always been something I’ve aspired to do. At the time I started my book I was working at a job I didn’t like, on an early morning schedule that was draining me physically and mentally. One night, I literally just sat down on my couch and pulled out one of my many journals. I told myself it was time to get serious with my writing, and that was when I began outlining the first couple chapters of what became my first book.
CC: How did growing up in Schuylkill County and attending Mahanoy Area affect your career path?
DR: Growing up in Schuylkill County is something I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with. I’ve always been fascinated by its history and colorful characters, but deep down inside I always knew I was meant to be somewhere else. The same can be said for going to Mahanoy Area. I definitely drew on my experiences growing up in a small town in my book, and a lot of my other book ideas I have running through my head also take place in small towns. I just think there’s something that draws people to stories about small towns, especially those of us who grew up in them. Those types of stories are very relatable for people.
CC: What was your favorite part of writing “To Live Without Knowing?”
DR: I loved pretty much the entire process of writing the book. It was always interesting to me when I thought I knew where my characters and the story was headed, and then all of a sudden they began taking me down a new path entirely. That actually might have been my favorite part, giving life to characters and having them take me on their journeys.
CC: What are other hobbies do you have besides writing?
DR: I love to run, read, and I’ve just started doing some simple woodworking crafts. Running was actually instrumental in helping me with my book. Whenever I’d find myself stuck on a particular scene or plotline, I’d use a long run to try and work things out in my head, and more often than not I’d get a breakthrough. Reading is also something I try to do with most of my free time.
CC: Deanne uses a quote that she very much tries to live by from one of her favorite authors, Stephen King. “If you want to be an author you must do two things above all else: read a lot and write a lot.”
She states that she believes it is very important to read and write about genres you enjoy to become a successful author. Deanne is a great role model for people growing up in Schuylkill County. She is a striving, hardworking woman who decided one day she wanted to chase her dream. She continues to inspire others to do so.