Rebecca Rook
Young Adult Fiction at the Intersection of Magic, Malice, and Mystery.
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Books by Rebecca Rook
After our radio talk Rebecca shared answers to more questions. Enjoy!
Question 1:
My writing journey moved in parallel with the rest of my life.
In the last ten years, I had a demanding full-time career, took writing classes and workshops whenever possible, served as a caregiver for a chronically ill parent who eventually passed away, and contended with many other variables that required time and labor from me, all of which took me away from my writing.
I also think that it takes time and a great deal of practice to find your voice as a writer.
So, in summary, time and space were necessary to transition to publishing my novels.
Question 2:
Simply put: I got tired of waiting. The right time to do something is now.
I believe wholeheartedly that there is never a perfect time in the future to publish or create art; instead, the perfect time is now.
Question 3:
Burnout is not a good look on anyone – and I would know.
I’ve been there before. I’ve felt the void within from the lack of joy and the despair that things will never change or get better.
While finding balance is never perfect because I’m simply human, I do try to listen to my body and my heart these days to take better care of myself.
One of the ways I take care of myself is insisting on breaks, like weekends off.
If I’m close to finishing a novel, sometimes the momentum will lead me to fudge my own rules and work until it’s done.
But I typically try to avoid work on weekends when drafting novels.
Question 4:
I most enjoy connecting with readers in person / face-to-face.
I love learning about them, what they’re reading and what kind of novel they’re seeking at that moment.
There is so much joy in the room when a bunch of book people get together and talk about stories.
I also enjoy sharing my newsletter with readers / subscribers.
I chronicle my writing efforts in my newsletter of course but I also share life anecdotes and behind-the-scenes updates on creative projects (for example, I’m one of the artists for this year’s Piano.Push.Play program!).
If you’re interested in reading more, you can sign up for my newsletter at www.byrebeccarook.com.
Question 5:
I do! I design and publish tabletop games that are meant to be played quickly and by a wide audience.
I like to joke that I make games “…for the rest of us.”
That is, I don’t design time- and labor intensive experiences like Warhammer 40k or Dungeons and Dragons because that takes dedication and commitment that not every individual has or wants to devote to a game.
Thus, my games are meant to be learned quickly and can be played by anyone.
My latest game is called Curio Collectors and it is available for purchase here.
Curio Collectors is a card game in which players can create their own curiosity cabinets by assembling the most valuable collection of items. But watch out: Acquiring some goods can be too costly…
For some context, curiosity cabinets are collections of rare artifacts, natural history specimens, and oddities from around the globe.
Historically, these collections have been created by wealthy, educated explorers and scholars and often used as a status symbol.
This game was designed for the natural history nerds among us.
Curio Collectors is replayable, even by the same players. This ultra portable game includes a tuck box for safekeeping and 72 cards total with a UV coating for durability. These 72 cards include 2 Rule Cards, 7 Trade Cards, 4 Advanced Collector Cards, and 5 Suites of Different Curio Types (Botanicals, Dubious Provenance, Entomologicals, Fossils, and Minerals). Each card displays a unique item with a specific point value.
Question 6:
Bailey is my Blue Heeler / Border Collie mix who routinely outsmarts me and wants to play constantly.
She would catch a ball until she fell over from exhaustion.
Olive is my Poodle / Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix who is little but fierce and mighty. She may be eight pounds soaking wet but she’ll never back down from a fight or an obstacle.
The girls help me find a work-life balance between my full time job, my creative pursuits, and simply being a person.
I tend to hyperfocus on my projects, and Bailey and Olive are wonderful interrupters who insist on walks, cuddles, and play time.
They are so funny and sweet; I feel very lucky to have them in my life.
Question 7:
I love traveling to offbeat destinations and obscure historical venues.
One of my favorite travel guides is the Atlas Obscura website, and I routinely check it before I travel to a place.
So it’s very likely that one of these destinations will end up as a location in a future novel.
Question 8:
I have a memoir sketched out about being hard of hearing that I will write one of these days.
I also think that a novel or a series with a hard of hearing protagonist would be incredibly fun to write since I have so many lived experiences that I could translate into the protagonist’s life.
Question 9:
I’ve been hard of hearing / lower case deaf (as opposed to Deaf / culturally Deaf) for the entirety of my life.
This means I have an “accent” which prompts everyone to ask where I’m from.
If I’m feeling goofy, I’ll joke that I’m from Deaflandia.
While that’s an external indicator that I’m different, the reality is that being hard of hearing affects every aspect of how I move through the world.
Because I don’t get the same information fully hearing people get through their ears, I’m constantly examining the world for new avenues or sources of information in order to make sense of what’s going on around me.
It’s like solving a puzzle all of the time.
It can be an exhausting, hilarious, empowering, and remarkable experience all at once, and I’m constantly learning new things about myself and others.
Question 10:
Currently I’m reading The Killing Code by Ellie Marney and The Dark Between the Trees by Fiona Barrett.
I also recently finished Charlaine Harris’ Gunnie Rose series.
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