Featured Interview With Rachel Richards
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I am a writer, licensed massage therapist with a private practice, mom, and former actor and singer. I grew up on Long Island but thankfully escaped to Manhattan about nine years ago. I’ve been writing articles on health and self-care for nearly a decade, and host a popular YouTube channel.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I loved reading as a child and kept many journals. I knew writing would be a part of my life when, in college, my professor assigned a research paper with a minimum of five pages, and I handed in forty.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love reading anything as long as it’s gripping and well-written. Some favorite genres are science fiction, fantasy, and inspirational memoirs.
My husband is my main inspiration. In writing Hungry for Life, I was inspired by the memoirs of Michael J. Fox, Steve Martin, and J. D. Vance. I also learned a lot from Stephen King’s On Writing.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
Several years ago, I made a quick decision to begin scribbling down my story. I wasn’t sure why at the time, though it was partially an attempt to make sense of my turbulent past, and a quest for catharsis. But in retrospect, I believe what compelled me to write was the frustration over feeling misunderstood with regards to my illness. I was driven by a burning need to cut through all the misconceptions and assumptions surrounding anorexia, and reveal the complexity and seriousness of this mental disorder.
I spent years struggling with anorexia. In my book, Hungry for Life, I take readers through my skewed thoughts and behaviors, so that you get a rare inside view of the often misunderstood mind of an anorexia sufferer. Readers learn how I went from a well-loved child, to a 69-pound college graduate on her death bed, and finally to a healthcare practitioner.
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