The Interview - Rebecca Phillips

How did you become an author and get published? Share your experience.

I decided that I needed to write a book about 15 years ago, but I waited until the passing of my mother before I finally took the leap and self-published Hating Self by Boo Black. It was a healing process and the book was too personal for me to allow anyone else to publish, so I used Amazon/KDP to publish in November 2023. I have learned a lot about being an author by just taking the plunge and doing it. Most times, I'm googling to find out the meaning of words or requirements, but that's okay. I learn faster when I'm doing something versus waiting for someone to teach or guide me.

Tell us what you enjoy most about writing [genre].

Growing up, I had a lot of trauma, so writing Hating Self by Boo Black allowed me to release and heal from the pain. Butterfly Blossoms by Rachel Bleu was a type of fictional escape and allowed me to lose myself and let my mind write for me.

What have you found to be most challenging about writing in [genre]?

I can write a little every day even though I have a full-time job, but the toughest part of being a writer is getting people to take a chance with someone they don't know. Being an Indie publisher is tough because I don't have anyone to do the marketing and promotions. It's all me. And there are plenty of people ready to take advantage and scam writers out of their money. This part is absolutely horrible!

Do you identify with your main character or did you create a character that is your opposite?

In Hating Self and Loving Self by Boo Black, I am the main character as it is autobiographical. In Butterfly Blossoms by Rachel Bleu, the female protagonist, Sally Renee Grace, faces challenges and complications like myself. Honestly, she's very much like my twin.

How long did it take you to write this book?

Hating Self by Boo Black took me approximately eight years to write everything down, but it only took a couple of months to self-publish. Loving Self by Boo Black only took five months to write and publish. Butterfly Blossoms by Rachel Bleu took five months to write and publish.

Are any of the characters in your book based on people in your real life? If so, can you tell us more about that process and how it influenced your writing?

Yes. In Butterfly Blossoms by Rachel Bleu, Tracy is based on my real-life girlfriend. I've been married thirty-one years to a man and have recently learned that I am a lesbian. I'm doing my best to be true to myself, authentically me, but it's been difficult because of my situation.