%20(1).png)
Welcome to the Tuesday Author Interview with Christina Boyd for the Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
CHRISTINA: I first found Rebecca Carter via Twitter X when she announced her novel was going on sub. (That's publishing lingo for an agent sending the book out to publishers for consideration.) And you know how I love to see how authors get their break!
When did you first think you had a book to write, and how did you start?
REBECCA: Back in 2008, I had two book ideas. I didn't start writing immediately, as I didn't even know I had it in me to write novels, but as days went by, I found that the ideas kept flowing in, and I started daydreaming of my characters, and I thought: "why would I wait for someone else to get the ideas and write them when I can write them myself?" At first, I didn't even have a laptop. I handwrote my first two novels until my mother got me a laptop once she saw I was in it for the long run, and I hadn't given up after a few months of full handwritten drafts. (And let me tell you, they weren't short by any means. Both manuscripts were around 185,000 words!)
CHRISTINA: You handwrote all of that? That's an impressive feat.
Do you listen to music while writing? Do you make up playlists for your books?
REBECCA: I am one of those writers who needs music to set up the vibe, so I always make a playlist for each book and listen to it while I draft. Generally, the editing process tends to be a bit more silent, and it depends on my mood and my attention span that day. While editing, sometimes I listen to music, and sometimes I need silence.
CHRISTINA: What comes first: plot or characters?
REBECCA: For me, always my characters. They're the living soul of the book, and whatever happens around them, that's their story, but they always come first. This is also an ongoing thing for me as a reader. If I can't care about your characters, I don't care how well you pull the plot. Connection is essential for me.
CHRISTINA: I understand that. If I'm not interested in reading about a character early on, I can understand how it would be difficult to write about one you didn't care about. After all, you have to spend a lot of time with them.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?
REBECCA: Nowadays, I would be anything artistic. A singer or an actress, which I also am. But if I had fulfilled one of my childhood dreams, I would be a flight attendant, an astronomer, an interior designer (in fact, I studied to become one), or a veterinarian.
CHRISTINA: Is there a period you would like to set a future story?
REBECCA: As a historical fiction writer, I've set stories in plenty of periods. My favorite period to write historical fiction is the Edwardian era, but if I had to venture into one I've never written before, I would say the late 1920s would be interesting, before the crash of '29.
CHRISTINA: I do enjoy reading about those eras.
Dreamcast your most recent book:
REBECCA: For my book on sub, I would go with Nicholas Galitzine for my male main character and Odeya Rush for my female main character. They're as close as they can get physically to my characters.
CHRISTINA: Do you put people you know, or their characteristics, in your book?
REBECCA: Rarely! My characters usually come fleshed out with their own personalities. There is only one book with a set of characters inspired by people I actually have known for the longest time, save for artistic licenses, of course. But for the rest, my characters all are originally themselves.
CHRISTINA: Have you gone on an author pilgrimage or research trip? Where and what was the most memorable moment?
REBECCA: Oh my gosh, yes. I actually tend to connect with the places where I set my books and choose them as holiday destinations. So far, I've gone to Los Angeles, London, Plymouth, and Paris. The most memorable moments were when I flew over the cities, and I saw them from my airplane seat, and I started crying.
CHRISTINA: Aww, that is the sweetest thing.
What makes you get up in the morning?
REBECCA: Hope and change. No matter how hard life gets, the hope of seeing it all change one day was and is what pulls me out of bed many days. That, and life's little blessings like chocolate, or the sea, or music, or kittens.
CHRISTINA: And who doesn't like chocolate and kittens?
Best advice for new writers:
REBECCA: Don't give up. No matter if you seek trad pub, indie publishing, or just writing for enjoyment. This is probably one of the few things that has been always present throughout my journey as an author. People will try to tell you to give up on "that little hobby that takes away so much from your life." You will have days where things will get frustrating, and you will ask yourself why you are doing this to yourself, and edits and feedback will feel mountain high. It's okay to take breaks. It's okay to stop and breathe. Even when no one else believes in you, keep going. No one ever regretted following a dream or a goal. But they do regret giving up.
CHRISTINA: Yes, you must stay positive and believe. This business is not for the thin skinned, for sure. Thank you for your time to answer these questions. Best wishes on your book. I hope it finds a home soon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rebecca A. Carter is an author, editor, singer, and actress currently living in Madrid, Spain. Represented by Christine Goss at FinePrint Literary, Becca writes spellbinding young adult and adult fiction, focusing on historical, fantasy, romance, dystopias, speculative, mystery, and lyrical prose.
When she's not writing or editing, you'll find her on a film set or stage singing. She dreams of moving to London or Paris and is currently a bilingual English and Spanish speaker—among her hobbiesare lyrical dancing, baton twirling, and playing guitar (badly). You can connect with Rebecca via her Website, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
I love that Rebecca handwrote those early novels! That's dedication. Sometimes I turn to writing by hand as a way to make myself focus, but it's never like those days when I had to write by hand because I didn't have access to a laptop (in my case, because I was a teen in the mid-90s, and we had one lumbering PC in my house; I was not going to write my romance novels on the family computer!). Thanks for this interview, Christina!