Rebecca Wenrich Wheeler interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

A little introduction:

I’m Mom by heart, partnered with a physicist, a teacher and counselor by trade, a rescuer of cats, who possesses the pulse of a writer and a soul of a gardener.

When did your love of books begin?

Not to sound trite, but as far back as I can remember. According to my mom, my first favorite books were Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? And Sesame Street’s There’s a Monster at the End of This Book. The first book I can remember reading by myself is Charlotte’s Web in the second grade. Books were my friends. I grew up in a very small town (37 people in my public school graduating class small), and books offered a whole world of experiences and characters I could relate to.

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

I have wanted to be a writer since elementary school. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Hodge, encouraged us to write our own stories. She entered my story, The Funny Cat, into the Young Author’s contest. I won first place, and my dream was born. In the eighth grade, we were asked to write our life plan, and I wrote that I would earn a master’s degree and write a book before I was 30 (only one of those things happened “on schedule”).

How have you found the process for becoming an author?

It’s a study in perseverance.

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

Remember what you loved to do as a child and tap into it again, maybe it was drawing, playing a sport or the piano, or executing science experiments. Tapping into those experiences will help you connect with that childlike wonder and creativity, two traits crucial to writing.

Tell us about your book/books:

I enjoy exploring the complexities of relationships, particularly family relationships. As a teacher and counselor, I find it so important to model what healthy relationships look like, which can be done through fiction. Additionally, my work is infused with the human connection to nature. (And, apparently, I like book titles that start with “W”, which is understandable considering I possess two W names!)

I am a member of SCBWI Carolinas chapter. I can’t say enough positive things about my writing community, most of which I have never met in person. I find it so helpful to be in a community with like-minded creatives. I don’t call writing a hobby, rather it is something my body needs to do, just like my body needs to exercise.

➢ When Daddy Shows Me the Sky (picture book) from Belle Isle Books, released 11.19.21

In When Daddy Shows Me the Sky, a father and daughter spend their evenings practicing yoga together under the night sky. Through spring, summer, fall, and winter, they learn the names of the constellations and model their yoga poses after the stars' unique shapes.

➢ Whispering Through Water (YA) from Monarch Educational Services, released 1.4.23

Whispering Through Water navigates family dynamics, young love, and female autonomy with a little 1990s nostalgia.

➢ When Mama Grows with Me (picture book) from Belle Isle Books (releases Summer 2023)

In When Mama Grows with Me, a mama and her son create their own garden, starting with just a few small seeds and ending with a beautiful display of flowers.

Learn the value of patience and practice some fun yoga poses in this beautifully illustrated children’s book.

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

A whole lot of love is poured into my books, and I hope my readers feel that as they read!

Where can people connect with you?

Instagram: @rebeccawwheeler_author

Twitter: @RWW_author 

www.rebeccawwheeler.com There is a contact form on my website if people are interested in contacting me for events.