Welcome, Rachael. Tell
us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
I think all of them have a little part of me in them. Some
characters have more than others, and the main characters have the most. It’s
hard to put it into words since I really don’t make a conscious choice about
how much of me goes into them.
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
Embarassingly enough, I once drew a sword to scare off what
I thought was an intruder in my apartment. I’d had a long and rough day at work
so all I wanted was a hot shower and my bed, but when I got home, our downstairs
neighbors were blaring a genre of music that I personally can’t stand. They had
been doing it consistently for some time and this was just the straw that broke
the camel’s back. So I found the most obnoxious Broadway musical I could find
in my phone, cranked it to full volume and put it on the floor. I got done and
noticed that they had turned the music down or off so I went to my room to get
ready for bed. That’s when I thought I heard something in the living room and I
realized I had forgotten to lock the front door, and in those apartments a
strong wind could open the door if the deadbolt wasn’t locked. And then, of
course, what any normal person would do would be to get dressed THEN find out
where the noise came from. Is that what I did? No, I immediately grabbed my
sword and went to investigate, all the while hoping I wouldn’t have to actually
use it because I can’t wield it one handed. I went to the living room and
looked everywhere with nothing to show for it. That’s when I heard the noise
again coming from the kitchen. It was our ice maker. At least my over active
imagination gets put to good use.
That sounds like
something you would do, Rachal. When did you first discover that you were a
writer?
It was in 2008, I believe. I’d had to drop out of college
due to finances, so I came home and had no clue what I was doing with my life.
Up ’til then I’d dabbled in writing fan fiction (because I’m an epic nerd). I
remember finding a fanfic I wrote for Narnia and thinking it didn’t have much
to do with the series beyond characters and location. So I struck out on my own
to turn it into an original work. It was terrible and won’t see the light of
day without extensive re-writes, but that was when I realized I could actually
do this.
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I love fantasy, though I have to be careful of the spiritual
content. I read a lot of YA, and of course romance is my go-to genre.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
I make sure I carve out time for myself. Usually it looks
like binge reading a great author or watching Netflix.
How do you choose
your characters’ names?
It’s hard to say. Sometimes it’s as simple as a name that I
just like, like Geneva .
Sometimes I choose them specifically for their meanings. And then sometimes I’ll
just go through a baby name book looking for something that stands out.
What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of?
I was the first person in my family to graduate from
college.
That’s wonderful. If
you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?
A penguin, because they’re adorable.
What is your favorite
food?
Mmm depends on the mood? Though a general I’m always in the
mood for is seafood.
What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
Honestly, inexperience. I had no idea what I was doing and
it showed. But God, in His infinite wisdom, orchestrated things so that I ended
up in Lena ’s critique group and that has made such
a difference.
And I’m glad He
brought you to us. You’re a real asset to the group. Tell us about the featured
book.
Artemisian Summer was written for a summer novella collection
in 2017. It was the first time I’d ever written anything on a deadline and it
was so daunting. The gist of it is Abby, who’s had her heart broken, shows up
at a summer camp for some time away from her problems. She needs to heal, and
in doing so God brings her someone who loves her in spite of everything.
Please give us the
first page of the book for my blog readers.
Abby exited the backseat of an Uber,
her insides scrambled like eggs. Did I
make the right decision? The car sped off spraying gravel behind it, a few
of the rocks pinged her legs. She shed her hoodie, now too warm in the mid-May
sun, and gathered it into her arms. The whole camp spread out before the front
gate where she stood. The lake glistened in the sun that shone down from a
cloudless sky. Just beyond that stood the zip-line platform and high ropes
course. Abby shook her head thankful that, as the archery instructor, she could
keep her feet firmly planted on the ground. Off to the left two long buildings
took up most of the space along the road. She guessed that one housed the
chapel since there was a cross bolted to the wall.
Here goes nothing.
Abby tied her hoodie around her waist and extended the telescopic handle of her
suitcase. There had to be an office sign somewhere. Or any directional sign for
that matter. Dead ahead, the cabins were arranged in a semi-circle around a
central green and what looked like a fire pit. As she walked, the cool air off
the mountains teased a stray wisp of hair into her eyes. Clusters of trees
dotted the verdant hilltop.
She had to admit, the layout of the camp was nice. There
were enough modern conveniences so as not to send campers, or staff, into
shock. Yet the whole thing had enough of a rustic feel that a person could
easily escape the harsh realities of life, even if it was only for a few
months.
After walking around and lugging her wheeled suitcase
through gravel, Abby finally spotted a sign scrawled with “office” and an arrow
to her right. She followed the sign to a lone building next to a beautiful
garden, complete with Koi pond. When she turned the knob on the door, it stuck
in the frame.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
By checking out my website, http://.www.rachaelacreeauthor.com
From there you can connect with me through Facebook and
Instagram. There’s also a link to my Amazon author page.
Thank you, Rachael,
for letting me introduce your work to my blog readers. I absolutely love the
story. By the way, I love your headshot.
Readers, here are links to the book.
Artemisian Summer - PaperbackArtemisian Summer - Kindle
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6 comments:
Sweet and funny... Prefect combination!
I'm in Texas y'all.
Sounds like a good one!
Melanie Backus, TX
This sounds like a book I would really enjoy reading. Linda in SoCal
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Thank you for sharing a new author to me. Sounds good. Blessings from sunny WV.
Enter me in your awesome giveaway!!
Conway SC.
Please enter my name in your drawing.
Connie from Kentucky
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
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