|
|
Name Rebecca Reid
Francis: Where were you born/where did you grow up, did you have an easy childhood?
Dubbo, NSW Australia. I had a normal childhood.
Francis: Give some background information about yourself, are you generally an optimistic person or pessimistic?
Very optimistic. You have to be.
Francis: Tell us your latest news, what are your current projects?
I am just finishing the second and final book to Royals.
Francis: When and why did you begin writing? How does your present day work compare to what you wrote then?
Ever since I was a little kid at school, I wrote stories. I used to tell stories in the car to my mum and step dad whenever we’d drive somewhere and it would last until we got to wherever we were going. So they usually lasted a few hours.
Francis : What genre do you consider books to be? Have you ever thought of writing in another genre, for example if you wrote a Children’s book, how would it turn out?
I think Adult fiction best describes my book.
Francis: Have you ever been flattered by a comparison to a well-known author or by a review?
I haven’t yet. It is far too early in my indie career to be known well enough for a comparison.
Francis: What inspired you to write your first book?
I’ve always had a strong passion for books and the pull to write a book of my own was even stronger. I’d start many stories but never get any further than a few chapters in before a new story was begging for me to write it. I had this image in my head of a group of rich, private school kids who had lives so perfect it was sickening. And through a storm of not so nice events, the group and their life of privilege soon crashes down. I wanted to tell of a very hot and steamy student/teacher affair. So I threw that in as well. It was actually a song I heard that kept that image in my head.
Francis : Do you have a trademark writing style, what makes your work recognizable?
Brutal honesty and hard hitting. My characters swear a lot in my books. I don’t know if you can call that a style of writing.
Francis : Do you write short stories? If so how do they differ to your novels?
Not yet. Although, I have ideas that would suit short stories rather than novels.
Francis: How did you come up with the titles of your books?
Nothing explained the lives of wealthy, snooty rich kids better than the word Royals. It just made perfect sense, in fact I had the name for the book before I started writing it.
Francis: Are there any messages in your novels, if so what?
Bullying is such a horrible thing in our world and as unfortunate as it is, it is here and probably will never go away (as much as we all hope it will). I hope to show people that being a bully is NOT cool. Drugs are NOT cool. Being young can be difficult enough without the pressures of peers. Kids are easily influenced by their friends and making the right choices is often hard.
Francis: How much of your books are based on reality, how much are based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
50/50. I think I can relate to a lot about my main character and what she has gone through. But having said that, it in no way reflects me or my friends.
Francis : What books have most influenced your life the most? Are some of these books, different to your own genre of writing?
I absolutely love Stephen King. No one writes horror like him and his work is what inspires me. So, anything by him.
Francis: Are you sometimes shocked by some of your own writing/ideas?
Before, when asked about whether I was positive or pessimistic, as happy and carefree as I am, my mind can be a very dark place. It has to be, I think, to create worlds where dead best friends haunt you.
Francis: Do you see writing as a career?
Absolutely. I will write until my fingers bleed if it means people get to read every story I have in my head.
Francis : Is there a character in one of your books that really stands out for you? Could he or she be compared to any well-known literature character?
My favorite character is Trey Hammel. I knew I had to write him in a way that people wouldn’t see him as a bad guy for sleeping with a student. I didn’t care so much if people hated Peta’s guts, so long as they felt for Hammel.
Francis: Were your parents avid readers, have your family played a part in your writing career? How do they feel about your work?
My mum is super proud of me. She hasn’t read my book yet. She doesn’t have a Kindle or smart phone, so she can’t download it. She tells me everyday how proud she is of me, and that makes me happy. My parents were country and western fans.
Francis: What makes you proud of your books/life as a writer?
I know my book, Royals, has got what it takes to capture readers. I wrote something that I would want to read.
Francis: How do you come up with the initial concept of a book?
Music usually gets my creative urges flowing. Certain songs paint different pictures for me. I just listen and my mind does the rest.
Francis: Who is your favorite author and what is it about them that you admire?
