AUTHOR INTERVIEW
WITH
RACHEL VAN DYKEN
While over here in the UK New York’s best seller
Rachel Van Dyken Did an interview with us at Author2AuthorBlogChat. It was an
absolute honor to interview the lady who inspired me to write. Please welcome
the bubbly, beautiful and talented New York’s best seller Rachel.
1, Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m a hybrid author who LOVES wine and chocolate
and…well food… ;) Writing is a huge passion and I can’t imagine doing anything
else with my life. I have a really serious fear of ET and vacuum cleaners and I
think that the world would be a better place if it was a musical.
2, how would you describe your book(s)?
Wow, that’s hard! I have a really large backlist. All
of my books are dialogue driven I really feel like that’s what makes for an
interesting story. I love showcasing secondary characters as much as primary
characters and I like surprising my readers. My NA series (Eagle Elite) is
about twenty something mafia bosses and my newest release The Dare is a
romantic comedy about a girl resigned to spinsterhood and a sexy politician.
They get slammed together by the notorious Grandma Nadine and are forced to
attend a couple’s retreat where torture commences for the next six days. They
have a history which kind of makes for a fun story line.
3, what genre is your work mainly? Do you tend to stay
in the same vein or are you hoping (if not already) to explore new ventures?
I mainly work in the NA genre but I also have a lot of
historical books. I like working in all genres because I also like reading in
all genres.
4, Share with us a quote from one of your favourite character?
Do it afraid–Wes Michels from Ruin
5, is it hard to come up with new idea’s and/or
plot’s?
Sometimes it is, for the most part things flow really
well, I think the hard part isn’t coming up with the idea but executing it.
6, how long does it take you to complete a finished
book?
That totally depends! Ruin was written in two weeks,
but some other books take a month or two. I try to finish a book in three
months or less just so I can move on to my next project.
7, what inspired you to write your book (s)?
I loved to read and writing turned into a sort of
therapy for me while I was working as a school counselor, it was kind of like
my own personal journal and stories, my way of escape.
8, who is the easiest character to write and why?
Hardest and why? The easiest character?
That was probably Wes Michels, he was just so great,
it wasn’t hard to pick up his character and convey it. The hardest character so
far for me has been Tristan Blake from Shame, the third book in the ruin
series, he’s….complicated
9, Are your characters based on real people? People
you may know on TV/Movie stars?
They are inspired by real people sometimes but never
based on them.
10, without giving anything away, what is/are your favourite scene(s) in
your books?
In The Dare my favorite scene is when Jace and Beth
are trying to go through the sugar cane field and a spider named Frank make an
appearance.
11, what is up next for you?
The Dare releases July 8 and after that Elicit
releases August 11.
12, do you have any hobbies?
I love reading ha-ha, of course. I also love writing
music and singing, playing the piano, and really really enjoy going for walks,
which sounds cheesy but there’s just something about being outside.
13, is there anyone besides you in your family who
writes?
My sister actually writes as Kristin Vayden, she’s
really talented!
14, When did you start? What was your first piece?
First published piece. I started in 2011 my first
published work was Every Girl Does It, and I still cringe when people read it.
15, Out of all the books and stories you’ve written
which is your favorite?
That’s a super hard question because I think each book
you’re on is your favorite, make sense? Right now the Eagle Elite series holds
the top spot and Elicit holds the number one spot for favorite book.
16, what is your
favourite genre to write?
New Adult
17, what is your
favourite genre to read?
I read every genre.
18, who are your
favourite author’s?
Oh wow that’s a hard question b/c I truly read
everything! I love Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Tessa Dare…
19, what are your
favourite movies? Books?
I love romantic comedies and anything Disney. FROZEN!
, Tell us a little about yourself. I’m a hybrid author who LOVES wine and
chocolate and…well food… ;) Writing is a huge passion and I can’t imagine doing
anything else with my life. I have a really serious fear of ET and vacuum
cleaners and I think that the world would be a better place if it was a
musical.
