Today’s blog guest is Rebekah Millet, one of my fellow contemporary romance authors and member of my fantastic writing tribe. Rebekah and I met through a couple of ACFW contests, and were able to meet in person at the ACFW Conference last fall, where we shared what may have been the most awkward hug ever (I had my cello on my back).
Welcome, Rebekah! Thanks so much for being here and letting us get to know you a little better!
Thank you so much for having me! I’m super excited to be here!
You are a native of New Orleans, which is a place I’ve never been but would love to visit. What was your favorite part of growing up there? If you have a least favorite thing about it, what would that be?
My favorite part of growing up down here (and this won’t be a shock to you), is the FOOD. In particular, there’s nothing like fresh beignets from Café du Monde. I have many a memory of my mom raising that deep-fried pastry to her mouth and then “fake sneezing” the powdered sugar all over me. Of course that tradition continued on with my kiddos.
(Note: Rebekah was kind enough to send me a box of Café du Monde beignet mix, and they are as delectable as described.)
My least favorite thing, hands down, is the humidity and what it does to my hair. For those Friends fans out there, just imagine the episode where Monica went to Barbados. That’s me.
Bwahaha. Summer in Kansas can be like that, too.
What does your writing routine look like? What are the biggest challenges that crop up when making time to write?
Well, I do accounting work four days a week (with my husband no less, and we actually love it). That leaves me with one full weekday dedicated to writing. I squeeze extra hours in on the other days and the weekends. The biggest challenge in making time to write is the unpredictability of my kids. But as they’ve grown, that’s gotten easier.
What was the inspiration for Under Southern Stars, your award-winning contemporary romance? What was the most significant thing you learned during the writing process?
I wish I had some profound answer, but honestly, I was in my kitchen, snapping green beans and my mind started wandering. I’ve always adored books and movies based in the south (Hello Steel Magnolias), and knew I wanted the setting based on my surroundings and culture. What’s most surprising is that I originally wrote Under Southern Stars as a secular romance. There were some early readers who’d told me it needed to be steamier, and for that genre, they were correct. But doing that never sat right with me (Looking back now, I know I was being convicted). I actually stopped writing for a while because I’d lost all taste for it. And then one day it hit me like BAM! Christian romance! From that instant, my zeal for writing took off and I rewrote the book.
If you could have coffee/tea/gratuitous amounts of bad-for-you food with any author, living or dead, who would you pig out with? What would you ask him or her?
It would have to be coffee. I reason with myself that tea is healthier, but when it comes down to it, I pour the coffee. And this is a hard question because there are so many to choose from! But I think I’d go with getting our own little writing tribe (Hey Robyn & Rachel!) together for a Pop-tart feeding frenzy. I’d love to have some uninterrupted time just to catch up.
Awwwww!!!! That is SO SWEET. And yes, I would love that! We’ve got to make it happen sometime. I’ll bring the Pop-Tarts, you bring the beignets. (The picture below is our tribe at the 2017 ACFW Gala. Rachel McDaniel couldn’t make it in person, so Rebekah put her author photo on a Wonder Woman figurine!)
What is the highlight of your writing career so far?
Being a finalist for the 2017 Genesis award is probably the best thing to happen. And not just for the recognition. I had been on the fence about attending the ACFW conference, and through several ways, God opened my eyes to His will. I obeyed and went. Numerous true and wonderful connections were made during that time, and I think that’s why He sent me.
And I’m so glad He did!
What is the funniest thing that’s happened to you during your writing career so far?
I should’ve expected this question from you 😉 Every time I think about this story I chuckle. During a meeting with a local Christian writers group, we were reading one page from our WIP’s aloud. That day a surprise pastor was there, sitting right across from me. I’d wanted to switch the page I’d brought, but it was all I’d had on me. It was my heroine’s POV. . .“His plain white undershirt slightly stretched across his muscled chest and his faded jeans fit just right. Not too tight, not too loose.” . . . I was the only one at the time who wrote Christian romance, so we all had a good laugh. But the pastor blessedly had a great sense of humor and even complimented my work.
How can we pray for you?
Now you’ve made me tear up. This is such a sweet thing to ask, and a reason why I LOVE the Christian writing community. I’d ask that you pray for my husband’s heart condition, and for me to know and do what God wants me to do.
You got it!
Rebekah is offering a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky soul who signs up for her author newsletter during the next week. The winner will be posted here and on my social media pages the following Wednesday, April 4. Click here to subscribe!
About Rebekah: Rebekah Millet is an award-winning author of contemporary Christian romance novels. Although she considers herself a plot-driven writer, her characters have a tendency to hijack her plans. A New Orleans native, she loves injecting her colorful culture into her stories. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where she frequently interacts with followers and fangirls over her own favorite authors. You can also check out her website.