Rachel: If I’m not using my laptop to write on, I
always use the A5 size moleskine notebooks. They’re a perfect size to carry
around or leave on the bedside table for those insomnia-driven writing
sessions. The pocket at the back is useful as well – when I was writing my
latest thriller, Under Fire, I
started a new habit of sketching out scenes on index cards and kept those in
the pocket of the notebook so that I was never stuck for something to write
about. Pen-wise I’ll use anything if I have to, but I do have a soft spot for
.4 nib size felt pens. I’m lucky in that my writing is really neat but a good
pen ensures I can go back and check things months after I’ve written it down!
Paul: What
types of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors? Why?
Rachel: Obviously I read thrillers, as that’s what I
write. My favorite thriller authors are Stephen Leather, Michael Connolly,
Robert Crais, James Rollins, Chris Ryan, Lee Child and Daniel Silva.
I have quite
wide reading tastes though – like my musical tastes. The bookshelf is about as
eclectic as the CD/iPod collection. Other authors I enjoy are Jim Butcher (the Harry Dresden series), Sandra Brown, Ian
Rankin, Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games),
Steven King, Leo Tolstoy, Charles Dickens – all authors I’ve discovered since
being a teenager and I’m always open to recommendations!
Paul: If
someone had the power to step into your creative mind what would they see?
Rachel: A lot of munchkins running backwards and
forwards with bits of paper in their hands, stressing about where to file it
for future use…
Paul: In
all the years you’ve been publishing your work, what is the biggest mistake you
made that you could share so others can avoid making it?
Rachel: When I started Under Fire, I
had a really clear idea of what the story was in my head so I just started
writing without a plan – HUGE mistake!
By the time the characters had taken over, it had taken a completely
different turn so I had to ditch about 10,000 words. I then sat down and did a
proper chapter-by-chapter plan which got it back under control.
I’ll always plan out a novel in future before
I start writing it!
Paul: How do you find the time to write?
Rachel: I
need to be disciplined. My new trick is to write on the train into work – I’ve
got a 40 minute journey each way and if I manage to wedge myself into a quiet
corner of a carriage I can get between 500-1200 words down per session.
I try to write something every day, even if
it’s only a few hundred words so I’ll sneak in half an hour each day of a busy
weekend, more if it’s quiet. I also suffer from bouts of insomnia so rather
than fight it, I’ll sit and write for an hour or so rather than waste the time.
Paul: What is one thing you hope I do not tell the
readers?
Rachel: I
think I was the last kid in my class to learn to tie my shoelaces…
Paul: Do you plot your stories or do you just get
an idea and run with it?
Rachel: To
elaborate on the planning I implement now, I started properly on my third novel
last week but only once I had the whole chapter plan listed out with every
single scene drawn up. It’s made it very, very easy to get words on to a page
and get the word count up quickly.
I’ve started using Scrivener for the first
time with this new novel and by copying and pasting each scene at the top of
the chapter I’m working on, I’ve got a quick reference guide to remind me what
I’m supposed to be doing.
It doesn’t stop me from changing things
around as the story develops – it’s just better to be able to see the knock-on
cause and effect of making changes and seeing how the characters will cope.
Paul: Do you do a lot of editing or do you find
that as time goes on your writing is more fully-formed?
Rachel: I
tend to edit grammar and spelling as I go along. I’ve really noticed the
quality of my writing jump considerably between book one and book two – it’s
more confident. The first structural edit won’t happen until I’m about
three-quarters of the way through. Once that’s been done, I tighten up any
scenes and then finish the complete manuscript. I always employ a professional
editor right at the end before publication because by then I’m oblivious to any
typos and bad habits.
Paul: Do you have to do much research for your
stories?
Rachel: Both
White Gold and Under Fire took a lot of research time. Being techno-thrillers, I
really had to make sure that I sounded like I knew what I was talking about – in
order to bend the facts to fit the story, I had to start off with something
plausible. All up, Under Fire took 18
months from start to finish and six months of that was probably made up of
researching facts before I could put pen to paper.
With my third novel, I’m taking a break from
the techno-thrillers and returning to basics. It’ll still be a thriller, but it
means a lot less research, and I’m really enjoying the freedom of writing
something like that.
Rachel: Under
Fire was spawned out of reading an article about the UK’s gas crisis over
the winter of 2010. I felt that it wouldn’t be the last time the government
found themselves in that situation, and what would happen if someone, or an
organization, took advantage of that? Here’s the blurb:-
An explosion rocks a Qatari natural gas
facility… a luxury cruise liner capsizes in the Mediterranean… and someone has
stolen a submarine…
Are the events connected?
Dan Taylor doesn’t believe in coincidences –
all he has to do is convince his superiors they are next in the terrorists’
line of fire.
As Britain enters its worst winter on record,
Dan must elude capture to ensure the country’s energy resources are protected.
At all costs.
In an action-packed adventure, from the
Middle East through the Mediterranean to London, Dan and his team are on a quest
which will test every choice he makes. Assisted by the exotic Antonia Almasi,
Dan realises he faces an adversary far greater than he ever imagined.
And not everyone is going to survive
A video trailer
for the book is on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwSPSM7FT9Y
Paul: How much marketing do you do for your
published works or for your ‘brand’?
Rachel: I’ve
learnt so much since publishing White
Gold! I started planning the marketing for Under Fire about 5 months out from its release, drafting press
releases, organizing a book trailer to be made, and getting postcards made up
with both book covers on which I coerced a few local cafes and independent
bookshops to display. I also spent some
time re-branding my website earlier this year and I’m
really pleased with the results. I do as much as I can around a full-time job
and home life – I think the important thing is to recognize your own
limitations, and that’s where networking with other authors and readers is so
critical to any success. It’s a team effort.
Paul: What do you do when you’re not writing? Do
you have any hobbies or party tricks?
Rachel: I
wish I could spend more time playing guitar – I used to play in bands but the
writing (and marketing) takes up all my creative time at the moment. I’m hoping
to do some songwriting with a mate of mine towards the end of this year and I’m
just going to have to be very disciplined with my spare time so I get the
chance to do that.
I love going to the cinema and live music,
and I’ve just started learning to ride a motorbike. I should probably learn to
calm down a bit but I don’t want to get to my old age and wish I’d done
something, so I tend to try and take on everything now – ask anyone who know
me!
Paul: Thanks, Rachel, that was wonderful, and brings a good close to this series of interviews. I wish you every success for the future.
After returning to writing, Rachel enjoyed publication success both in Australia and the United Kingdom with her short stories.
In August 2011, Rachel published her first thriller, 'White Gold', as an eBook with a paperback version being released in 2012.
A further Dan Taylor thriller, 'Under Fire', is scheduled for release in August 2013, while two independent projects are currently being researched.
Rachel's Website: Rachel Amphlett
Rachel on Twitter: @RachelAmphlett
Rachel on Facebook: Rachel Amphlett
Rachel's latest book: Under Fire (Amazon)
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