Interview with Rachelle Rea

About the Author

Rachelle Rea plots her novels while driving around the little town she's lived in all her life in her dream car, a pick-up truck. An Oreo addict, she is also a homeschool graduate and retired gymnast. She wrote the Sound of Diamonds the summer after her sophomore year of college.

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The Interview

1. How did you get started as an author?  What or whom inspired you?
 Reading. :) I remember reading those thin Love Presents books when I was in middle school and loving the love stories. It was about that time that I started penning stories...I'm always inspired by a good love story because they remind me of the greatest love story between Christ and His church.
 
2. How many books have you written and in what genres?
 Ah, confession time! I've written four inspirational romances, the three in my series and one more mysterious project. ;) I've also written two medieval fantasies that will never see the light of day! And I may have dappled in the dystopian genre once...
 
3. What writing projects are you currently working on?  What can you tell us about these projects?
 Besides prepping the novels in my series for release? ;) I'm working on my next historical of course--but in a different time period, which can be equally frustrating and fun!
 
4. What does your writing process look like?
 I outline. I plan. I plot. Then I put pen to paper and watch my characters stubbornly refuse and resist my every effort to make them behave according to my wishes. ;)

5. Where is your favorite place to write?
 Definitely at my desk! There's a forest outside my window. :)

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6. How important are the names in your novels? How do you choose names for your characters?  Do you have any name resources you would suggest?
 Baby books and those sites where they divulge the meanings of names are my favorites. I chose Gwyneth's name because of the meaning (Happiness), even though she's Dutch and the name Gwyneth is Welsh in origin. I also chose Dirk's name because it sounds like a dagger and that plays an important part in the story--but no spoilers!
 
7. What authors/novels that you enjoy would you recommend?
My favorite question! I love the writing of Roseanna White, Laura Frantz, Dawn Crandall, Joanne Bischof, and Lisa T. Bergren's River of Time series.
 
8. Where is your favorite place to read and why?
I read everywhere! Perhaps my favorite place to read is in bed at night or over breakfast (like my chocolate-chip pancakes here with Roseanna White's The Lost Heiress).

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 9. What period of history interests you the most?
The Elizabethan era. Because Elizabeth is indomitable, and the political intrigue of the time fascinates me. Thus The Sound of Diamonds happened in that time period. :)
 
10. If you could choose someone famous to star in one of your books made to a movie, who would you choose and for which character?
 Hmmm. Maybe Amanda Seyfried from Le Mis as Gwyn. :) They look alike.
 
11. What inspired the idea for the Steadfast Love series?  How many novels do you plan on having in this series?
 The idea for the series came about when I was finishing up the first draft of Diamonds and discovered, to my frustration, that the story was not done. I slapped an epilogue on the end and determined I would not write a sequel. I didn't want to write a sequel; I wasn't a series novelist. This was my first historical romance attempt and I didn't know how to write a sequel or a series!
 
Alas, my characters wouldn't shut up. So I wrote two more books and agonized for months over a series title until I found Steadfast Love. To answer your last question, there are three books in the series (releasing in October and February, the day after Valentine's Day!).
 
12. What other hobbies do you enjoy when you are not writing?
 Reading. ;) Bicycle-riding (at a very leisurely pace). Watching Once Upon a Time. Pinterest (that counts, right?)

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Check out my reviews for:
THE SOUND OF DIAMONDS
THE SOUND OF SILVER

Cover reveal for:
SOUND OF EMBERALDS