Sample Q&A

Q: Why did you decide to self publish?
A: I want more creative control and the ability to make higher royalties. I read a lot of what author Hugh Howey put out into the world about self-publishing and his break downs of control and royalty won me over. I didn’t want to wait for an agent and then a publisher to deem me worthy. I want to put my work into the hands of readers. I would rather “the people” decide than the handful of gatekeepers in the publishing industry.

Q: Who are the authors you look up to?
A: I read Stephen King’s memoir On Writing when I first began writing and his piece of advice about making a daily habit of writing, even when you have zero inspiration, was a game-changer I still follow (if not always in practice). The author of the popular Wool series, Hugh Howey, encouraged me I could be a respectable indie author, foregoing what used to be the singular traditional route up until 2008 when self-publishing became an option. He gave me permission to be my own business. Liz Gilbert author of Eat, Pray, Love and Big Magic helps me with harnessing my creative energy and working with instead of against fear, daily.

Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: [Sometimes I just put myself in the middle of a very detailed scene and see what happens. It’s as if I’m watching a movie and writing everything down.]

Q: Why is your first book a memoir?
A: Six months into my humble beginnings as a writer, my husband and I woke up in the middle of the night to find our home on fire. My anger, heartbreak and literal fire lit under my ass led me to write my first full work—a memoir.

Q: What genres do you write in?
A: Memoir, Chick-lit humor and contemporary Young Adult

Q: What was your journey like to becoming a writer?
A: I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child. However, I didn’t grow up knowing I’d write. I was on a path to becoming a therapist. One day, my husband noted my ravenous appetite for books and simply asked why I didn’t write books myself. This question formed a new, unchartered path in my mind, and although I’m not one to flippantly jump careers, once the thought was planted, I knew writing books was my new ship to steer.

Author Bio

Rachel Saylor lives with her husband and Frenchie in Tempe, Arizona. When she's not writing, she can be found snuggled up with a book, getting lost in a story or off adventuring to create her own stories. Fire Diaries is her debut book.

Contact Info

Rachel Saylor

rachelannesaylor@gmail.com

Instagram: @rachel_saylor

Facebook: facebook.com/rachelsaylorauthor

Author website: rachelsaylor.com

Memoir webpage: firediariesbook.com