20, how long have you been writing for?
Close to 4 years
21, who or what has been your biggest literary
influence?
My family…mainly my Grandma Nadine
22, how difficult is it for you to come up with one of
your amazing plots?
It just depends…the story kind of creates itself as I
start writing.
23, How about characters?
Are they easily born and developed? I think once you
know your character, you immediately know how they are going to react in
situations.
24, do you ever find yourself a struggling writer?
I think we all struggle, whether it be with the plot,
writers block, criticism, finances, man the list goes on.
25, about how long does it take for you to complete a
novel from concept to completion?
It depends on what I’m writing; it can take as little
as two weeks to as long as three months.
26, have you ever trashed a novel or story before or
after finishing it, feeling it wasn’t turning out as you planned?
No, oh my gosh, I don’t think I could give up!
Actually I take that back, I have one book i wrote a while ago that I tried to
“Fix” and re-write it may end up in the trash.
27, do you have a special time or place to write?
I write in my office during the day.
28, any funny experiences or quirks you’d like to
share with your readers?
Other than my Starbucks obsession or Swedish fish
obsession? No.
29, which one of your awesome books would you like to
see be made in to a movie?
The Elite Series or The Bet
30, what was it like to publish your first book?
Scary, super intimidating, but a total rush.
31, what advice would you give to others who want to
make writing their career?
Keep writing! A lot of authors put their eggs all in
one basket…get a backlist and keep doing what you love.
31, what’s the worst job that you have ever done and
why?
I was a dishwasher and I hated it, I hated it so much!
My hands were burned and yeah…it was messy and I was cold from all the water.
32, do you ever get ideas at random moments, and if so
how do you hang on to them?
Usually when I’m trying to sleep
I normally
email myself then spend hours the next day trying to decipher what the heck i
was trying to say.
33, how do you overcome writers block?
I write a few books at once and switch between them.
34, Can you write on demand and under pressure, or do
you need time and space before the creativity starts to flow?
I can write on demand, but
sometimes I don’t feel like it’s as good when I force the process.
4, Share with us a quote from one of your favourite character?
Do it afraid–Wes Michels from Ruin
5, is it hard to come up with new idea’s and/or
plot’s?
Sometimes it is, for the most part things flow really
well, I think the hard part isn’t coming up with the idea but executing it.
6, how long does it take you to complete a finished
book?
That totally depends! Ruin was written in two weeks,
but some other books take a month or two. I try to finish a book in three
months or less just so I can move on to my next project.
7, what inspired you to write your book (s)?
I loved to read and writing turned into a sort of
therapy for me while I was working as a school counselor, it was kind of like
my own personal journal and stories, my way of escape.
8, who is the easiest character to write and why?
Hardest and why? The easiest character?
That was probably Wes Michels, he was just so great,
it wasn’t hard to pick up his character and convey it. The hardest character so
far for me has been Tristan Blake from Shame, the third book in the ruin
series, he’s….complicated
9, Are your characters based on real people? People
you may know on TV/Movie stars?
They are inspired by real people sometimes but never
based on them.
10, without giving anything away, what is/are your favourite scene(s) in
your books?
In The Dare my favorite scene is when Jace and Beth
are trying to go through the sugar cane field and a spider named Frank make an
appearance.
11, what is up next for you?
The Dare releases July 8 and after that Elicit
releases August 11.
12, do you have any hobbies?
I love reading ha-ha, of course. I also love writing
music and singing, playing the piano, and really really enjoy going for walks,
which sounds cheesy but there’s just something about being outside.
13, is there anyone besides you in your family who
writes?
My sister actually writes as Kristin Vayden, she’s
really talented!
14, When did you start? What was your first piece?
First published piece. I started in 2011 my first
published work was Every Girl Does It, and I still cringe when people read it.
