Guest Posts
Reclaiming Ryda by Rachel Rossano
What inspired you to write this book?
Reclaiming Ryda began with wondering about what would make Rapunzel’s extended stay in isolation tolerable. I am a lover of books, and the idea of being able to spend hours and hours alone in a library sounded like bliss. Even in the post COVID world, I still think that. Ryda’s role as a captive librarian was born.
In the medieval period, which is the inspiration for my world-building, books are only in possession of the church and the fabulously rich. Which lead me to make her a captive of a nefarious duke intent on eventually manipulating her parents, whom she doesn’t remember.
The rest followed from there.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
While writing Reclaiming Ryda, I thoroughly enjoyed researching bookbinding in the medieval period, one of my hero's occupations. Also, exploring the kinds of books included in a medieval library turned out to be great fun. However, most of all, I enjoyed revisiting characters from the first book in the series and introducing characters who will appear later in the series.
How did you come up with the title for this novel?
Ryda, the heroine of Reclaiming Ryda, spends most of the book reclaiming her freedom, family, and herself with Crispin's help.
What is your writing process? For instance, do you do an outline first? Do you do the chapters first?
I usually start with a concept or characters and develop the idea from there, keeping notes and brainstorming over multiple sessions. Usually, I begin by focusing on world-building, character-building, and relationship-building. After reaching a point where I have a good feel for the world, crisis points, and the characters, I do some high-level events plotting. Then, once I have planned about two-thirds of the book, I sometimes let things sit for a bit. Or, I might begin writing. As I write, I tweak, replot, or adjust as needed.
What made you want to become an author, and do you feel it was the right decision?
I began writing in earnest when I was still a teen. Still, I didn’t consider becoming an author until the year I graduated college. That was when I realized I wanted to publish my work. My primary motivation was sharing my stories with the world. I write because I love the process, and earning a bit by publishing is a perk. I never regret my decision. Some aspects of the job aren’t as pleasant as others, but I love being an author.
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