Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember! I started my first-ever novel at the age of 14, and have been working on novels ever since then. I just finished my 12th novel; two are published, three are in the process of being edited, and the rest will probably never see the light of day.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book was the first nonfiction title I’ve ever written–College Can Wait! I describe it as a gap-year guidebook for reluctant students.
I decided to write the book because I’ve wished again and again that I had that very book to hand to struggling teens who feel like failures because they aren’t living up to the pressure their parents and teachers and peers are putting on them.
I wanted to show teens that there are MANY ways to achieve success and happiness, and college (especially right after high school) does not have to be part of the equation. It’s a message I believe many teens and parents would benefit from.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Whenever I’m stuck, I have to go to a cafe. The cafe has to be nice and cozy, with enough traffic and good music, but aside from that it doesn’t matter. Once I’m there, I can write for hours on end.
At home sometimes I feel like I’m dragging the words up one at a time, but at cafes they just flow!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As a kid, I ADORED Gail Carson Levine–Ella Enchanted was my favorite, but I read the rest of her stories again and again. I can’t deny the influence of Harry Potter–I was one of those kids who HAD to buy the books the day they came out. And I fell in love with The Golden Compass around the same time.
More recently, I’ve been influenced by Patrick Rothfuss’s The Name of the Wind (I’ve never read such gorgeous prose), Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina (her portrayal of the heroine was superb), and Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora (his plot twists are insanely clever!).
What are you working on now?
I’m hard at work on the sequel to The Natural Order–titled Rogue Magic.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
That’s a tough one. I’ve had good success with eReader News Today, and of course BookBub is the ultimate target of writers everywhere, though you have to get some serious recognition before they will take on your books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Never give up. I knew I wanted to be an author from the age of 12, but I wrote 10 books before I published my first title, and I’m still a long way off from being able to quit my day job. But my target is in sight! Writing takes perseverance, dedication, and above all, PASSION.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
It’s not entirely writing-related, but it can apply: “If you get a chance…take it. If it changes your life…let it.”
It’s so easy to get trapped into a safe, reliable routine, but you’ll never take chances and find that ultimate reward unless you’re willing to leave your comfort zone.
What are you reading now?
The Tropic of Serpents–it’s a very clever book told in an old English style, by a field researcher…who studies dragons. Brilliant!
What’s next for you as a writer?
Once the Natural Order series is finished (YA fantasy), I’ll be moving into a larger collection of novels all set in a fantasy world I’ve been developing for nearly 10 years now.
The first two books set in that world are already written (pending editing): The Fall of Lostport and Hunter’s Legend.
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?
1. Collapse by Jared Diamond (it’s a fantastic book, and maybe it would give me a better perspective on the whole situation of being stranded!)
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (it was always my favorite Harry Potter book, and if I was stranded somewhere miserable, I would want something comforting that felt like home)
3. Something I haven’t read that’s REALLY LONG. I can read very fast, so I would need a lot of pages to keep my occupied.
4. No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty (it’s the NaNoWriMo bible; I’ve read it about 50 times, and I still love it. His advice is funny, inspirational, and spot-on)
Author Websites and Profiles
Rebecca Vickers Website
Rebecca Vickers Amazon Profile
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