15, Out of all the books and stories you’ve written
which is your favorite?
That’s a super hard question because I think each book
you’re on is your favorite, make sense? Right now the Eagle Elite series holds
the top spot and Elicit holds the number one spot for favorite book.
16, what is your
favourite genre to write?
New Adult
17, what is your
favourite genre to read?
I read every genre.
18, who are your
favourite author’s?
Oh wow that’s a hard question b/c I truly read
everything! I love Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, Tessa Dare…
19, what are your
favourite movies? Books?
I love romantic comedies and anything Disney. FROZEN!
, Tell us a little about yourself. I’m a hybrid author who LOVES wine and
chocolate and…well food… ;) Writing is a huge passion and I can’t imagine doing
anything else with my life. I have a really serious fear of ET and vacuum
cleaners and I think that the world would be a better place if it was a
musical.
20, how long have you been writing for?
Close to 4 years
21, who or what has been your biggest literary
influence?
My family…mainly my Grandma Nadine
22, how difficult is it for you to come up with one of
your amazing plots?
It just depends…the story kind of creates itself as I
start writing.
23, How about characters?
Are they easily born and developed? I think once you
know your character, you immediately know how they are going to react in
situations.
24, do you ever find yourself a struggling writer?
I think we all struggle, whether it be with the plot,
writers block, criticism, finances, man the list goes on.
25, about how long does it take for you to complete a
novel from concept to completion?
It depends on what I’m writing; it can take as little
as two weeks to as long as three months.
26, have you ever trashed a novel or story before or
after finishing it, feeling it wasn’t turning out as you planned?
No, oh my gosh, I don’t think I could give up!
Actually I take that back, I have one book i wrote a while ago that I tried to
“Fix” and re-write it may end up in the trash.
27, do you have a special time or place to write?
I write in my office during the day.
28, any funny experiences or quirks you’d like to
share with your readers?
Other than my Starbucks obsession or Swedish fish
obsession? No.
29, which one of your awesome books would you like to
see be made in to a movie?
The Elite Series or The Bet
30, what was it like to publish your first book?
Scary, super intimidating, but a total rush.
31, what advice would you give to others who want to
make writing their career?
Keep writing! A lot of authors put their eggs all in
one basket…get a backlist and keep doing what you love.
31, what’s the worst job that you have ever done and
why?
I was a dishwasher and I hated it, I hated it so much!
My hands were burned and yeah…it was messy and I was cold from all the water.
32, do you ever get ideas at random moments, and if so
how do you hang on to them?
Usually when I’m trying to sleep
I normally
email myself then spend hours the next day trying to decipher what the heck i
was trying to say.
33, how do you overcome writers block?
I write a few books at once and switch between them.
34, Can you write on demand and under pressure, or do
you need time and space before the creativity starts to flow?
I can write on demand, but
sometimes I don’t feel like it’s as good when I force the process.
PLEASE WELCOME FROM THE BET SERIES
BY
RACHEL VAN DYKEN
KACEY, TRAVIS, GRANDMA NADINE AND JAKE
All: Hey guys how are you all, How are the kids?
Travis: The kids are great!! Though we've had to pull back on letting Grandma babysit.
Jake:(Laughing) Right, on account that Grandma took them to the zoo and forgot one. To be fair her excuse was, "he was being too quiet."
JAKE: Why did you ask Kacey to be your fake fiancée. Why couldn't you ask one of you many women?
Well, to be honest she's the only one that my family would have actually believed would say yes. I couldn't' just bring in any random girl. They wouldn't believe me.
TRAVIS: What Did you think when Jake told you about his plan to have Kacey as his fake fianee?
That he'd lost his mind...not that I was ever really sure he had brain cells to begin with.
JAKE: Did you have feelings for Kacey when you asked her about being you fake fiancée?
Um..well...I thought she looked really pretty but I think the feelings were more of friendship.
KACEY: Why did you feel so nervous when jake told you that Travis would be picking you up?
