Author Interview: Rachel Van Dyken!

Good morning fellow book lovers! Today, one of my all time favorite authors (and a New York Times Best Selling author) is here hanging out to answer some of my questions. At the end of the interview, you'll be able to ask her some of your own questions as well. 

Are you guys ready? Are you excited? Good! Then say hello to Rachel Van Dyken! 

 

Rachel just earlier this month celebrated the release of her new book,Shatter, and whats more, she has just inked a big book contract as well. Rachel is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author and has seen several of her books hit #1 on the Amazon.com charts. 

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First of all, thank you SO MUCH for agreeing to this interview! 

My pleasure!!! I love talking books ;) 

Would you like to share with us a little bit about yourself? What your (other) hobbies are? Anything we don't already know? 

Hmmm. it's weird because writing isn't just my job, it's my hobby too. I LOVE it. If I have spare time, Im either reading or writing. It's always the same. I also love to run and hang out with my family. Playing cards with my husband is the best!

What made you decide to become an author?

I was a school counselor right out of college. I worked for about four years, both for the state and for the school and honestly got really down becuase of it. You know you need a career change when a kid walks in and talks about suicide and you don't feel anything. Granted, as a counselor your job is to show no reaction, to empathize without taking it home with you and honestly I started taking it home with me. Writing became my outlet. i would schedule writing times in between my clients. It helped deal with the stress and eventually I was able to quit and pursue writing full time. 

Are there any author's you look up to? Or ones read as a child/teenager that inspired you?   

I've always loved romance! I got started reading romance about the same time I started writing. Reading was another escape. A lot of my clients loved going to the library, we would each pick out books and I was drawn to the romance section! I'd check out like ten books at a time and go home and devour them! I loved Eloisa James and Julia Quinn and then started reading a lot more contemporary novelists. I also took inspiration from Julie Lessman, a fellow author who basically just rocks my world. 

When you're writing (or even plotting to write), do you picture people/celebrities as the characters? Do you find this helps? 

Sometimes I picture celebrities, other times I kind of make up an image in my head. Its not until after I finish the book that I get a clear picture of who my character represents. I think it does help...sometimes it can hinder if you try to push that celebrities personality onto your character though ;) 

What kind of research goes into your novels? 

For historicals I'm constantly researching. It never stops! I read a lot of other authors in the same genre and i have a few dictionaries as well as etiquette books I bought in London that are really helpful. There are certain rules you don't want to break and you really want to get the history right. I also carry around a pop up map of London in my purse just in case I need it to look at streets or how far a character would walk to get to Hyde Park. I'm very visual so i need things like that. 

You've just won the annual Eagle Elite College Scholarship lottery.. do you accept? Why or why not? 

LOL! I accepted, because I REALLY want to meet the Elect...;) I hear they have some pretty cool secrets and I mean..Wouldn't it be awesome to be stuck in your own little melodrama?

Lets place some "Would you Rather"..... and why...

   - Alec or Demetri 

CRAP! You would do this to me! Okay, I choose Demetri. He's really funny and I love the way that he takes life in stride. Alec is a bit too brooding for me and I'm more attracted to the funny types.

  

 - Nixon or Chase

...Oh my gosh fans are going to so read into this. I've always been Team Nixon. Never in my mind was I like hey lets write a love triangle. But now that its sort of happened and now that I am almost done writing Elect, i can honestly say it's a tie. I'm in love with Nixon but borderline obsessed with Chase. 

  

- Travis or Jake 

...this may come as a shock, but Jake. Don't hate the player hate the game..;) Kidding. He's really shown a different side in his book and I think I understand why he acted out and pushed people away, doesn't excuse his behavior but I'm always more attracted to the Alpha male. 

  

- Grandma Nadine or .... well she's in a category all her own isn't she? 

 LOL yes, she is ;) 

Anything else you'd like to say? THANK YOU for hosting me! And Ill try to check back if anyone has questions!

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There you have it guys & dolls! I hope you've enjoyed my brief chat with Rachel (and I hope to have her back soon to talk about her upcoming novels). If you have any questions for Rachel, please feel free to leave them as a comment to this post & she'll try her best to answer them. Also, don't forget that you still have 5 Days left to enter for your chance to win a copy of Shatter in the giveaway going on here.