interview Rachelle, reading Holidays,
Inc. really brought some holiday cheer. What inspired you to write this?
Rachelle: Thank you for having me! I grew
up watching old movie musicals with my mom. I have ALWAYS wanted to write a
book where the solution to the town’s problems was to put on a show.
Lily: It really was like watching a movie unfold. Would you live in New Hope?
Rachelle: Yes, absolutely. I live in
Chicago’s suburbs and spend quite a bit of time in Wisconsin. I love the state.
Lily: It seems like an idyllic little town. Would you rather spend a day with Dani or
Paul?
Rachelle: Dani is a lot more fun than
Paul. He’s very much a tortured artist. Dani makes the most of every situation
and is an optimist. She’d be a blast to spend a day with in New Hope.
Lily: I can definitely see how a day with Dani would be more fun. Are the characters inspired by anyone?
Rachelle: The characters aren’t inspired
by anyone in real life. But the idea for the story was updating and gender
swapping the movie Holiday Inn. So
Dani is a bit of Bing Crosby’s character and Kara is Fred Astaire.
Lily: I’ll have to go back and watch that again now, it’s been years! Now we’d like to talk about you as a writer.
Where’s your favorite writing spot?
Rachelle: I wish I had a spot! I’m a
writer and a mother. Since March, my kids have been virtual learning and my
husband working from home. I have a lovely desk I work at on the weekends
Otherwise, I work wherever I can in my house.
Lily: I know things have changed a lot this year, but I’m glad you find time to write. Do you write every day?
Rachelle: Yes and no. I don’t necessarily write for a book, but I am working on
my prose every day. I have a blog I maintain with some regularity (rachellepaigecampbell.com),
and I believe in the power of writing down what hurts to make sense of my
emotions. It’s amazing how sometimes processing something can unlock an idea
and new story.
Lily: Sounds like a good habit to get into. How do you keep track of inspiration?
Rachelle: At the moment, I have a very
thin file of new ideas. That’s good and bad. Good: I’ve written a lot this
year! But it’s time to refill the well.
Lily: I hope 2021 brings you lots of inspiration! Let’s finish up with some fun questions and
get inside your mind. What’s the best pickup line you’ve heard/can come up
with?
Rachelle: Lately, Neil Gaiman’s tips on
how to seduce a writer are resurfacing, and I agree whole-heartedly. All you
need to do, according to Mr. Gaiman, is say “you are being seduced” and the
writer (and their wild imagination) will do all the actual work.
Lily: Hehe I love that. Would you rather never be late again or never
stand in line again?
Rachelle: Never be late. I have no
problem waiting my turn, but I have real issues with punctuality.
Lily: I hate being late too. What’s your favorite holiday and why?
Rachelle: This is such a hard question
(and in Holidays, Inc. I get to celebrate all of them). As a kid, Christmas was
my favorite, of course. As an adult, I love Fourth of July and Halloween. I
live in a community that really pulls out all the stops on both holidays. While
our Fourth was cancelled this year, we still celebrated Halloween with masks
and social distancing. My family walked five miles and had our biggest candy
haul ever. It was so lovely to see neighbors safely and feel almost normal.
Lily: That sounds wonderful! What’s the best and worst dessert you’ve ever
had?
Rachelle: The best dessert is Ina
Garten’s dark chocolate torte and the worst is anything involving cream cheese
(shudders).
Lily: I have the sudden urge to make a dark chocolate torte…Would you rather be covered in fur, scales, or
spines and why?
Rachelle: Fur, I imagine I’d spend all my
time curled up in a little ball napping.
Lily: I think that would be the comfiest nap ever. What magical/mythical creature/person would
make the world better if they were real?
Rachelle: I really want Nessie to be
real, but I’m not sure she’d make the world better. I imagine she’d be trapped
like Daryl Hannah in Splash (my favorite movie).
Lily: Nessie being real would be awesome but I’d hate for her to be trapped. Is there anything else you would like to add
that I haven’t included?
Rachelle: I hope reading is helping you
make it through this year. Writing and reading romance offers me a chance to
make sense of the world and escape everyday troubles by thinking big picture.
Lily: I think reading is the only thing keeping me sane right now. How can readers discover more about you and
you work?
Rachelle: I’m on Instagram quite a bit
and try to blog at least twice a month. I have a newsletter, too (: eepurl.com/dEjzZz) If you want to connect, please reach out.