Interview with Rebecca Roland

Which of your characters would you most like to meet in real life, and where would the two of you hang out?
 
I would love to meet Tuvin, who is a Jegudun who we meet in Shards of History. Jeguduns are sort of like real life gargoyles, protecting the Taakwa Valley and the people who live there. They’re intelligent and kind and funny, and even though they look fierce, they’d just as soon invite you in for tea.
 
As for where we’d hang out, that would probably be along the Columbia River Gorge where Tuvin would have plenty of room to show off his flying skills. And, it’s just a beautiful place with lots of views and plenty of waterfalls, lots of great hiking. I wouldn’t mind hiking to the top of a waterfall if Tuvin would be kind enough to carry up some goodies for a picnic.

Favorite snack or drink while writing?
 
That depends on the time of day! If I’m writing in the morning, coffee is my go-to. I make my own, add some Splenda (I know, it’s probably slowing killing me, but I avoid sugar as much as possible for reasons) and some whole milk, or creamer if we have it. There are lots of great coffee roasters in the Pacific Northwest, so there are plenty of tasty coffees to choose from.
 
If I’m writing in the afternoon or evening, either tea or Coke Zero are my choices. If it’s not too late, I go for the caffeine. Otherwise, herbal tea it is, again with whole milk and Splenda, along with honey. Right now I’m working my way through a local blackberry honey.

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What else have you published recently?
 
Most recently a piece of flash fiction titled “A Singing on the Verdigris River” came out in Tree and Stone. I belong to an online writing group, Codex, and every January the group hosts a flash fiction competition called Weekend Warrior. For five weekends, writers choose from one of several prompts that are put up Friday night and turn in a story Sunday night. Other participants read and judge during the week. “A Singing on the Verdigris River” came out of my mashing up a couple of the prompts. One prompt had to do with a chase involving an unusual means of transportation (in this case, a keelboat), and the other had to do with colors, I think. At any rate, I have more fun and come up with better stories when I mash a couple of prompts together.
 
I have another flash piece coming out at some point in Daily Science Fiction. I’m pretty excited about that one because I’ve submitted to DSF fourteen times, and this is my first acceptance. Sadly, they’re going on hiatus later this year, so this is probably my first and only piece to come out there. Look out for “Wild and Free, the Moon and Blood,” a story about menopausal lycanthropy.
 
What are you working on now?
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I’ve been working on a stand-alone fantasy novel featuring an older protagonist—a single mother, and a former swordswoman. I enjoy the Chosen One trope, so I played around with it, asking myself what would happen if, for a change, the Chosen One was an adult with responsibilities (kids, a home to care for, a job… you know, super serious adult stuff). I thought it would really suck to get that poke from the universe right smack in the middle of one’s life. On the other hand, it makes for a heck of a mid-life crisis. At any rate, I get to write about an older woman doing kick ass stuff. I get to incorporate my experience in kendo (sword fights are cool, ya know). And there are corgis, which is like putting a cherry smack on top of an already delicious sundae with the perfect ratio of chocolate drizzle to ice cream.

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Books by Rebecca Roland