Author Interview with Rebecca Forster - Author of The Witness Series which contains (so far) 5 Legal Thrillers.
Rebecca Forster is a USA Today best selling author with more than 20 books traditionally and now also self-published - and if you ask her where all those words came from she'd be hard pressed to tell you. All she knows is that she wakes up with a story in her head and goes to bed the same way.
Her specialty is legal thrillers and The Witness Series, featuring the beach-rat, volleyball playing attorney Josie Bates and her teenage ward, Hannah, who have really captured readers' imaginations. But she also likes to stretch the thriller genre a bit. Before Her Eyes, for instance, has a fantasy element intertwined with a murder mystery. Wilde's Gamble is a romantic suspense.
Interview with Rebecca Forster
 |
| Author Rebecca Forster |
Rebecca Forster: Until I wrote my first novel, my writing background consisted of research papers in high school, college and graduate school and marketing plans for my clients. I never kept journals or wrote poetry or short stories. I am a late bloomer where writing is concerned but I have always been an avid reader. Perhaps, the thought of writing was always in the back of my mind.
Who are your favorite writers, your favorite books, and who or what are your writing influences?
Dr. Suess's work inspired me because he was never afraid to celebrate his unique voice. I love Thing One and Thing Two. The Nancy Drew series piqued my interest as a child. Those book made me aware that a girl could be cool. Stephen King's work - especially Needful Things - because he took chances and is a master of characterization. An Indie author David Wieshart is my most recent addition to my list. He wrote Devil's Lair and I admire how intelligent his work is. Carl Haaisen. It's hard to write funny and he is so funny.
"I found my passion because a door opened unexpectedly [...]"
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
I never thought I wanted to be a writer. It wasn't until I met my client's wife, Danielle Steel, that the thought occurred to me. I made an off-handed comment that "I bet I could write a book." A colleague dared me to do it and the rest is history. I found my passion because a door opened unexpectedly and without planning. I walked through it. Makes me believe that I was meant to do this all along.
Tell us about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine?
I work all the time because I love what I do. I'm a very curious sort, so everything I see and hear and experience is filed away in my writer's brain. On a daily basis I get up at 5:30, do some chores, get down to my 'office' (a coffee shop where I've been going to write for 14 years) and start work by 7:30. I answer emails for about an hour, write or edit for the next 4 or 5 then go home and fix dinner. In the evening I do social media, answer emails that come through the website and do the business things a writer must do. Once a book is written, I will do full edits many times. Sometimes I delete pages and even chapters and start again. I think because I come from a corporate background I thrive within structure. Because I was traditionally published for so long, I work better under a deadline even if it is self-imposed. I wish I was one of those authors who could work in my pajamas from home and get it right on the first draft.
"The hardest part is objective editing."
What do you find easiest about writing? What the hardest?
Wow, I'm not sure there is anything truly easy about writing. I suppose the least stressful part for me is coming up with an idea. Once I have a theme and a title the story unfolds fairly easily. These two things have to line up, though, so I know why the characters are motivated. The hardest part is objective editing. Sometimes I have to admit what I've spent weeks writing just isn't correct. It's hard to hit that delete key when I've highlighted a whole chapter.
Rebecca, please tell us a little about your Legal Thrillers 'The Witness Series'.
The Witness Series was a happy surprise. Originally, Hostile Witness was written as a single title, stand-alone book. It was an editor at Penguin Putnam who suggested a series. Sadly, she took another job and the series wasn't continued. When the digital revolution happened I took a chance and republished the three existing books. I couldn't believe it when the series placed in the top ten on the U.S. and U.K. Amazon legal thrillers. Readers were writing to say how invested they were in the characters. Since that time I've written Expert Witness and just published Eyewitness. Now I'm starting on book six. These characters have touched a chord with readers because they are star-crossed. Josie is a never-married, volley-ball playing, beach-living attorney; Archer, her lover, is a widower and ex-cop; Hannah, Josie's sixteen-year-old ward, is a composite of kids I've observed. She is a multi-cultural girl struggling to grow up in a world filled with familial uncertainty. It is wonderful to get a letter telling me that the reader is pulling for these three to become a family even in the face of their dramatic situations.
.jpg "Eyewitness - Rebecca Forster") | |
| Eyewitness - Hot New Release - Click to Read an Excerpt |
What inspired you to write the books?
Each book in this series has its own inspiration. Hostile Witness was inspired by a case my husband (a judge) had in which he sentenced a sixteen-year-old boy as an adult. It got me thinking about how I felt about children being tried as an adult. Silent Witness was inspired by a personal view of a father fighting for his rights in a divorce. Privileged Witness is a look at politics and money in the law. Expert Witness is about how lawyers can destroy the lives of victims and their survivors in the name of justice. Eyewitness grew out of a visit I took to Albania to see my son, a Peace Corps volunteer. This is a story of ancient law colliding with our modern idea of justice. The next book will be about time and whether the passage of it negates the seriousness of a crime.