Stephen King. I admire his staying power, he’s been around for ever and he’ll continue to produce amazing work. The fact that the majority of his books get turned into movies is just incredible.
Francis: Who designed the covers for your books, were you happy with result?
I did it myself and I am very happy with how it looks.
Francis: What was the hardest part of being a writer?
Fighting writers block. I’ve literally stared at my computer screen for hours and not written a thing.
Francis: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Don’t ever stop writing. Even if you write a little bit every day. Read lots.
Francis: Other than writing do you have any other interests, do they connect up with your writing?
Rock climbing, travel and food. I love food.
Francis: Are there any films that have influenced your writing? What kind of films do you like?
I love action. Avengers, Transformers. So the types of movies I like don’t really influence my writing.
Francis: If your books were adapted into being films, which director dead or alive would you want to direct them? Which actors would you like in the films? What would be the overriding mood of the film?
Director- Sam Taylor Johnson.
Adam Garcia to play Trey.
Caitlin Stasey to play Peta.
Brenton Thwaites to play Hayden.
Francis: Do you socialize with other writers or creative people? Do you know any obscure or up and coming authors/or perhaps other creative people who desrve recognition?
I’m getting more and more involved in the writing community. Two authors in particular who I think are just amazing are, Victoria Bright- Love Unbroken, The Daring Assignment…
And Greg Wilkey- Growing Up Dead, The life and undeath of Mortimer Drake.
I love these two authors.
Francis: which theme (for example death, misery, and torture) is most prevalent in your stories?
Death.
Francis:Which method of death would you choose out of the following
A being ripped apart by lions
B facing a firing squad made up by shadowy figures, who you suspect you have had major altercations with, during the course of your life.
C you find yourself in a hospital, in a country far from home, with doctors and nurses you can’t communicate with, attached to devices that indicate you are in a critical condition. You don’t know how you got to the hospital/country. Death is inevitable however.
B.
Francis: Do you have a blog/website? Or other important links?
I’m still trying to figure out how to create my own website. I’m kind of technology illiterate. But I have a Facebook page and I’m on Twitter.
Francis: Where were you born/where did you grow up, did you have an easy childhood?
Dubbo, NSW Australia. I had a normal childhood.
Francis: Give some background information about yourself, are you generally an optimistic person or pessimistic?
Very optimistic. You have to be.
Francis: Tell us your latest news, what are your current projects?
I am just finishing the second and final book to Royals.
Francis: When and why did you begin writing? How does your present day work compare to what you wrote then?
Ever since I was a little kid at school, I wrote stories. I used to tell stories in the car to my mum and step dad whenever we’d drive somewhere and it would last until we got to wherever we were going. So they usually lasted a few hours.
Francis : What genre do you consider books to be? Have you ever thought of writing in another genre, for example if you wrote a Children’s book, how would it turn out?
I think Adult fiction best describes my book.
Francis: Have you ever been flattered by a comparison to a well-known author or by a review?
I haven’t yet. It is far too early in my indie career to be known well enough for a comparison.
Francis: What inspired you to write your first book?
I’ve always had a strong passion for books and the pull to write a book of my own was even stronger. I’d start many stories but never get any further than a few chapters in before a new story was begging for me to write it. I had this image in my head of a group of rich, private school kids who had lives so perfect it was sickening. And through a storm of not so nice events, the group and their life of privilege soon crashes down. I wanted to tell of a very hot and steamy student/teacher affair. So I threw that in as well. It was actually a song I heard that kept that image in my head.
Francis : Do you have a trademark writing style, what makes your work recognizable?
Brutal honesty and hard hitting. My characters swear a lot in my books. I don’t know if you can call that a style of writing.
Francis : Do you write short stories? If so how do they differ to your novels?
Not yet. Although, I have ideas that would suit short stories rather than novels.
Francis: How did you come up with the titles of your books?
Nothing explained the lives of wealthy, snooty rich kids better than the word Royals. It just made perfect sense, in fact I had the name for the book before I started writing it.
Francis: Are there any messages in your novels, if so what?
