Rachelle Dekker returns with a standalone psychological thriller in When Through Deep Waters, likely to garner her a new readership following on from her YA dystopian trilogy. Today she shares about her favourite place to read, Luna Lovegood, and the working title of her just released novel. With thanks to Tyndale House, you have the chance to win a signed book plated copy of When Through Deep Waters!
Enjoy getting to know a bit more about this talented writer!
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Why do you tell stories?
I write to discover. And I discover best through story. When I am questioning something in my own life, I often end up wondering what a character would do if faced with the same trouble, and then poof—I get inspired to write.
Your favourite place to read
My living room couch. Or my upstairs couch, or maybe any comfortable couch that isn’t moving, because I get terrible motion sickness.
Best meal of the day
I love a good dinner with friends. It’s one of my favorite activities in general.
Most beloved childhood book
The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis. This was my favorite of the Narnia series, and I probably read it a dozen times as a kid.
If your life was a TV show, what would it be?
New Girl, mostly because every character on that show reminds me of myself in a little way.
Whose music inspires you?
This is an impossible question, because SO MANY. But for the sake of time and space, I’ll just say who I listened to while writing my latest novel: anything composed by Alexandre Desplat.
What ice-cream flavour would you be?
Half-baked: it has brownie, cookie dough, vanilla, chocolate, and fudge, so needless to say it’s complicated and can’t really decide what it wants.
The most recent novel you read
True story: The 49th Mystic by Ted Dekker, haha, and I highly recommend it!
What’s your current book recommendation?
The 49th Mystic—surprise!
Name a book character you can’t forget
Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series. She’s a dream.
Dream travel destination
Ireland
The Book
Alicen McCaffrey finally has the life her mother always dreamed for her: beautiful home in Santa Monica, successful husband, adorable daughter. Then tragedy blows her carefully assembled façade to pieces. Worse yet—Alicen feels solely responsible. At rock bottom, she decides to accompany a childhood friend back to Red Lodge, Montana, where they spent summers together as kids.
The peaceful mountain landscape, accented with lush forests and small-town charm, brings back happy memories of time spent with her beloved, eccentric Grandma Josephine. Alicen begins to hope that perhaps things could be different here. Perhaps the oppressive guilt will lift—if only for a moment.
But when Alicen starts hearing voices and seeing mysterious figures near the river in the woods, she begins to fear she’s completely lost her sanity, as it’s rumored her grandmother did. Or might there be more to Red Lodge than meets the eye? Could the voices and visions be real—and her only means of finding the healing she so desperately needs? Or will they prove to be her final undoing?
What was the working title?
We Are the Aspects
Describe your book in 5 adjectives
Mysterious, haunting, heartbreaking, redemptive, and playful
Which character did you enjoy writing most?
Betty—she’s the well-meaning, often hurtful mother—I love a good evil mother character.
Which character gave you the most grief?
Victoria, the antagonist. I reworked her the most—I really wanted to get her right.
What emotions do you think your story will generate in readers?
This is hard, because everyone translates story differently, but I would say maybe sorrow and then I’m hoping joy.
What emotions did you experience while writing this story?
ALL OF THEM! Haha, seriously this novel was different than anything I’ve attempted before, so it was a roller coaster. Looking at it now, I just feel pride and am thrilled that’s its finally going to be out!
How do you choose your characters’ names?
A good name is everything; I have a running list in my phone of names I love. When I meet someone and they have a killer name, I add it to the list. And then when I sit down to write, I go through it and say the name out loud with the image of the character in my head—if they match, I use it. Once a character is named, it becomes almost impossible for me to change it.
Thanks Rachelle!
The oldest daughter of New York Times bestselling author Ted Dekker, Rachelle Dekker was inspired early on to discover truth through storytelling. She won a Christy Award for her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Choosing, which was followed by two more books in the Seer series: The Calling and The Returning. Rachelle graduated with a degree in communications and spent several years in marketing and corporate recruiting before making the transition to write full-time. She lives in Nashville with her husband, Daniel, and their diva cat, Blair. Visit her online at www.rachelledekker.com.
Relz Reviewz Extras
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Visit Rachelle’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: When Through Waters Deep or Koorong
July 4, 2018 at 3:42 pm
Great interview, Rel. Funny how she highly recommended her dad’s book. I just received my copy and am anxious to read it.
July 5, 2018 at 7:18 am
I’ve been looking forward to reading Rachelle’s books. Love her dad’s books! I read for many reasons – to relax; to see what the author feels that God is giving to them to write; sometimes to learn things, either historical or about different places; sometimes mysteries that I love to try to solve.
July 5, 2018 at 9:58 pm
I love to learn when I read, whether it’s a historical fact or some other tidbit of information.
July 5, 2018 at 10:53 pm
Loved getting to know more about Rachelle Dekker! I read mostly to escape. I also love getting to ‘visit’ new places and see the inner workings of so many different ‘people’…I feel it helps me understand and be more gracious to people in my own life.
July 6, 2018 at 12:03 am
I read for two reasons–to escape and to learn what I like about or dislike about an author’s style/voice and try to figure out why.
July 6, 2018 at 6:58 am
I read for lots of reasons. Mostly to relax and escape from daily life and I also learn from reading.
July 6, 2018 at 8:47 am
I read for the joy of it, and to escape being bored.
July 6, 2018 at 9:28 am
I usually read for pleasure (I love books that surprise me, most especially–probably why I love mysteries and psychological suspense like this one), but right now I’ve been reading mostly cozy mysteries since that’s what I’m writing this year.
July 7, 2018 at 8:08 am
Like Heather, I read for pleasure, but I’m drawn into details – setting, dialogue, characters, and plot. Although, I’ve always been a reader, between college and maybe 4 years ago, I mostly read non-fiction. I also loved a good movie or T.V. show. Now that I’m again reading mostly fiction, movies and television hold no appeal to me. For the most part, the story moves too quickly for my liking and lacks the details that I love from reading a book.
July 7, 2018 at 1:05 pm
I read to relax and enjoy!
July 8, 2018 at 7:28 am
I read books for pleasure….flying away to new adventures, different places, and meeting new people 🙂 Reading is my oasis from the busyness of life. It’s fun and therapeutic all at the same time.
July 8, 2018 at 12:52 pm
I read to learn about different places and times. It’s my way to relax after a day of work. I often find life lessons intertwined that make me think.
July 9, 2018 at 12:08 pm
Wonderful interview, Rel! I read to travel to far away lands and learn about other cultures.
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