Interview with Rebecca Benston

Author of the Rona Shively series

 

Who or what inspired you to create Rona Shively? 

 Rona is actually a composite of some of my favorite characters.  She’s also a little like myself.  I’m an avid mystery reader and some of my favorites are Kinsey Millhone, Stephanie Plum and Lisa Scottoline’s Bennie Rosato.  Rona has the quiet intensity of Kinsey, the sassy attitude of Stephanie Plum and the independent streak of Bennie Rosato.  She get’s her sense of humor from me, though.
 

What do you like most about series writing? 

I like having the opportunity to make my characters grow and evolve.  I wanted to write a series that captured what it’s like to go through life with all of its ups and downs.  Rona is a very real character who reacts to things in much the same way I might react to them.  You’ll see more of this in book three when she is dealing with her father’s illness.  Rona’s emotional side will be coming through loud and clear and I’m hoping that you’ll have to have a box of tissues beside you just to get through it. 
 

When did you decide to start writing, and what made you want to write? 

 I have been writing for as long as I can remember.  I started with poetry, and then evolved to writing songs, and finally, I began to create characters and plots that I just couldn’t let go of until I had them on the page.  This has been almost a lifelong pursuit and I can’t imagine life without writing.
 

What other writers do you enjoy reading and why? 

I read Lisa Scottoline, Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton and Sarah Strohmeyer almost religiously.  When I’m up to it, I tackle James Patterson, J.A. Konrath, and Patricia Cornwell.  I really have to be in a good place to read the latter three.  They can get downright scary.  I’m never disappointed by these authors and I feel that I have learned a lot from reading their work.  Anytime I can learn from something, it becomes something that I truly enjoy.
 

What do you do for writers block? 

I let it ride.  Sometimes, you just have to step away from it and wait for inspiration to strike again.  It may take an hour; it may take a couple of months.  I just try to do other things that are related to editing or promoting my writing while I’m getting recharged so that I never forget how important it is to me.  I think that staying connected to your work in some capacity is the key.  Even if you’re not actually writing new pages. 
 

What has been your best writing experience so far? 

I think that so far, my best experience was placing in a Writer’s Digest contest.  Although I was only #23 out of the top 25, that’s something.  The cool thing about it was that I did so with a story that came from personal observation.  It meant so much for me to write it and then to be recognized for the piece.  The only thing better than that is hearing someone tell you that they really enjoyed reading your book!
 

What’s next for you, and Rona Shively? 

 As I said, Rona is going through some emotional stuff in Keeping the Faith.  It has been so emotional, in fact that I have had to step away from it a few times.  My year hasn’t been so great personally and some of what I was writing was hitting too close to home.  I’m sure that by the end of this year, we’ll both (Rona and I) be ready for number four! 
 

Aside from that, I’m going to keep writing short stories and articles.  I have lots of opinions and it’s not uncommon for me to be perturbed by something and then turn around and write an article over at Associated Content or on my blog.  While I love writing mystery, I also want to focus my attention on getting some opinions out there and writing the occasional substantive article on women’s issues.  I have a women’s self-esteem book in the works and some other autobiographical stuff I’m compiling.  One day, I hope to write something that will not only be entertaining, but also helpful to others.  



Thanks for your time Rebecca!