Kat Ricker rolls out her first book this month

Lifestyle Editor

For Ashtabula native Kat Ricker, the publication of her first book, "Something Familiar," is sufficient reward in itself. She has no illusions of it making her rich or famous. Indeed, chances are Ricker won't be around to discover if her ultimate wish for the book comes true.

"My ultimate dream is that in 100 years someone would come across it at a garage sale, pick it up for 50 cents and just love it," said Ricker in a phone interview to her home in Oregon last week.

"Something Familiar" is a collection of poetry and short stories Ricker wrote during the past 14 years. Published by her own publishing house, Trillium Press, the book is available online at amazon.com for $10.

A resident of Newburg, Ore., a town of about 20,000 population halfway between the coast and Portland, Ricker retains strong roots to the county. She is an Ashtabula High School graduate and was active in the theater department of the Ashtabula Arts Center for many years. Her three brothers and parents, John and Emily, still live in the area.

Ricker dedicated the book to her parents, and a childhood photograph of her father graces the cover.

"He really made me the writer that I am," says Ricker of her father, a retired English teacher. "All through school, everything I wrote, I would run by him. It's just a big deal for me to produce it with him in mind."

She also gives a lot of credit to the late Bob Keenan, her high school English teacher.

"He was really special," she says.

Ricker went to Youngstown State on a theater scholarship, but decided to major in English, as a backup to her chosen career. Life did a flip-flop on Ricker; the writing waxed while the theater waned as she matured.

"I'm glad I had (writing) in my back pocket," she says.

Ricker's next move was to get out of Ashtabula County and experience life.

"I really just decided I didn't want to be stuck in Ashtabula without seeing what else was out there," she says.