Cosumnes River College students filled the Recital Hall on March 14 where New York Times Best-Selling author Cynthia Bond answered questions about her novel “Ruby” and her creative writing process.

“Ruby” is a story of a man determined to protect his lover from a town desperate to destroy her. It is also a love story about a woman going through horrors in her life. Bond’s novel was chosen to be an Oprah Book Club 2.0 selection, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and an Indie Next Pick, according to the CRC website.

CRC Librarian Emily Bond asked Bond what her feelings are on fiction and if it should be a safe place for it.

“If you’re a writer, and you decide to go on Amazon and look at your reviews, don’t,” said Bond. “I really like the idea of it (“Ruby”) not coming with a warning label.”

“It took me over 20 years to work on this book; it was originally 900 pages and now it’s a trilogy,” said Bond.

Bond first started working on “Ruby” at a young age and continued to work on it 20 years later as her perception of life changed.

“You have to find something in this world that you love,” said Bond when (Emily) Bond asked how she started writing.

“Do you feel like you have a story to tell? Do you have something you want to say?” said   Bond’s as she answered to a student when they asked her about how to start writing a book. “You got to trust your gut as a writer, you have to.”

Bond said she learned to appreciate others as she grew older.

“I really grew to believe in people, I believed that good is stronger than anything else,” said Bond. “Love is stronger than anything else, and so then my book changed.”

Paula Jones, a 53-year-old psychology major, said she enjoyed listening to Bond’s experience while writing her book.

“It was great, I would like to know more about events on campus in general because every time I come it kind of feels like I should know about this,” said Jones. “We’re reading “Song of Solomon” a Toni Morrison book, and he (English Professor) thought of them having similar messages in her book.”

Amparo Orozco, a 21-year-old Spanish major, said she was intrigued by the character development in Bond’s book.

“I think it was really interesting to see this perspective and to see this character with real feedback. I like how she created fiction characters that resembled reality, things that she knows but might have forgotten,” said Orozco.

Danica Thach, a 21-year-old sociology major, said that this interview will help her in her English class.

“I think the interview went really well and it helped answer most of my questions,” said Thach.

Bond has taught writing to homeless youth for over 15 years and is on staff at Paradigm Malibu Adolescent Treatment Center.

“My activism is with a pen; it’s with my little laptop, that is how I speak out, that’s my way,” said Bond.

Copies  of “Ruby” are available for checkout in the CRC Library or for purchase at the CRC College store.