"I try very hard to keep the action fast-paced [...]"
Who do you see as your target audience and where can we buy the books?
Any reader who likes thrillers will hopefully like both my series work and my stand alone books. I try very hard to keep the action fast-paced while creating characters with depth and purpose.
How would you describe the success of your books so far?
I had a wonderful career working with New York publishers but the success I am experiencing as an indie author is phenomenal. Success can be measured in many ways, though. The first is, of course, by the number of people who put my work on their reading list. I am aware of how many authors they have to choose from and having my books chosen is a fantastic feeling. But there is also a professional success that can't be measured. I am re-energized as an author. There is nothing between me and a reader which allows for instant feedback. My creative decisions are my own. This is an amazing second act.
How long did it take it to write the books?
It takes me about a year. I appreciate that readers would like me to go faster, but I try to make sure each new book is just a little better than the last. Growing in my craft is as important as staying true to the series characters.
Please, tell us where you self-published the books.
All my books are available on Amazon, at the iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, Sony, etc. The Witness Series (5 books), Keeping Counsel, and Before Her Eyes are also available in print from Amazon. Hostile Witness and Silent Witness are available in audio at Audible.com and iTunes.
How smooth went the self-publishing process? Any issues? What are things to look for when self-publishing a book?
Oh, goodness, initially the process was awful. I am not computer savvy and there were many formatting mistakes. Readers were quick to alert me. My learning curve was steep. All is well now and the online publishers are making the process more understandable all the time.
Did you hire an editor and/or Cover Designer for your book?
I have worked with a freelance editor my entire career. She helped me hash out stories before I would present them to my agent and editor in New York. Now that I'm an indie she is even more important to me. You'll see my thanks to Jenny Jensen in every book. She's tough and honest and that is critical input for the indie author. I used to do covers on my own but I now work with a lovely lady at DesignCatStudio.com. Her name is Caitlin.
"Readers are very sophisticated and authors need to be respectful of that."
Can you give some tips for other Indie Authors regarding the writing and self-publishing process?
An indie author should be aware that writing is a craft. They should write the best book they can, be able to communicate what the book is about and know their genre. Before they hit 'publish' they should have a fresh and honest eye look at their work. Finally, they need to listen to input, analyze it and implement it if it makes sense. Readers are very sophisticated and authors need to be respectful of that.
Are you working on another book project? Can you tell us a little about it?
Forgotten Witness is next up and it focuses on Josie Bates. I have split the main characters up and I may move into a trilogy with Hannah after Forgotten Witness is done. It will be a while before I get them all back in Hermosa Beach again. I also have 4 stand alone projects but they are on the back burner until the next witness book is done.
"My plan is to move forward as an indie."
Are you planning to move forward as an Indie author or are you looking forward to have one of your next books to be (again) traditionally published?
My plan is to move forward as an indie. I do have an agent who is representing me overseas. I do not have the expertise to understand foreign markets and to handle translation. Hostile Witness (Temoin Hostile) just came out in France and that was awfully exciting. But I will continue as an indie for my books published in English. However, I never say never about anything in life.
Where do you see the book market in 5 or 10 years? Will there be only eBooks and will book stores disappear like record stores disappeared?
I hope bookstores won't disappear, but I do think the scales have already tipped in favor of digital reading. I think we'll see the European model of bookstores - indies with distinct personalities. The consumer has also changed. New readers are learning on digital devices. I do think the era of the mega bookstore is over for a long time. That's a pity because going to be the bookstore used to be a Saturday night date for my husband and me.
"I also teach every now and again at UCLA Writers Program [...]"
Do you write full-time or do you have a day job?
I was an advertising executive for the first ten years of my writing career and had two babies at home. Those were sleepless times. I have been writing full time for eighteen years now. I also teach every now and again at UCLA Writers Program, I volunteer to talk about writing in schools, I speak at writers conferences. The latter is my favorite thing to do. I love meeting aspiring writers and readers.
How can readers connect with you?
Contact me through my website: http://www.rebeccaforster.com
Twitter: @Rebecca_Forster
Facebook: Fans of Rebecca Forster (a lively group of authors and readers)
Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com
Thank you very much for the Interview, Rebecca
About the Legal Thrillers The Witness Series
Hostile Witness - (Book #1 of The Witness Series)
Legal Thriller
TODAY FREE !
