Hello Rachel and thank you for being here. After reading your biography, I have to ask…When do you find time to sleep? *grin*

Sleep? What's that? LOL Actually, I like staying busy and I'm an organizing freak, so I make a list every day and what I don't finish that day, goes onto the next day's list.

You are an editor for Vintage Romance Publishing. Has straddling both fences helped or hindered your writing?

I guess I don't look at it as straddling fences. I think authors and publishers are on the same side of the fence as well as editors. We all want to put out a great book which will sell well. So I don't think it was a matter of helping or hindering my writing. It was just one more thing I wanted to do.

You also teach two online courses for Suite101.com. How did that come about?

Actually, I just recently gave up teaching those two classes as I had to cut back on some things, but those classes came about after I'd helped a few people put together their synopses. They kept telling me I should teach others how to do it and so I suggested it to Suite101 and they liked the idea.

You write a variety of genres. Do you have a favorite?

Oh, easily, paranormal. I like being able to create different worlds and give my heroes these amazing abilities which don't exist in present day.

Which is the most difficult to write?

For me, contemporary. I admire the authors who publish book after book in the contemporary genre because I think it's difficult to keep a solid plot in those books. The two or three I've written have been a struggle for me.

Can you tell us about some of your upcoming books?

I have a series coming out from Venus Press for their Sons of Zeus imprint beginning March 2005. My hero is Ares (The God of War in Greek Mythology), if you can call him a hero, that is. He's a bad boy and I've always wanted to write about bad boys who get brought to their knees by good women.

I also have a time travel regency coming out from Ellora's Cave this year entitled Choices where a stockbroker who is unhappy with her life finds herself trapped in 19th Century England with a demanding duke.

Also, I have a novella entitled Surrender coming soon from Triskelion about the Egyptian Goddess of Darkness who has been led to believe her homeland has been stolen from her. It takes a powerful God from a fictional city to help set her straight.

Who have been your biggest influences?

My two biggest would have to be Lisa Renee Jones, my critique partner, and Deb Curwen, my friend and fellow author who has spent the last 12 years believing in me. Lisa is a strong writer who helps me to make my writing better and I couldn't do without her now.

What would we find on your bookshelf?

The Dark Series by Christine Feehan, all of Nora Roberts' books, well over fifty books about writing and marketing and books by my friends and fellow authors, Deb Curwen, Lisa Renee Jones, and Deborah Lynne.

How did you celebrate your first novel?

I don't think I did celebrate exactly because I was numb. I know I called all of my friends and we shouted over the phone.

What do you carry in your purse?

Oh, eek. Wallet, keys, compact, lipstick, pens, a small pad of paper, change, cell phone, gum, Advil, and some naughty stuff I won't mention.

Any words of advice to aspiring authors?

The best thing I can tell an author who is desperately trying to get published is: FIND YOUR NICHE. For years I wrote contemporary thinking that's what I needed to be writing, but my career didn't start taking off until I wrote my first paranormal/fantasy. That's when I knew I'd found my niche. Don't force yourself to write what you don't like to write simply because everyone else is doing it. It won't work for you.

What is your favorite movie?

It's a three-way tie: Return to Me, The American President and The Prince & Me. What can I say? I like sappy, romantic movies.

Who is your favorite author?

Christine Feehan

Is there anything that you would like to add Rachel?

Just that I have a newsletter which I'm currently promoting because I'm going to have a drawing at this end of this month for a gift card! Everyone who enters between now and February 28th is eligible and I always run contests on my website!

Thanks so much for your candid answers. Check out Rachel’s impressive booklist on her website: www.dawnrachel.com



Interviewed by:
Joletta