Interview with Rachael Brownell
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I am excited to talk with Rachael Brownell and celebrate the release of A Moment Too Late. This is sure to be an emotionally charged forbidden romance that you won’t want to put down. Plus.. how cute is this cover??
Falling in love can happen in the blink of an eye.
I fell for Jay the moment I laid eyes on him. Was drawn to him in a way I’d never been drawn to a man before. He was everything I wanted. The man I dreamed about at night and looked for everywhere I turned just for a glimpse of his perfection.
But I couldn’t have him.
It was against the rules. Forbidden.
He was my best friend’s boyfriend. I would never do that to her.
Then she died.
Looking at him became painful, bringing back memories of the reason we couldn’t be together. The reason I never pursued him.
I had to move on and vowed never to look back in an attempt to escape him and the devastation in my heart.
Yet here I stand, five years later, staring into the eyes of the man I still want. In the place I swore I’d never return to. With memories assaulting me from every angle.
He’s still the picture of perfection in my eyes, making our attraction even more dangerous than it once was.
The only difference… No one is standing in our way this time.
HEA Novel Thoughts: What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t wearing your author hat?
Rachael Brownell: Oh, man. This is a tough one. It feels like I never take my author hat off sometimes. I read A LOT when I’m not writing. Mostly books in my genre but also books on craft. I also enjoying golfing. I’m not very good but I love it when the Michigan weather cooperates, and I can sneak away to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls or play nine holes.
HEA: What is the most recent book to make you cry?
RB: Books don’t tend to make me cry. I mean, there have been a few but nothing comes to mind off the top of my head. I blame Molly McAdams for this. After reading Taking Chances – that book destroyed me – I tend to emotionally distance myself from characters if I think something bad is going to happen to them.
HEA: What would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal? Why?
RB: Maybe the hippo. My grandma and I were incredibly close and she was a huge fan of hippos. She collected knickknacks of hippos and when she passed, my grandpa let me choose which two I wanted. I have a musical one and a coin bank. They’re in my office and it makes me feel like she’s always with me. If you look up what it means online, this is what you get: strength, protection, wisdom, hard-working, fertile and balance.
HEA: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
RB: Trying to think like a man. I swear I’ll never figure them out. I used to ask my husband “what would you do” all the time or “what would you say” but he doesn’t like playing that game anymore. 😊 Now, I look to my coworkers, I watch and observe them, and think about what they might do or say. It’s actually kind of fun, people watching.
HEA: Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?
RB: Sometimes. If the situation fits. I can only think of one instance off the top of my head.
HEA: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
RB: I was crazy productive during covid lockdown as I was off from my day job. I ended up writing 3.5 books during the first 12-week lockdown and another 3 during the second 12 weeks. During ‘normal’ times, I can write a book start to finish in about 3 weeks, as long as the story is flowing. The shortest it’s ever taken me was 8 days.
HEA: If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?
RB: Younger, as in teenager? I’d tell her to focus more on her writing and less on a career she ‘thinks’ will pay the bills. To go after her dreams. If you’re talking about my early authoring days… I’d preach patience. This is a marathon, not a sprint. I’m constantly reminding myself to slow down.
HEA: Do you have any tips or hacks that help you stay organized in life, writing or social media?
RB: I’m going to pat myself on the back right now, and my PA would concur with this statement. I am HIGHLY organized. I have spreadsheets and tracking documents for everything stored in Google Docs. I should invest in stock in legal pads with as many as I go through in a month. From to-do lists for every aspect of my life, to checklists and notes for my work in progress. I plan my social media strategy months in advance and change it up every six weeks or so. I also created book bibles, character bibles, and productivity trackers that are spiral bound and currently have five sitting on my desk, in use. They help me streamline my writing process – this is as close to a plotter as I’ll ever get – keep details straight and keep me on track with my writing. But the one thing I could never live without is my planner. And if anyone is look for a rec on a great planner, especially for authors, check out Andlo Planners. I have mine account set up to auto ship every six months so I never go a day without mine. I’d be lost.
HEA: Do you relate more to one of your characters than the others?
RB: I think there’s a little bit of me in every character I write. As I’ve grown and matured, as an author, mother, wife, and person, so have my characters. I’ve learned things about myself over the years and I like to put my characters integrity, strength, and perseverance to the test. If I had to choose just one character, I’d say I’m most like Becca from my first book, Holding On. For that book I drew on a lot of personal experience.
HEA: If a reader discovers your books today, where would you recommend they start reading?
RB: I’ve recommended either Worth the Fight (friends to lovers romance), Love or Lust (new adult romance trilogy), or A Moment Too Late (small-town, second-chance romance). I’m most proud of these three books but also, they’re the ones that have received the most praise from readers.