When sixteen-year-old Hannah Sheraton is arrested for the murder of her stepgrandfather, the chief justice of the California Supreme court, her distraught mother turns to her old college roommate, Josie Baylor-Bates, for help. Josie, once a hot-shot criminal defense attorney, left the fast track behind for a small practice in Hermosa Beach, California. But Hannah Sheraton intrigues her and, when the girl is charged as an adult, Josie cannot turn her back. But the deeper she digs the more Josie realizes that politics, the law and family relationships create a combustible and dangerous situation. When the horrible truth is uncovered it can save Hannah Sheraton or destroy them both.
"This story was inspired by a case my husband handled. As a superior court judge he had to sentence a minor to life in prison. It made me wonder how I felt about minors arrested for violent crimes. Are they most vulnerable among us - capable or horrible violence, perceived as adults and yet emotionally still children?" Rebecca Forster
.jpg)
Silent Witness - (Book #2 of The Witness Series)
Legal Thriller
Josie Baylor-Bates has a full plate caring for a troubled teen, but it's about to get fuller when her ex-cop lover, Archer, is accused of murdering his disabled stepson - a son Josie never knew he had. When Timothy Wren died at California's oldest amusement park it appeared to be a tragic accident. But now Timothy's biological father and the district attorney are out for blood. Is this a criminal action with merit, a vendetta or is there a big cash settlement in the offing?
For Josie the stakes are higher - it's personal. Racing against time to prove someone is framing Archer, her faith in him is tested by his honesty regarding his feelings about his stepson. Finally, she finds the truth lies with not in Archer's words but with a long-forgotten silent witness.
.jpg)
Privileged Witness - (Book #3 of The Witness Series)
Legal Thriller
Grace McCreary swears she tried to stop her sister-in-law from jumping from her penthouse balcony but the police have a different take on the situation. They arrest Grace for murder which puts her brother, Senatorial candidate Matthew McCreary, in a spotlight he doesn't relish. Nor is he thrilled when Grace seeks out his former lover, Josie Baylor-Bates, to act as her defense attorney. Josie, who has sworn off rich clients, agrees to defend Grace but even she isn't sure why. She swears she believes in the woman innocence but in her heart she wants to prove that Matthew made a mistake letting her go.
Stepping back into the world of privilege and power, forced to face her feelings for a man she once loved, Josie is determined to win this case - even if she looses everything she holds dear.
"Living in Los Angeles makes one aware that the rich have a leg up in our legal system. People of privilege have a lot to protect and people they love can be at the end of the list." Rebecca Forster
-.jpg)
Expert Witness - (Book #4 of The Witness Series)
Legal Thriller
It’s two in the morning when Hannah Sheraton slips into Archer’s Hermosa Beach apartment to see if Josie Bates sleeps in his bed. But Josie isn’t there. In fact, Josie isn’t anywhere. When her Jeep is found abandoned in a parking lot near the Redondo pier, the only clue to her whereabouts leads Archer to Daniel Young, an expert witness for the prosecution in the case that made Josie’s reputation as a defense attorney ten years earlier. Fighting to keep Hannah from being taken into custody by child protective services, racing against a clock ticking off the minutes of Josie’s life, Archer reluctantly partners with Daniel Young and a rogue Hermosa Beach detective, Liz Driscoll, to race down a winding road of intrigue. From the Hollywood Hills to the glitzy evangelical enclave of Orange County; the seedy side of Los Angeles to the pristine and remote California mountains, Archer bores into the past. What he finds is that the woman he loves was once a ruthless and hated defense attorney, that the system he believes in has released a double murderer, and that there is more than one person who would be happy if Josie Bates was never seen again.
-.jpg)
Eyewitness - (Book #5 of The Witness Series)
Legal Thriller
HOT NEW RELEASE
In the dead of night, Josie Bates is ripped from sleep by the sounds of an epic storm raging over Hermosa Beach and a man beating on her door begging her to help Billy Zuni who is drowning in the raging sea. She arrives at the shore just in time to see the teenager pulled from the water, battered and near death. Ready to kill Billy’s selfish, neglectful mother, Josie rushes to the Zuni house only to find someone has beaten her to it. Two men lie dead downstairs and Billy’s mother clings to life on the floor above. Spurred on by Hannah’s fear that Billy will be framed for the murders, Josie takes up his defense. But Billy is evasive, physical evidence points to his guilt, and the county counsel wants him committed to the state. With the clock ticking, Archer and Josie set out to find the mysterious man who can vouch for Billy’s whereabouts at the time of the murders. What they find instead is a web of intrigue and deceit that stretches half way around the world and an eyewitness who is blinded by a justice Josie cannot understand.
Links to the Books
Link to Rebecca Forster's Books on Amazon with Excerpts
Link to the eBook Hostile Witness (Book #1 of The Witness Series) - TODAY FREE !
No comments:
Post a Comment