Caroline: Readers (and I) would enjoy learning more about you.
Rachael: I grew up in Utah, along with six sisters and one poor, outnumbered brother. But he always got his own room so don't feel too bad for him. I loved to read, played tennis, and my favorite subject was math. I graduated from Brigham Young University, moved to Arizona for a job, and met my husband there. We recently celebrated our 12th anniversary and now have four beautiful, incorrigible kids who make me both happy and crazy.
Caroline: Children do change your life for the better, don’t they? Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?
Rachael: I pretty much like all genres, although romances are my favorite. I'm a fan of Jane Austen, of course, C.S. Lewis, Shannon Hale, and Sarah Addison Allen (who keeps her books pretty clean).
Caroline: Sarah Addison Allen books are keepers on my shelf as are a couple of the others you mentioned. What’s your favorite way to relax and recharge?
Rachael: Vacationing in a tropical location where I can hang out on the beach and read to my heart's content. But since that's usually not an option, I try to find a quiet place at home to read. I also love to hike, go boating, bike, garden, sew, and pretend that I like to cook, which I don't.
Caroline: Got that...I hate cooking now, although I used to enjoy it. Fortunately, Hero cooks so I have more time to write. You see why I call him Hero, right? Do you have a favorite quote that sums up how you feel about life?
Rachael: Yes, although I have no idea who said or wrote it:
"You may have the faith to move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel."
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| Author Rachael Renee Anderson |
Caroline: What a clever quote. Reminds me of “The Lord helps those who help themselves,” which my mom used to say. How long have you been writing?
Rachael: If you count the six years it took me to complete that first book, almost a decade now.
Caroline: With four kids, no wonder. Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?
Rachael: I need quiet. But unless I'm up super early or late, I rarely get that. And I either type at my computer or curl up on our couch with my netbook, which is what I'm doing now.
Caroline: Are you a plotter or a panzer?
Rachael: I used to be a panzer, but after spending WAY too much time on rewrites, I've since learned to be a plotter. Now my writing process is much less frustrating.
Caroline: I learned to plot for the same reason. Do you use real events or persons in your stories or as an inspiration for stories?
Rachael: Occasionally, but not super often. In THE RELUCTANT BACHELORETTE, the character named Greg was based off of one of my husband's best friends, but only because he asked for it. He wanted to be cast as the tall, dark hero of a book, so I wrote him in as a quirky bachelor. (We'll see if he ever asks me to do that again. ☺
Caroline: Do you set daily writing goals? Do you get a chance to write every day?
Rachael: Unless I'm under some sort of deadline, no, no, no, and no, although I do try to write most every day. I've found that if I set too many writing goals, I get way too frustrated and cranky when something comes up and I can't meet them. I prefer to write because I want to, not because I have to.
Caroline: Me, too. I set vague goals, such as for the month I need to write X number of pages. What do you hope your writing brings to readers?
Rachael: A smile and an escape.
Caroline: What long-term plans do you have for your career?
Rachael: I plan to be a NYT best-seller and land movie deals right an left. Just kidding. Honestly, I have no idea what will become of my writing career. I'd like to get to a point where I get paid a little more than I do--okay so a lot more--but I never want this to become all-consuming. I can honestly say that I have no desire to do book signings or go on book tours or speak at conferences or have never-ending deadlines. I'd rather spend the time with my family.
Caroline: I’m so there with you. That’s why I like self-publishing. I can take care of everything in my home office. Would you like to tell us what you’re working on now?
Rachael: A Christmas novella for a compilation book called ALL I WANT that should be coming out soon. It's a fun project and I'm excited to work with both Kaylee Baldwin and Jolene Perry, two talented authors.
Caroline: I love Christmas stories. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?
Rachael: If you're writing because you love it, keep at it. If you're doing it with the hope of becoming rich, quit and find something you like to do better.
Caroline: True. There aren’t many around like Nora Roberts, etc. The rest of us write because we love what we do. Having people read our work is just a wonderful side-benefit, although I'm not against making money for our hard work. A fun fact readers wouldn’t know about you.
Rachael: That I have the most awful--and I mean Ramona and Beezus with that thorn crown AWFUL--elementary school pictures out there. My mother had 7 girls and couldn't keep up with our hair, so I did it myself.
Caroline: And it seems the school photos were always on our windiest days just after recess. Something about you that would surprise or shock readers.
Rachael: That I pretended to be a statue once so that a man in a van--who I was sure was a kidnapper--wouldn't think that I was a real child. Seriously. I was five at the time and petrified of kidnappers, so I came up with that brilliant plan all on my own.
Caroline: Thank goodness he wasn’t a real kidnapper. How about giving the blurb for THE RELUCTANT BACHELORETTE?
Rachael: Here it is:
Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town’s charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go.
Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.
But when their pranks go south, will they screw up any chance they have at a future together, or will they be able to forgive and forget and prove that love really does conquer all?
Caroline: Intriguing blurb. How about an excerpt to tempt us more?
Rachael: Here you go:
He swallowed as he stared into her hazel eyes that were as expressive as they were beautiful. He smoothed her brown hair away and ran his fingers down her neck. He didn’t think he could take watching her date or kiss one more guy. He wanted to be the only one in her life. The only one she touched. The only one she looked at the way she looked at him now. He didn’t want to share that look. He didn’t want to share her.
“What’s happening?” Taycee whispered.
“I don’t know, but I like it.”
Taycee scooted over and snuggled into him, laying her head against his chest. “Me too.”
He held her close, locking her against him as if it would keep her from ever slipping away, from going out with Jake or Miles or the scumbag Alec ever again. But the reality was he couldn’t.
Caroline: Where can we buy THE RELUCTANT BACHELORETTE?
Rachael: It's available in e-download for $2.99
Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Bachelorette-Romantic-Comedy-ebook/dp/B0096T6IQQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1347846545&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Reluctant++Bachelorette
Caroline: Where can readers learn more about you and your other books?
Rachael: At my blog http://rachaelreneeanderson.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3229576.Rachael_Renee_Anderson
Thanks for visiting with us today, Rachel, and continued success with your books.Hope you make that NYT list.
Readers, thanks for stopping by!
1 comment:
Thanks so much for participating in this blog tour, Caroline! Really appreciate it! And good luck with your writing as well. :)
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