Author Interview - Rachel Coker

Hey everyone! Welcome to Writings of Rosie's first interview. I'm happy to say the wonderful Rachel Coker has agreed to do an interview despite her busy schedule! Woo hoo! For those who may have missed it, I reviewed her novel Interrupted: Life Beyond Words yesterday. Let's get on with the interview!

Tell us a little about yourself. :-)

Hi, I’m Rachel Coker! I’m sixteen years old and I live in Virginia with my parents and two younger sisters. This past March, my debut novel, Interrupted: Life Beyond Words, was published with Zondervan, and my life has been crazy ever since! I love writing and sharing my journey with others on my blog. I also love photography, piano, and, of course, doing interviews with fabulous people like Rosie. ;)

Aw, thanks! How were you inspired for Interrupted?

I started writing Interrupted right after my fourteenth birthday. It was right after my uncle passed away, and I was going through a difficult time in my life. I was growing up, becoming a teenager, and going through so many different emotions following his death. Confusion, bitterness… I didn’t understand why God would let that happen. But then, as I started developing Allie’s character and working through her story, it helped me with my own story, too. I grew as Allie grew. It was a really great experience.

Who is your favorite character from your novel?

I’ve heard a lot of different people talking about how much they love Charlie and Irene and, of course, Sam, but I’m just going to have to be clichéd and say that I really love Allie! One second she can be so bratty, but the next she’ll just melt you with her sweetness. I love how complex she is. That’s really interesting to me.

What's a quirky thing you do when or while you write?

I like to read the dialog out loud as I’m writing it. Sometimes my sisters will stand outside my door for a long time without me knowing and then burst into laughter, which can be kind of embarrassing, but it works! Reading the dialog aloud makes it flow much more realistically! That way, if something sounds awkward, I know how to change it!

If any fictional character could come to life (excluding your own) who would it be?

I always wanted to meet Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables. When I was younger, she was my imaginary best friend. Even today, I think that I would get along with her just smashingly.

What do you do when you're stuck?
I take a break! Sometimes you just need to get away from writing and do something else. I’ll go days, even weeks, without writing sometimes. It helps clear my mind and get me re-energized. Then, when I get back to work, I’ll be able to see things with a new, fresh perspective!

Ah, yes. Stepping back does wonders for me as well! Lastly, where is your favorite place to write?

I always write in my bedroom. I sit on my bed and write in the evenings. It’s the only place I can think! I’ve tried writing on my couch or at the kitchen table, but I always get distracted by all the other stuff going on. Living in a house full of girls can be very, very distracting. ;)

I live in a house full of girls too. There is never a dull moment here. lol! Thanks for answering my questions!