Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a snarky, sci-fi/fantasy loving mother of five who can frequently be found huddled in the corner writing at the library or in my car at the local Starbucks—because I can’t write inside with all that music! I have been writing for a long time, but Antiquity’s Gate: Sanctuary is my debut novel. It is the first in a series that I’m very excited to share.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The entire series will fall under the title of Antiquity’s Gate, but the first novel specifically is Sanctuary. The characters and story for this have been rattling around in my head for years, growing and changing. It’s almost as if they’ve always been there! I was inspired to begin this journey by my desire to share a story that was compelling, both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. I wanted to take all my favorite elements of a great sci-fi or fantasy story and weave them into something both familiar and unique. Also, I wanted to write a sci-fi novel that was approachable for everyone, because so many of my friends and family do not share my love of the genre. I wanted it to be a story that could be enjoyed by anyone who picked it up, but also believable and satisfying for sci-fi junkies, too.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I often find myself making strange faces at my computer screen—the faces I imagine my characters are making at any given moment. It is an involuntary habit that happens most likely because I am so deeply invested in the scene.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I have loved reading forever, and my tastes in books has evolved over time. That said, I have a vorocious appetite for stories, and have enjoyed many. Michael J Sullivan, JK Rowling, RR Martin, CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien. I’ve become invested in the lives and fates of many fictional characters in my lifetime, and they are like old friends.
What are you working on now?
I am currently neck deep in Antiquity’s Gate: Calamity, the second novel in my series. I am really excited with watching it take shape, and have to remind myself constantly that this is a slow and delicate process with many steps. I just want to share it now!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I am only just getting started on the arduous task of self-promotion, and will certainly get back to you once I’ve discovered this awesome method or website 😉
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write everyday, even if you don’t feel “inspired.” You can go back and change things later, but carve out time each day because it will help you to learn and grow. And don’t rush things. Even if you want to race to the finish line, (trust me, I do, too!) you want to make sure your work is polished, poked, prodded, fact-checked, re-written, and edited to the best of your ability before releasing it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently re-reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with my kids.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I plan to be kept busy for the foreseeable future with Antiquity’s Gate. After that, who knows? The sky’s the limit!
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
This is an incredibly difficult question! How to decide? I would like some books with good ‘replay value’— those that don’t just spell out all the answers but instead leave subtle nuggets that you might find on the second, third…tenth…pass. I think I would therefore take Michael J Sullivan’s The Ryria Revelations, which, having read them a dozen times each, I can say confidently never get old!
Author Websites and Profiles
R.F. Hurteau Website
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