Interview With Author Rae Blair
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After a lifetime of devouring books and wanting to be an author, my life was consumed with raising a family and building a career, and I never felt I had the creative energy to commit to writing a book. But as my family grew, I found myself with the space to commit. And commit I did! I published my first book in 2022 after starting it in 2019. In sitting down to write the first pages, and receiving feedback, it soon became evident that although I had a career as an editor in the corporate and science sectors, writing fiction required very different skills. Skills I didn’t yet have. So, I paused work on my novel and set about learning the craft of writing fiction–learning (and sometimes joyously breaking) the rules and tenets that I applied to this novel. Learning the craft of writing fiction is a lifelong endeavour, and I’m loving every minute of it.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
‘More Than I Ever Had’ is based on the true story of my husband’s four-times Great Grandfather, who came to Australia as part of the Second Fleet in 1790. I’m a genealogy enthusiast, and after discovering information about Theophilus Feutrill, I started digging deeper, as I wanted to understand the ‘whys’ behind the decisions that he made. As the details of his incredible life unfolded before me, I felt compelled to share his story and contribute it to the understanding of Australia’s early European settlement history.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m at my best at 6:00 am with a cup of tea, when the household has yet to wake, and the possibilities of the day are still ahead of me.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Although I don’t write in the horror genre, I have to list Stephen King. I’ve read many of his books, but his book ‘On Writing’ is inspirational for me as a writer, as is Benjamin Percy’s ‘Thrill me’. I have a soft spot for Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Louis de Bernieres and Salman Rushdie, and adored Cormac McCarthy’s ‘The Road’ and George Sanders’ ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ for pushing creative boundaries. Liane Moriaty rounds off my list as a master of character development.
What are you working on now?
I’m writing a contemporary women’s fiction novel which I started during NaNoWriMo in November 2021. It’s about two real estate agents who sell properties on Sydney’s exclusive lower north shore, what obstacles they face in trying to ‘have it all’, and how Sydney’s property market really is murder.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Authors need a strategic mix of avenues to promote their book, which works like a layering effect…each layer strengthening the other to create a solid platform. There’s no doubting an active social media presence is essential.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Be persistent in getting words down, and be active and open in seeking feedback from the right people.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
See the progress and success of other authors as inspiration, rather than as a sign that you aren’t good enough.
What are you reading now?
‘Thrill Me’ by Benjamin Percy — essential reading for any author.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Continue to seek avenues to promote my published book, and secure the right option to publish my next book.
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?
I have fifty books in my Top Ten Books of All Time, so it is impossible for me to just choose three or four.
Author Websites and Profiles
Rae Blair’s Social Media Links