Interview with Rebecca Hazell

Jeyran Main

June 4

What's your favorite thing you have written? I can't choose. I have written eight books and love them all like family. My favorite might be Heroines, a nonfiction book for 'tweens'. It introduced kids to great women from around the world, many unfamiliar to the average person. Its companion book, Heroes, was selected as a Notable New Book by UNESCO's International Youth Library. Both were optioned for a TV series. But then there's my first novel, The Grip of God, whose plot came to me in my teens and turned into a trilogy and is still in print. A real labor of love.
What's your favorite thing that someone else has written? Wow, again, how can I choose? So many people have written great books, and more come out every day. For past authors, almost anything by Jane Austen, and for more contemporary writers, almost anything by Margaret Drabble; there's Iris Murdoch's strange stories and Tana French's murder mysteries with the most ravishing language! Or Elizabeth Peters' blend of humor and Egyptian history, or Ursula Le Guin's psychological sci-fi, or Louise Erdrich's brilliant Native storytelling. And there's plenty of great male writing, too.
What are you working on writing now? I'm working on a memoir (fictional) by the Buddha's wife.
Do you have a favorite food or drink that helps you write? Cookies? Iced coffee in summer.
What's your favorite kind of music? Classical/romantic like Chopin and Schubert, or folk/blues.
Forest, country, beach, or city? Not the city, but I love the other three.
What movie can you watch over and over again? Babette's Feast and Clueless. The first is because Babette spoke so movingly about what an artist feels, and Clueless because it's a hilarious adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma.
What would you like people to know about being an Indie author? It's hard work, but you have more creative control. And even when you're published by a traditional publisher, you still have to promote your book yourself.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I dreamed of writing and illustrating fairytales. (I'm also an artist.) It turns out that life is just one big fairytale after another, not always with happy endings but so amazing. So, I am fulfilling my dream.
What does the writing process look like for you? I mull over the plot and wording and then get seized by inspiration. While waiting to be seized, I do lots of research (and revision) until I see how the story can go forward.
Do you have a blog and what content do you post? I used to have a blog, but I'd rather write the stories. I'm working on a newsletter these days, featuring personal musings and wordplay.
Where do you get inspiration? Stories come to me from different places. My nonfiction children's books came out of wanting to broaden my own kids' understanding of courageous living. My first novel, a trilogy, came to me when I was studying Russian history. My latest novel came from doing my family tree. If the service I used is accurate, I'm descended from the two major characters in the novel.
What about writing do you enjoy the most? Problem-solving, like finding elegant wording to describe complex situations or coming up with a new plot twist.
What is the most challenging part of writing for you? Laziness.
How have you grown as a writer? I'm more adventurous with structure and flow and less bound to linear storytelling.

About the Author:

Rebecca Hazell is a writer and artist whose nonfiction books for children garnered awards and critical praise and were optioned for a television series. Her historical trilogy – The Grip of God, Solomon's Bride, and Consolamentum – is still in print after more than a decade. Before entering the world of books, she created educational materials for high schools that were used across the United States. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband; her grown children and sister live nearby. Find out more by visiting http://www.rebeccahazell.com