Bullying is such a horrible thing in our world and as unfortunate as it is, it is here and probably will never go away (as much as we all hope it will). I hope to show people that being a bully is NOT cool. Drugs are NOT cool. Being young can be difficult enough without the pressures of peers. Kids are easily influenced by their friends and making the right choices is often hard.
Francis: How much of your books are based on reality, how much are based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
50/50. I think I can relate to a lot about my main character and what she has gone through. But having said that, it in no way reflects me or my friends.
Francis : What books have most influenced your life the most? Are some of these books, different to your own genre of writing?
I absolutely love Stephen King. No one writes horror like him and his work is what inspires me. So, anything by him.
Francis: Are you sometimes shocked by some of your own writing/ideas?
Before, when asked about whether I was positive or pessimistic, as happy and carefree as I am, my mind can be a very dark place. It has to be, I think, to create worlds where dead best friends haunt you.
Francis: Do you see writing as a career?
Absolutely. I will write until my fingers bleed if it means people get to read every story I have in my head.
Francis : Is there a character in one of your books that really stands out for you? Could he or she be compared to any well-known literature character?
My favorite character is Trey Hammel. I knew I had to write him in a way that people wouldn’t see him as a bad guy for sleeping with a student. I didn’t care so much if people hated Peta’s guts, so long as they felt for Hammel.
Francis: Were your parents avid readers, have your family played a part in your writing career? How do they feel about your work?
My mum is super proud of me. She hasn’t read my book yet. She doesn’t have a Kindle or smart phone, so she can’t download it. She tells me everyday how proud she is of me, and that makes me happy. My parents were country and western fans.
Francis: What makes you proud of your books/life as a writer?
I know my book, Royals, has got what it takes to capture readers. I wrote something that I would want to read.
Francis: How do you come up with the initial concept of a book?
Music usually gets my creative urges flowing. Certain songs paint different pictures for me. I just listen and my mind does the rest.
Francis: Who is your favorite author and what is it about them that you admire?
Stephen King. I admire his staying power, he’s been around for ever and he’ll continue to produce amazing work. The fact that the majority of his books get turned into movies is just incredible.
Francis: Who designed the covers for your books, were you happy with result?
I did it myself and I am very happy with how it looks.
Francis: What was the hardest part of being a writer?
Fighting writers block. I’ve literally stared at my computer screen for hours and not written a thing.
Francis: Do you have any advice for other writers?
Don’t ever stop writing. Even if you write a little bit every day. Read lots.
Francis: Other than writing do you have any other interests, do they connect up with your writing?
Rock climbing, travel and food. I love food.
Francis: Are there any films that have influenced your writing? What kind of films do you like?
I love action. Avengers, Transformers. So the types of movies I like don’t really influence my writing.
Francis: If your books were adapted into being films, which director dead or alive would you want to direct them? Which actors would you like in the films? What would be the overriding mood of the film?
Director- Sam Taylor Johnson.
Adam Garcia to play Trey.
Caitlin Stasey to play Peta.
Brenton Thwaites to play Hayden.
Francis: Do you socialize with other writers or creative people? Do you know any obscure or up and coming authors/or perhaps other creative people who desrve recognition?
I’m getting more and more involved in the writing community. Two authors in particular who I think are just amazing are, Victoria Bright- Love Unbroken, The Daring Assignment…
And Greg Wilkey- Growing Up Dead, The life and undeath of Mortimer Drake.
I love these two authors.
Francis: which theme (for example death, misery, and torture) is most prevalent in your stories?
Death.
Francis:Which method of death would you choose out of the following
A being ripped apart by lions
B facing a firing squad made up by shadowy figures, who you suspect you have had major altercations with, during the course of your life.
C you find yourself in a hospital, in a country far from home, with doctors and nurses you can’t communicate with, attached to devices that indicate you are in a critical condition. You don’t know how you got to the hospital/country. Death is inevitable however.
B.
Francis: Do you have a blog/website? Or other important links?
I’m still trying to figure out how to create my own website. I’m kind of technology illiterate. But I have a Facebook page and I’m on Twitter.
