By Eric Thomas Ruthford
Voice From The Ladder
Religious concepts have a funny way of becoming physical and real at Camp St. Innocent, an Orthodox Christian summer camp. The impossible obstacle course is called the Hillside of Divine Ascent and each obstacle is named after a spiritual temptation. When an autistic camper cracks the code of how to get past them, the excitement of figuring it out first is too much for him. The ensuing outburst means he has to be separated from the group, but his counselor, Laura, is determined to calm him down, keep him in camp, and interpret the secret he’s trying to tell.
Author and speaker
Eric Thomas Ruthford
I live near Seattle, Wash., and have had a number of careers: newspaper reporter, Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine, homeless shelter financial manager, non-fiction writer, preemie-parent advocate and fiction writer. These past few years I’ve been a stay-at-home Dad, which has given me the opportunity to write the Camp St. Innocent series, several YA novels about a summer camp. When I’m not writing, I like bicycling around Washington state and landscape photography.
Me announcing the release of Voice in the Ladder, Book 3 in the series, at a meeting of the Northwest Christian Writers’ Association.
I present a game of matching characters and their flaws for an audience at church.
Launch of A Voice is Born, the second book in my series. Press the cc button for the captions.
Other Writing
My first book
You love church but you wish there was someone your age in church you could love. This is a non-fiction collection of things you might try while you’re waiting to meet your special someone. Or, it might be just worth a few laughs.
Preemie-parent writing
In 2012, my wife and I had a baby who broke all sorts of rules from the get-go, like surviving after being born in the 22nd week of gestation. The attending physician said our son was below the threshold for what the hospital could try to save. We had some strong opinions about this and wrote about it.
Church humor blog, thedailypodvig.com
Here you can find fictional “news” stories to fit every awkward moment there is at coffee hour, liturgy or Sunday school. The characters in the stories are Eastern Orthodox Christians, but I hope there’s a laugh or two in there for everyone else.
My Writing Blog
Follow Along
Love Saves a City From Hate in “Seconds”
In the heart of El-Pelusium, where the echoes of a long-forgotten rebellion still shape the lives of its inhabitants, Abigail Wilkes weaves a poignant tale that transcends the boundaries of fear and identity. As Miki navigates a world where the very essence of existence is dictated by birth order, the narrative unfurls like a rich tapestry, revealing the complexities of love, resilience, and the human spirit’s unyielding quest for acceptance. With each twist and turn, Miki’s journey becomes a powerful exploration of the lengths to which one will go to reclaim their place in a society plagued by hate, ultimately uncovering the strength found in unity and the transformative nature of hope. Prepare to be captivated by a story that not only challenges the status quo but also invites readers to reflect on the ties that bind us all, regardless of our origins.
Conspiracy-uncovering heroine finds love and justice in “A Convenient Sacrifice”
There's this writers' conference I'm going to in July called Realm Makers. It's for authors of sci-fi and fantasy books aimed at a religious audience. This will be my first conference with this group, and I'm going because it has an amazing online presence on a...
