Ralph Ellis, left, with spouse and fellow author Susan Puckett. (All images courtesy of Ralph Ellis and Susan Puckett)
Collectively, they’ve spilled vats of ink. Ralph Ellis and Susan Puckett are old-school newspaper individuals who made the transition to books. Ellis not too long ago grew to become a first-time novelist at age 72 when he printed The Accident Report, following Ronald Truluck, a stoner reporter for a small-town paper attempting to uncover a scandal within the spirit of Watergate. Earlier than the novel, Ellis was a working journalist for about 50 years with newspapers across the Southeast, together with 21 years at The Atlanta Journal-Structure, and for information web sites reminiscent of CNN.
His spouse, Puckett, was the AJC’s meals editor for practically twenty years earlier than writing her 2013 cookbook/travelogue, Eat Drink Delta, a Hungry Traveler’s Journey Via the Soul of the South, which the Georgia Heart of the Ebook named one in all 10 books each Georgian ought to learn. Since then, she’s targeted on serving to others write their books, together with Root to Leaf: A Southern Chef Cooks Via the Seasons with Miller Union’s Steven Satterfield; and Turnip Greens & Tortillas: A Mexican Chef Spices Up the Southern Kitchen with Taqueria del Sol’s Eddie Hernandez.
Puckett additionally partnered with the Egyptian-born social media star and Milton resident Suzy Karadsheh on The Mediterranean Dish: 120 Daring and Wholesome Recipes You’ll Make on Repeat, which grew to become a 2022 New York Instances bestseller, and is now immersed in her tenth collaboration to be revealed in March 2026.
The 2 writers took a second from their busy schedules to share a glimpse of their profitable partnership.
ArtsATL: How did you two meet and what was your first impression of one another?
Puckett: I first grew to become vaguely conscious of Ralph practically 4 many years in the past once we each labored at The Solar-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale. He was on the night time information desk, and I used to be on the opposite aspect of the constructing within the options division. He was married with younger youngsters; I had a bunch of single buddies I frolicked with. We each acquired employed on the AJC inside a month of one another in 1990, however, once more, our paths not often crossed. Then, in 2006, we each confirmed up at a kickoff for the Jeff Galloway spring coaching program for marathons and half-marathons (the run-walk methodology to encourage slowpokes like myself), which I had gotten into after going via a divorce. He mentioned he had finished some triathlons and wished to select up his operating tempo. We started corresponding by e mail about our coaching methods, dropping private tidbits right here and there, and ultimately he requested me out to lunch. A mutual buddy had confirmed his single standing, so I mentioned sure.
Ellis: On the Galloway operating occasion, Susan was hawking a cookbook primarily based on an AJC column she’d co-written with Jeanne Besser, The 5:30 Problem. We chatted afterward, and I realized she’d completed a number of marathons. A operating author with attractiveness! I’d by no means written a ebook or tried a marathon. However she was impressed that I’d accomplished a number of dash triathlons, and that put us on considerably equal floor athletically. I instructed Moe’s Southwest Grill for our lunch date. She as a substitute led me to somewhat French restaurant close to the AJC constructing on Marietta Avenue. I then understood that if this relationship was to go wherever, I’d have to boost my restaurant sport.
ArtsATL: How do you know you wished to get to know this different individual higher?
Puckett: That first time we met for lunch, he greeted me with that attribute full-face smile that radiated positivity and immediately put me comfy. We swapped tales of working in varied newsrooms and rising up in small cities — me in Mississippi and him in Western North Carolina. We cracked one another up simply and sometimes as we do to this present day. He requested me out on an actual date to the Excessive Museum’s Friday night time jazz collection, and at that time I used to be formally smitten.
