Rebecca Johnson interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

Hello! I’m an indie novelist living off-grid on a mountain in northern Spain. Three of my short stories have been traditionally published online, and my self-published debut novel, ’The Immaculate’, comes out in April 2022.

When did your love of books begin?

In childhood. I loved The Hungry Caterpillar so much that apparently I tried to eat it! I was a huge fan of Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton as a child. I went on to study languages and become a translator - never too far way from books and words.

When did you start to have the wish to become an author?

The desire was always there, but the self belief wasn’t. As a teenager I couldn’t help but write. I kept diaries and started a few stories, but people laughed when I showed them so I lost confidence. I started writing seriously when I became ill with multiple sclerosis aged 36 in the final year of my doctoral studies, which ended my academic career before it had begun. I was walking down the street in Manchester one day and the penny dropped - if I could successfully complete a PhD thesis while suffering MS fatigue, I could write a novel. Not only that, but I needed to write a novel to escape the world of pain I had entered into.

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It has been a long, slow, painful, and joyous road. It is the only work I feel able to do, because of my illness, but it’s also the best thing I could imagine doing even if I wasn’t ill. I’m almost grateful to my MS for forcing me to take the leap! Writing has kept my spirit alive during the hardest time of my life. 

What would you say to those wanting to become an author?

Just write! Keep writing. Everything counts - fiction, non-fiction, emails, reports, translations, letters… You’re continually adding to your toolbox and fluency. But don’t forget to read as well. And most importantly don’t forget to live your life with curiosity and openness - there’s no point having a nice turn of phrase if you don’t have any stories to tell.

Tell us about your book/books:

My debut novel ’The Immaculate’ is a celebration of the times I spent living in Mexico in my twenties, as well as an exploration of some quite far-out theories connected to new archaeological discoveries - in particular Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, which connects to the Olmec culture in Mexico via shared iconography. The main character, Esther, is adopted and a bit of a lost soul. She goes on holiday to Mexico City with some friends and, amid the drama of the trip, gets drawn into an unusual quest for lost origins. It’s funny and quirky, and quite outlandish in places. After writing a PhD thesis, which was so restrictive and serious, I relished spreading my fictional wings. I dived fully into my imagination and swam beyond our accepted paradigm, and this is what came out!

What do you love about the writing/reading community?

I have two writing/reading communities. One is Tindal Street Fiction Group in my hometown of Birmingham, and the other is on Twitter. I love the support and acceptance they offer, as well as all the information and guidance. I would never have self-published if it weren’t for Twitter, and I would never have been traditionally published if it weren’t for Tindal St.

If you could say anything to your readers what would it be?

Thank you for reading my book! I really hope you enjoyed it.

Where can people connect with you?

On Twitter (@rebekajah) or my website: rebeccaaudreyjohnson.com