YA Author Rendezvous

An Interview with Rebecca Jaycox

By: Michelle Lynn

What are the titles of your work and can you tell us a bit about them?

I’ve written the first two books of my planned trilogy, “The Inheritance Series.” The first book is “The Other Inheritance,” and the second book is “The Other Queen.” The books are about seventeen-year-old Reggie Lange, who longs to be a normal girl but discovers she has extraordinary powers. The awesome book description says it better than I could.

One girl. Two worlds. Hunted in both.
Seventeen-year-old Reggie Lang is used to dealing with her alcoholic mother and fighting school bullies, but fate has thrown her a curve ball.
A biker dude shows up in her dreams, babbling about magic and a world called the Other. As the incidents keep piling up—like bringing a frog back to life in class—Reggie has to confront the mounting evidence that she’s not the normal girl she craves to be.
Reggie’s life is changing, and she has no idea why. Or whether she should believe the man in her dreams, who claims she’s in danger and that only he can keep her safe. But if there’s one thing Reggie will learn, nowhere is safe.

Who’s your favorite character from your books?

Brwyn, my Elf Changeling. He’s fun, powerful, and sexy. He wasn’t created until the third draft, but I’m so glad I went with my gut.

Fantasy is an exciting, but incredibly challenging genre to write in. What made you choose it to start your writing career?

It chose me. I discovered Star Wars at age 10 and never looked back. I might try contemporary fiction one day, but right now I’m sold on fantasy.

In The Other Inheritance, you’ve created an entirely new world full of magic and also a lot of danger. Can you tell us a little about your world building process?

When I start to write, I sketch out a rough outline of my world and then when I dig into the chapters I start filling in the details. Since my world is magicpunk, I like to look at steampunk images for inspiration.

What was your biggest challenge in writing a story that takes place in a world entirely of your own making?

Keeping track of the details! To make a complete world, you have to have rules and then keep track of those rules.

What authors have inspired you to write?

Some of my favorite genre authors are Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Anne Bishop, and Maggie Stiefvater. They write such exciting urban fantasy and fantasy fiction, and I try to measure up to their talents. I haven’t quite gotten there, but they are definitely writers I aspire to be.

What age were you when you started writing?

Ten.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Yes! It’s the worst. I can’t write and then I feel guilty about it. Talk about a vicious cycle.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I usually have a rough outline to start with that gives me the freedom to be a pantser a little during the process.

Do you ever get sad when you realize that the characters that you’ve created aren’t real?

Sure. I’d love to get a drink with Brywn.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

“The Other Queen” just came out on April 1. It’s the second book in my “Inheritance” series, and I’m very excited about it.

One world. Two girls. An evil determined to destroy them both.
Reggie has escaped the dark mage, Andrius, and finally made it to her guardian, Rhys. But if she thought things would be easier, fate has other plans.
Her father’s situation is more dire than she first thought, and she learns her mother and best friend are being held hostage by Andrius.
Her dreams are being haunted by the Black Queen, a bizarre, terrified girl begging for Reggie to save her. With her loved ones’ lives hanging in the balance, Reggie and her friends race to devise a plan to defeat Andrius. And the Black Queen could provide the key to breaking the dark mage’s hold on the Other.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

Never give up. It will happen. And always try to improve your craft. Find a writing group and listen.

Do you have any strange writing habits?

Um, I can no longer write on my computer. I wrote my latest release “The Other Queen” by hand.

What others are saying about Rebecca Jaycox:

“The excitement and the danger at every turn. It doesn’t let up. I love these kinds of stories- full of magic and adventure. Ms. Jaycox does a brilliant job of including the mystical element without making the book too fantastical and unreal.”

“This book is amazing. It is great to see a female like Reggie who is strong and brave and doesn’t need a man. The character and world building are just amazing.”

“Jaycox’s writing flows effortlessly and draws you completely into the story. Her descriptive passages make you feel as if you are actually in this ‘Other’ world. There was never a dull moment. Chase scenes, magic battles, and hateful evil villains. What more could you ask for?”

You can find more about Rebecca Jaycox at her YAAR page HERE.

Find her on Goodreads HERE.

Find her on Facebook HERE.

Don’t forget to check out more of the blog posts and interviews from YAAR HERE.