Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written four books and one novella, but as of yet only the novella and one of the books has been published. My second book is with publishers for consideration now, so hoping to release that one in 2015.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My upcoming title, COME, THE DARK, is the second book in The Forever Girl series. Much of the inspiration comes from the Forever Girl world itself, but this particular book focuses on Morts (the ghosts of supernatural creatures) and Ankou (think fae grim reapers). The Morts were inspired by those shadows we all see in the corners of our eyes after seeing a scary movie (or is that just me?). Sometimes I would think I saw something walk past my bedroom door, but when I looked up, nothing was there. From that experience came the inspiration for the Morts.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I have a few writing quirks, I suppose. One is the incessant note-taking I do while while writing. I’m always copying notes to the chapter i’m working on and then deleting them when I’m satisfied. Also, sometimes when I’m writing I get stuck on a word. I know what I want to say but I can’t seem to grasp that one perfect word, and it drives me nuts. When that happens, I put the word in brackets. Like [this]. I finish writing the scene and go back to obsess over it later.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Nancy Pickard inspires me in terms of foreshadowing and suspense, and Marisa de los Santos inspires me with the way she breaks the rules in a way that makes her writing fun instead of weak. I’m a huge fan of Anne Rice (both as a person and as an author) and her books.
What are you working on now?
Currently I’m working on Book 3 in the Forever Girl series, however, I’ve also brought an older manuscript of mine out of the closet as my agent believes publishers will be interested in it. It’s a literary fiction novel and deals with issues close to my heart (autism) and the main problem I have with that title is it’s never good enough for me and I can’t seem to let it go. I want to do the characters justice. Maybe a better answer to what I’m working on right now is self doubt 😛
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promoting work is tough. Say too little, and no one knows it exists. Say to much, and people get angry at you for talking about your work. I spend most of my promotion time promoting other titles. I do the grunt work for promoting my own books, too, but I never spend more time promoting than I do connecting. What is the point of writing if you don’t connect with people? For this reason, talking to people and building new friendships and relationships takes precedence over promoting my own work, though I do still continue to do both. The best advice I can give to people is to remember that the people you are promoting too are as valuable as a person as you, the promoter. If not more so. Show some humility.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t try to do it alone! Get connected and stay connected and remember that this isn’t a “give me, give me, give me” world. You have to play the role of the giver sometimes, too. Karma is a real thing. Focus on what you put in and eventually it will come back to you. Support bloggers. Don’t send them your book, demand they read it, and then nag them until they do, then dump them as soon as they have done what you want. You’ll end up burning bridges that you might want to cross again one day. And, more importantly, you’ll miss out on connecting with some really amazing people who share the same passion as you: books. Other than that, don’t give up. Persevere. No matter how great of a writer you are, always work to improve. And hire an editor! If you are going to sell something, it only fair to the consumer that they get a quality product in exchange for their hard-earned cash. I guess I went on for a bit there 🙂 Bottom line, never stop trying your best and remember that the people in this world don’t exist just to buy your book 🙂
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The producer for the Forever Girl film told me that when you are making a decision about something, ask if it will change your life. That really resonated with me.
What are you reading now?
I’m between books! I just finished Siren’s Secret by Debbie Herbert which helped me get over some of my PBD (post book depression) from reading Summoned by Rainy Kaye. I’m actually planning to go through my to-read list today and figure out which story to immerse myself in next.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll continue to work on The Forever Girl series and then I’m contemplating starting a YA series or writing a few standalone novels. Some of my literary fiction projects, however, might move to the forefront somewhere along the way.
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?
Summoned by Rainy Kaye
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard
Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos
Author Websites and Profiles
Rebecca Hamilton Website
Rebecca Hamilton Amazon Profile
Rebecca Hamilton’s Social Media Links
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