Because the last time I saw him he'd glued my favorite novels together, back to back, as a joke. We didn't exactly get along growing up.
TRAVIS: Why do you tease Kacey so much and what's the worst thing you have done to her?
She makes it too easy...when people react it's kind of impossible not to tease, and she always reacts. I think the worst thing I did was tell the entire football team that she had fungus and thats why she hated wearing flip flops. Swear the day she actually wore them all they did was stare at her feet waiting to see something off.
GRANDMA: When did you first realise jake wasn't really engaged to Kacey?
Oh I always knew. I know all.
Kacey:How did you feel when you found out that Travis has had a massive crush on you since he was younger?
For some reason it made me nervous and then really excited because he'd grown into this incredible man, it gave me hope that he still felt the same way.
GRANDMA:Did you plan to set up Travis and Kacey all along and what made you decide to do that?
A grandma never reveals her secrets, why take the FBI do they run around giving people private information about their missions? They don't...
KACEY:How did you feel when you learned that Travis named his bunny after you?
Flattered, probably the funniest thing I've ever learned about him, though Im sure there will be more!
TRAVIS: How did it feel to have the girl you have always loved at last?
Like heaven...honestly words can't explain how complete I feel with her in my life.
KACEY:How did you feel when Travis told you He bought the restaurant and when he kept your parents belongings?
Upset at first, but mostly at myself for not coming back to Portland sooner. The anger was quickly replaced with total humility that he would do something like that for me.
JAKE: How did you feel when Kacey told you how hurt she felt after that night you took her innocence and you froze and walked off on her?
Like shit. No seriously. Like total shit.
GRANDMA : What Did you think when you found out Travis messed up and hurt Kacey the same way Jake had done a few years ago? When he walked off and freezing in her.
Well to be honest, if I'd had a taser I would have used it. The man had his head up his ass, good thing Grandma's there to pull it out. What else are grandmas for?
JAKE: What made you finally open your eyes and see that Kacey was never the girl for you?
Travis...he looked at her...man I'd never seen a guy look at her that way, it was love, true love and I realized that I probably looked at her in a totally different way. I respected her and she was my friend but she wasn't my soul mate.
JAKE/TRAVIS/KACEY: How did you feel about Grandma Nadine meddling in you relationships even though they turned out good?
Jake: Hah feels awesome, kind of like getting a root canal without novicane.
Travis: Hey I won in the end so I don't care.
Kacey: Grandma will always be my favorite, I need to learn tricks from her.
GRANDMA : Is there anything else you want to do for your grandsons and Kacey now that they are all settled down?
More grandchildren would be nice...that whole zoo episode was just a gross mis understanding.
TRAVIS : How did you feel when you saw Kacey walking down the Isle to you?
I damn near bawled my eyes out and then felt like the luckiest bastard in the world.
Kacey: How did you feel knowing that you finally married the right Titus brother?
Like life was perfect.
JAKE: How do you feel now that you have stopped your player ways and found the perfect girl for you?
Im more calm, settled, and happier than I've ever been. I think the important thing is finding someone who's willing to put you in your place, on a regular basis, Char does that for me.
GRANDMA: Now all the kids are settled down, would you get married again?
Oh my! Settle down with one man? For a second time? Honey...why pick one when you can have them all?
And what words of wisdom would you offer to new couple's just about to get married?
Marriage doesn't make things easier, it makes things harder, so make sure that the person you marry knows the worst and the best sides of you so that when you do make that commitment it's forever not just for a while.
KACEY/TRAVIS/JAKE: How does is feel being a parent and do you want more children?
It feels fantastic and more children are def in the future if Grandma has anything to say about it, which she typically does. The last time Jake tried to silence her he got his ears boxed.
A YEAR LATER CATCH UP
WITH RACHEL VAN DYKEN
you last. In that time you have been a very busy lady not
just with new releases but you became a mom,
congratulations. How is your little man?
