Hello, and welcome to my blog, Author Interviews. My name is Fiona Mcvie. 

Nice to meet you, Fiona.

 

Let’s get you introduced to everyone, shall we? Tell us your name. What is your age? 

My name is Rebecka Jäger, and I’m 49 years old.

Fiona: Where are you from? 

Finland.

Fiona: A little about your self (i.e., your education, family life, etc.).

I have a Master’s degree in history, and I’m also a legalized Radiographer. I work as a Project Manager in Healthcare IT. I don’t have any children, and my family consists of my hubby and our Siberian Husky dogs.

Fiona: Tell us your latest news. 

I got the feedback from my first ever professional editor, and he loved my manuscript (Conjurer of Evil). I’m actually amazed. Sure, he found things to correct as well.

Fiona: When and why did you begin writing?

I started writing three years ago. I just got the urge, don’t know why. I was going through a crisis, and maybe writing offered an outlet.

Fiona: When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I’ve written professional texts through my working life, but writing fiction took me two years to learn. I attended workshops and studied meticulously.

I considered myself a writer for the first time when I published Romance Kills with two co-authors: Stephanie Colbert and Schuyler Pulliam. I became more confident when Stephanie and I cranked out the final version of Conjurer of Evil. The supernatural thriller shall be published in 2020. I’ve learned so much about being a published author from Stephanie.

Fiona: What inspired you to write your first book?

The idea of WWIII. The global situation and rising political tensions of today led me to think: what if…? My first book, Unholy Warrior, is still unpublished. I’m editing it now. My education as a historian has a lot to do with that particular book. My favorite author is George Orwell, and I’ve always dreamed of writing a dystopian novel.

Fiona: How did you come up with the title?

I had over two hundred possible titles until I decided on Unholy Warrior because it goes with the theme. I’ve blogged about choosing the right title: https://rebeckajager.com/2019/09/27/the-trouble-with-naming-your-book/

Fiona: Do you have a specific writing style? Is there anything about your style or genre that you find particularly challenging? 

I have a distinct writer’s voice (also according to my editor). English isn’t my first language, but I’m quite proud of my versatile style. I use a professional to polish the final product for the US market because the devil is in the details.

I write spy thrillers, and finding the right tempo gives me a headache each time. Quick, fast, and short can become chubby without variation. Long sentences break the illusion during a fight scene. The perfect equation demands critique and editing.

Fiona: How much of the book is realistic and are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

Were talking about Unholy Warrior now, my upcoming post-apocalyptic spy thriller. The book is very realistic: it could happen. The weapons, fight scenes, and the world of military intelligence have their counterparts in real life. I incorporated some of my personal demons into the heroine. But she developed into a live person who differs from me in so many ways.

Fiona: To craft your works, do you have to travel? Before or during the process? 

No. I used my knowledge of the arctic to create the world of Unholy Warrior. But I do research, Google Maps is excellent, and I vacuumed thousands of images from the web: from mother polar bears to an abandoned mine.

Fiona: Who designed the covers?

Aidana Willow Raven, who is a pro, designed the cover of Unholy Warrior, but I created the other book covers (Romance Kills and Conjurer of Evil). I make covers for other authors as well. Just ask me if you need one.

Fiona: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Yes. Homo Sapiens isn’t so wise. We must stop sawing the branch we sit on. Wars will never end, however.

Fiona: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest? Who is your favorite writer, and what is it about their work that really strikes you?

All my author idols are long gone; Marguerite Duras, George Orwell, and Arthur Koestler.

George Orwell wrote about difficult themes, but his sentences flow like water: easy to read. The school put us through his 1984 because it was the theme year (obviously). His dystopian effected me like a punch in the stomach when I was 14 years old. The characters stayed with me.

I fell in love with Anna Funder’s style when I opened her Stasiland the other day. Read it. She reminds me of Svetlana Alexievitch (the Nobelist) whose Unwomanly Face of War is fantastic. I love oral history: it brings the individual forth.

Fiona: Outside of family members, name one entity that supported your commitment to become a published author. 

My peers at The Write Practice. The authors supported me as I learned to write in English and to write fiction in the first place.

Fiona: Do you see writing as a career?

Yes. I work hard for it.

Fiona: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

No, I polish until it’s the best the book can be.

Fiona: Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book? 

Immensely and a lot. I notice it now as I edit my first book. I wish I was the writer I am now (would mean a lot less work).

Fiona: If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead? 

No, absolutely not! Maqqie Q would play Rebane Nordstrom. I wrote the part of the tough professional soldier for her.

Fiona: Any advice for other writers?

Never give up, and always use an editor!

Fiona: Anything specific you want to tell your readers? 

Buy my books, you’re in for a positive surprise.

Fiona: What book are you reading now?

C.J. Sansom’s Winter in Madrid. His characters are fantastic, and I’m jealous of his descriptive powers. His Dominion is one of my favorite books.

Fiona: Do you remember the first book you read?

It was one from Edgar Rice Burrough’s Mars series. I wolfed through them all.

Fiona: What makes you laugh/cry?

I always tell my hubby that if I don’t laugh at fart jokes, I’m done for. I cry because of cruelty toward animals.

Fiona: Is there one person, past or present, you would love to meet? Why? 

George Orwell. I’d force him to critique my writing. At gunpoint, if needed.

Fiona: Do you have any hobbies? 

I hunt, which has become mighty useful. I know my way around guns.

Fiona: What TV shows/films do you enjoy watching?

I loved Chernobyl and Babylon Berlin. You can’t beat The Walking Dead either.

Fiona: Favorite foods, colors, music? 

Popcorn, camouflage green, Rammstein.

Fiona: Imagine a future where you no longer write. What would you do?

Be a lazy ass. I miss the free time I had before I started writing.

Fiona: You only have 24 hours to live. How would you spend that time?

I’d drink my head off. Preferably with Russian Vodka.

Fiona: What do you want to be written on your headstone? 

“Guess who lies here.”

Fiona: Do you have a blog or website readers can visit for updates, events, and special offers? 

Yes.

Website: www.rebeckajager.com

A blog for writers: www.rebeckajager.com/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeckajagerwriter

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@JagerWriter

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rebeckajager/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeckajager/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecka-j%C3%A4ger-192a71196/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18534349.Rebecka_J_ger

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Rebecka-J%C3%A4ger/e/B07JP98DQT

Coming soon