Ellis: We had a long-distance relationship (me in Peachtree Metropolis, she in Decatur) for nearly a 12 months, although we spent more often than not in Decatur. I joined her weekend operating group. Via Susan, my circle of buddies widened to incorporate not solely our jogging buddies but in addition many gifted writers reminiscent of Paul Hemphill, whose books I’d lengthy admired. My cooking data was additionally increasing method past scrambled eggs. I used to be pondering of proposing that we transfer in collectively when my roomie in Peachtree Metropolis kicked me out so his brother may transfer into the rental. That expedited the inevitable and I grew to become a full-fledged Decaturite in 2007. Two years later, we acquired married in a lakeside ceremony in Avondale Estates.
ArtsATL: To what diploma do you assist one another on writing tasks?
Ellis: I’m a sounding board when Susan talks out a venture earlier than she will get began, and I’ve proofed galleys on a few her books. I accompanied her on analysis journeys for Eat Drink Delta, her 2013 ebook about meals tradition within the Mississippi Delta. I’m her guinea pig and dishwasher when she exams recipes, which occurs about twice every week. The outcomes are good 99.9% of the time, however, once they’re not, I ship the decision with grace and love. Baked cauliflower with cherries is one such experiment we’d each reasonably overlook. Essentially the most gratifying stretch of recipe testing occurred whereas she labored on Turnip Greens and Tortillas with Eddie Hernandez. If I had to decide on a final meal, it will be Eddie’s fish tacos.
Puckett: Quickly after Ralph moved to Decatur, he joined The Atlanta Writers Membership and acquired right into a writers’ critique group that met proper throughout the road from us. When that one disbanded, he joined one other one he exchanges pages with right this moment. He bounces concepts off me as nicely, and I’m blissful to share my two cents, however I’m grateful he has a supportive community to show to for extra knowledgeable recommendation on plot and character improvement, simply as I’ve my meals writing buddies to show to debate recipe construction. I’ve been extra useful to him recently in writing pitch letters and different not-so-sexy features of the book-writing biz, I’m nicely versed in by now.
ArtsATL: How do you’re employed collectively in a single place? Do you’ve got separate places of work?
Ellis: Residing in 1,150 sq. ft full of cookbooks and greyhound toys, our choices are restricted. Susan has a desk however at all times works on the eating room desk. I work on the couch a number of ft away, and the espresso desk serves as my desk. It’s by no means an issue besides once we’re each on the cellphone or Zoom on the similar time. Then one in all us relocates to both the patio or to Dancing Goats espresso store.
Puckett: At varied factors in the course of the day, we stroll our greyhound, Zena, across the neighborhood collectively or individually relying on how a lot psychological area we want. It forces us to drag our heads out of our computer systems and get some contemporary air and train. By the point Ralph got here into the image, I used to be on my third greyhound, Laney, and although he as soon as thought of himself a cat individual, he’s now as loyal to the breed as I’m. Zena got here into our lives in the course of the pandemic. On the monitor she was often known as “Zen” resulting from her chill demeanor, and he or she continues to be a relaxing presence.
ArtsATL: What particular qualities does your mate carry to his or her work?
Ellis: Susan is a workhorse. I’m exhausted simply to witness the hours she spends on the keyboard. Fortunately for our marriage, she doesn’t resent the best way I’ll watch TV sports activities whereas she kilos away at her laptop computer. She additionally has a bottomless nicely of empathy, making her a perfect collaborator for individuals engaged on their first books.
Puckett: Ralph is a lean author with a pointy BS detector. I usually name upon him to assist me reduce flab once I get carried away on the verbiage. He’s additionally a voracious reader, a eager listener and observer and open to all types of recent experiences. These traits make him an awesome touring companion. Considered one of his finest traits to me is his humorousness. The factor I’m having fun with most as his tagalong to occasions to advertise for The Accident Report is listening to the laughter that erupts when he reads an excerpt. I do know that’s music to Ralph’s ears as nicely.
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Candice Dyer’s work has appeared in magazines reminiscent of Atlanta, Backyard & Gun, Males’s Journal and Nation Residing. She is the creator of Avenue Singers, Soul Shakers, Rebels with a Trigger: Music from Macon.
