Internationally acclaimed, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Ruta Sepetys is known for her impressive catalog of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Still, her path to becoming an author wasn’t always clear. In the early 90s, Ruta moved to Los Angeles from her hometown of Detroit to intern for the famed songwriter and producer Desmond Child. It was he who encouraged her to start her own artist management firm when he moved to Miami to work with—none other than—Ricky Martin. Ruta was no stranger to management work, as she was already working with Orange County rock band LIT and guitar player Steve Vai. Shortly after starting her boutique artist management firm for film composers, songwriters, musicians, and bands, Ruta decided to move to Music City to build her clientele and find the sense of community she had been longing for.
With an impressive roster of clients and years in the music industry under her belt, Ruta was appointed to the Board of Advisors for Belmont University's Curb College in 2003, a prestigious distinction recognizing her leadership and contributions to the industry. Ruta’s years at Belmont left a lasting impact, shaping her future in ways both professional and personal. Among the most meaningful moments was meeting her husband, Michael, at Bongo Java, the beloved campus-adjacent coffee shop.
“It became so apparent that the songs and the pieces of music that were successful had an element of the creator in them,” Ruta explains. “It resonated. It was authentic. So, I started asking people about their stories and what inspired the songs. Then, one of my musician clients suggested that I do the same—that I really investigate my own story.”
So, she did. Ruta had dreamed of becoming a writer since the third grade, so when she received advice to pursue her passion more intentionally, she took it to heart. She joined the Nashville chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, where attendees were encouraged to form local writing groups. Through that initiative, Ruta connected with a small group of five writers who began meeting regularly at the Brentwood Library. What started as a simple gathering of aspiring authors became the catalyst for a remarkable literary career.
“I have been part of that writing group for more than twenty years, and now we're all published in some form or fashion… and we're all still dear friends,” she shares. “They see my work before my agent and my editor. I really credit the Brentwood Library, which is still one of my favorite spaces in Brentwood, [for my start as an author].”
Ruta is the daughter of a Lithuanian refugee and was raised in a family of artists, readers, and music lovers. Passionate about using the power of history to foster dialogue and global understanding, she has earned invitations to speak at NATO, the European Parliament, the U.S. Capitol, the Library of Congress, and Embassies worldwide through her research and writing on human resilience. Her latest novel, A Fortune of Sand, was released earlier this month and is set in her hometown of Detroit in 1927. The story follows the powerful Lennox family, an automotive dynasty hiding dangerous secrets, and their youngest daughter, Marjorie, who uncovers a world of intrigue after escaping to an artistic retreat. Inspired by Detroit’s Golden Age and real Prohibition-era stories, the novel explores ambition, power, and how far a family will go to protect its legacy.
“I didn't publish my first novel—or change careers—until I was forty-five, and now I have eight novels,” she shares. “I'm Lithuanian and have a bit of an obscure cultural heritage. I really wanted to write about that and give a voice to the incredible history of people from the Baltic region that my father is from.”
Still working full-time in the music industry, Ruta vividly remembers the overwhelming mix of shock, gratitude, and excitement she felt in March of 2011 when she received the call that her debut novel, Between Shades of Gray, had landed on the New York Times bestseller list.
“I didn't have a launch party, I didn't have anything at the bookstore, nothing… I was working, and then, the book hit the New York Times bestseller list. I thought, ‘Wait, what is going on?’ I had spent twenty-two years building a career in the music business… and I [am] going to throw that all away to write books about totalitarianism?”
Awarded fellowships from The University of Oxford in England and The Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center in Italy, Ruta’s work deeply resonates with her readers and students all around the world.
“When people read historical fiction and connect with a character, their heart opens, and they can use their greatest gifts of empathy to care for someone they've never met. At that moment, a statistic becomes a human being. It is so much larger than me. I write the books, but I always say, ' History writes the story,” she shares.
Brentwood has played a very pivotal role in Ruta’s story—from getting her start at the Brentwood Library to curating a community of wonderful neighbors and friends who support her every step of the way.
“Something that was very unexpected about becoming a novelist is how much time I would spend on the road,” Ruta shares. “I had this idea that I would be sitting in my office here in Brentwood writing all the time, but now I'm on the road over two hundred days out of the year. I can't tell you how incredible it is to land in Nashville and come home to Brentwood… it's such an exhale.”
For more information on Ruta Sepetys’ novels and her book tour, visit her website or follow her on socials.
@rutasepetysauthor
rutasepetys.com
“It is so much larger than me. I write the books, but I always say, history writes the story.”
“I can't tell you how incredible it is to land in Nashville and come home to Brentwood… it's such an exhale.”
"I started asking people about their stories and what inspired the songs. Then, one of my musician clients suggested that I do the same—that I really investigate my own story.”