Chatting with the lovely Rachelle Dekker today about Ellen, Captain Holly Short, and her character, Kane. Enjoy the interview and enter to win the Seer Novel trilogy via the Rafflecopter form below.

The Writer

Please describe yourself in three words (ask your best friend or family if you are struggling!)

Quirky, optimistic, and often lost in thought. (I know that was more than three words!)

What’s your favorite season, and why?

Fall. I love the colors, the flavors, and the weather, and Halloween is my favorite holiday.

What is the best part of your day?

Morning. I like to be up early, coffee in hand, and alone. It’s a great time to reflect and center.

What do you miss most about your childhood?

The belief that I was limitless. I’m working on remembering that, but it isn’t as easy as it once was.

Which TV talk show host would you like to be interviewed by? Why?

Ellen DeGeneres, because she is hilarious.

You are at a fruit market – what do you reach for first?

An apple. I’m a sucker for an apple. Or blueberries!

What was the first Christian Fiction novel you read?

The Door in the Dragon’s Throat by Frank Peretti.

What is one author and/or book you always recommend?

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Excellent!

What book character has stuck in your mind from a book you have read this year?

I reread Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, and Captain Holly Short has been with me ever since. Brave, determined, a bit naive, there is just something about her that inspires me to try to pull off in one of my own characters.

The Book

They say the Awakening is coming.
That she’s the key.
But can she find her identity in the light
Before she perishes in the dark?

Twenty years have passed since Carrington and Remko Brant’s baby, Elise, was kidnapped and they were forced to leave her captive in the Authority City. Though they fled with the Seers far from Authority reach, they’ve never given up hope of rescuing their daughter from the man who betrayed them. Now Authority President, he’s ushered the city into a new era of “peace”—one where the Scientist Roth Reynard’s Genesis Serum has eradicated all memory of emotion or rebellion.

But the mysterious Aaron and his Seers are once again on the move, threatening the illusion the Authority has worked so hard to build. As the Seers send seven chosen warriors to rescue Elise and bring restoration to the Authority City, the lines are drawn for a final battle between light and darkness. The key to ultimate victory may rest within the strangely powerful girl who has felt forgotten but was never abandoned—a truth she’ll need to wage war against the powerful forces of evil.

What was the working title?

Originally, I thought about calling it The Awakening, but The Returning suited it better.

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

Heartfelt, action-packed, dark, thrilling, and redemptive.

Which character took you by surprise?

Kane. He was a last-minute add to the story and I really ended up loving to write him. Those are always my favorite.

What was the latest you stayed up working on this story?

I actually wrote the end through the night and into the early morning. Sometimes I get writing and know stopping wouldn’t be good, so I’d say I didn’t go to bed until after 6 a.m.

Which character’s name was the hardest to choose? Why?

I actually keep a list of names in my iPhone Notes app. Whenever I hear a cool one, I write it down and then use it when I get stuck. I haven’t struggled with a name yet.

What’s something that didn’t make it into the final copy?

SO MUCH! The editing process for this novel specifically was hard and long. It’s the final one in the series, and I really wanted to get it right. I also have a great team that I work with, so I’m extremely happy with the way it turned out.

Thanks Rachelle!

Relz Reviewz Extras
Rachelle’s Reading Habits
Discover more about Rachelle
Visit Rachelle’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: The Returning or Koorong

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