Whenever someone says that ‘friends to lovers’ is their favorite trope, I instantly want to get to know them better. However, that’s not how Rachel and I connected, but it will be how I stay a follower (maybe a friend, if I don’t come across as too pushy? 😅)
Rachel’s debut, Sushi and Sea Lions not only has the cutest cover, but also sounds really good. She calls herself a ‘write what you know’ author, which is honestly a fantastic way to write your stories. You can expect healthy amounts of humor, hot mess characters in her books, all told from a millennial female perspective. Which is probably the most honest way to tell any story. While she might be writing contemporary romance now, Rachel has always wanted to write historical fiction and (this made me squeal), a Peter Pan retelling!
Sushi and Sea Lions is celebrating one year this week, so make sure you get your copy right now!
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve always been a writer. I was that kid pretending to be Jo March, writing in my journal in my bedroom until the wee hours of the morning. From there it moved into short stories and fanfiction. I didn’t finish writing a novel until Sushi and Sea Lions, but it was really inspired by a very turbulent time in my life. I needed to do something about it so I wrote.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
The best part is being a part of a supportive and wonderful community of like minded authors. The worst part? Marketing.
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
A lot of times I need to consume things and get out there and live my life. I’m not a daily writer. I pluck away at things in between my life. I know that can seem counterintuitive but if I’m not living then I don’t have any material.
If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger, The Gods of Gotham by Lindsey Faye, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
Don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s.
Find your own voice and dig into it
Don’t think about the trends, write what comes from your heart.
Write what you know
Live
ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
I don’t know if I chose romance as it kind of chose me. I kind of fell into it and realized that I liked writing stories with hope and happy endings. I liked making people feel like anything was possible and that true love really does exist. I guess all of these things fall into what I love about the genre. Oh, and the spice isn’t bad either.
If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?
I always wanted to write historical fiction, but the amount of research that goes into that is something I don’t think I am prepared for. Also, a Peter Pan retelling…I just haven’t quite figured it out yet.
What are your most and least favorite tropes?
Friends to lovers is hands down my favorite trope. I feel like it can be the most realistic. My least favorite trope has to do with things being contrived, like fake dating or one bed, stuff like that. I like more realistic scenarios. There is nothing against these tropes but they aren’t for me.
What are some tropes you want to write in the future?
I’m currently working on a second chance romance which has been a lot of fun. In the pipeline is surprise pregnancy too!
What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?
One topic that I have chosen to dive into in my latest WIP is sexual assault. I don’t think this gets covered a lot in romance because more often than not the MC doesn’t have sex with anyone other than the love interest. I think exploring that, as my MCs are mostly thirty something women, is a natural progression of the genre. So multiple partners as well as the reality that many women have experienced some kind of sexual assault in their lives.
If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?
I prefer open door because I feel like it’s just more vivid and realistic. There is all kinds of different sex and that should be explored in literature. The sex in my books may be inspired by my own experiences.
YOUR BOOKS
What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?
I am a ‘write what you know’ author. Everything is inspired by the people I know, the places I’ve been or lived, and things that have happened to me in my life. Sushi and Sea Lions was born out of a very emotional time in my life and I had to get it onto the page.
Can you briefly tell me about your book?
I write primarily women’s fiction with heavy romance from the millennial female perspective. They deal with the emotional upheaval of female lives, from career problems to dating. A lot of my stories are infused with healthy amounts of humor and all of my characters are a hot mess in some way or another.
Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?
Vincent is my favorite character. He is stable, loyal, and trustworthy. There is a safety in him that I think many women want in a partner.
If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?
Lily Collins and Tom Hardy.
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
A lot. Daniela is a lot of myself on the page. She just came bursting out of me. I used her character to explore a lot of my own traumas and emotional journey actually.
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
Female thirty something narrators and New York.
What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?
I’m currently working on Tricia’s story. She is Daniela’s best friend from Sushi and Sea Lions. It takes place around the same time as my debut. Tricia is a female millionaire who gives her old college flame Nikos a second chance.
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
I always want my readers to feel hope. That true love is real. That there is beauty in the world. And that we can overcome our obstacles to find our way in life.
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense
Single or Dual POV
Standalones, series or standalones in a series
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances
Music or silence when writing
Plotter, pantser or plantser
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?
Cold or warm weather
Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?
Illustrated or photo cover?
You can find Rachel on Instagram, TikTok, BookBub, Goodreads and StoryGraph. Also check out her collaborations, sign up for her newsletter, visit her website and get her merch!
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