He's really great!! Growing like a little weed,
I swear he eats like a horse!
As
I have mentioned you have released loads of books since we spoke
last, Which ones were you most looking forward to your readers reading
the most?
Oh
wow, I always look forward to the mafia books releasing, I feel like
they have a certain excitement and romance that some of my other books
don't have.
Can you tell us what you been up to since we last spoke
back in June 2014?
Oh
wow...Writing. Lots of writing! Haha, I've been working hard trying to
get ahead of the curve with my last few releases so I wouldn't' be
stressed with having the baby. I have two books releasing this Spring
followed by another 6 consecutive releases which is a bit crazy but hey,
that's how I like it!
All
your readers have their favorite series of yours whether it's the hot
rockers in seaside series , the sexy mafia bosses in the elite eagle
series or the crazy comical granny in the bet series or one of you
brilliant historical series.
Which one is your favorite?
I love the sexy mafia bosses ;)
Now that you have your little man have you thought about maybe writing children's books for him?
I've had a few people ask me that, i think I may try it but when I have time, right now things are still a bit chaotic!
What do you like to do in your spare time when your
not busy writing ?
I love reading, which sounds like work after you've been writing all day, but its really what I love to do!
I
don’t know how you do it . You are new mom and your still writing
loads of amazing stories that your readers can't get enough of like you
did before you became a mom. You really are a inspirational woman,
how do you do it?
HAHA I don't sleep. Kidding ;) I just try to write when I can, during
his naps, or during the times when he's playing by himself :)
Have you ever thought of writing a book with hubby,
I'm sure he must have some amazing idea's with
a awesome author for his wife?
HAHA we've actually discussed it but with things being so crazy right now it's kind of hard.
What do you have coming up in the next few months
with new projects?
The
Consequence of Loving Colton releases really soon, I'm in love with
that book b/c it's such a fun read, i also have another stand alone in
that series releasing a month and a half later.
How many more books can readers look forward to in the seaside series?
At least 3 more
Do you had any funny experiences you would like to share from author events?
Haha most my author events are fun and funny, I love meeting readers, it's such a blast!
What was your favorite book growing up as a child?
Oh wow, The Velveteen Rabbit, though it always made me cry!
Are your stories old ones you have saved on your computer or new?
All new. The old ones don't sound like me anymore so they just collect dust on the desktop instead.
Is there anything that you would never write about
in your books?
Wow I've never thought of that before, I try to stay away from taboo subjects or things I don't know a lot about.
How do you come up with your titles for the books?
Sometimes
I come up with titles first which probably sounds a bit strange, but
I'm a huge title person. If I can't come up with anything, I'll talk to
my cover artist or beta reader or ask people to vote.
Thank you so much for joining me again Rachel it's been really good catching up with you again.
Thanks for having me!
Take a look at these teasers,all located on pinterest. None of the following photos belong to this blog. Anyone that wishes for the blog to remove them should contact myself or Danni. Thanks.
LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE READ IN THE TEASERS?? THEN YOU SHOULD GO CHECK OUT MORE OF RACHEL ' S RELEASES .
CLICK ON THE NEXT LINK FOR ALL OF HER BOOKS SHE'S RELEASED SO FAR. SOME COVERS MAY OF CHANGED BUT THEY STILL THEY SAME BOOKS.
Take a look at these teasers,all located on pinterest. None of the following photos belong to this blog. Anyone that wishes for the blog to remove them should contact myself or Danni. Thanks.
LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE READ IN THE TEASERS?? THEN YOU SHOULD GO CHECK OUT MORE OF RACHEL ' S RELEASES .
CLICK ON THE NEXT LINK FOR ALL OF HER BOOKS SHE'S RELEASED SO FAR. SOME COVERS MAY OF CHANGED BUT THEY STILL THEY SAME BOOKS.
No comments:
Post a Comment