Featured Interview With Beth Rhodes
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’ve been a nomad my whole life. By the time I turned seven, I’d lived in three different states–New York, Florida, and Michigan. I consider Michigan the place I was raised because it’s where I formed those long-term relationships with people I still talk to today. My family lived there for nine years before picking up again and hitting the road, first to Pennsylvania and then on to Virginia a little later. By then I was in college where I met my husband, so we started our own journey that ranged from Ohio to Colorado and a few other places in between. After fifteen years, we’re back in Colorado, enjoying the mountains and dry climate.
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve been reading since forever. I can’t remember a time I didn’t have some kind of book in my hand. Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew…even The Babysitter’s Club for a little while. I read just about anything I could get my hands on–always fiction, mostly happy endings, except for Bridge to Terabithia. Still one of my favorites, though. When I turned 27, I got wind that the publisher was re-releasing the Trixie Belden series, and boy, did I feel bad for Trixie. I wanted her to have her own happily-ever-after (with Jim, of course). I guess you could say, I got my start in fanfiction. But I didn’t know it at the time. The rest is history.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I’m a romance reader, plain and simple. I love the happily-ever-after. I love the conflict. The first mainstream romance novel I ever read was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Her story nailed me, lit a fire in me. I wanted to feel all that….a hundred times over. On my list, she will always be the best writer of emotional, conflict-driven contemporary romance that will leave you with a great big smile on your face. She’s an unbelievable storyteller. Every book I read that leaves me with that feeling inspires me. Whether it’s Elizabeth Lowell or Christina Dodd or the obscure self-published author like Moira Keith, I love a good story. When I can read a book and not think about everything I’ve learned that’s supposed to make a book good, I’m inspired to do the same. Outside of authors, my inspiration comes from my critique group who is always pushing me to be the best, my husband and family who give me the space to do what I love. …occasionally, I’m inspired by that crazy stranger on the street.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
Speaking of Trixie Belden, Unwanted Vows was originally conceived as book three to the first book I ever wrote–ten years ago…that crazy fanfiction piece. But my life had evolved, and my husband joined the Army, and all of a sudden, I had a great idea for this brother, Morgan. I had a very skeletal outline for who he was, what he did, and where his Happily-Ever-After would come from… and then it morphed and by the time I sat down to write it, I had something even better. “Trixie’s” story was put aside–possibly to never see the light of day again, and Morgan filled my Word Doc. I wrote it in one month, for National Novel Writing Month–one of the few Novembers I succeeded! Selling it to a publisher was icing on the cake.
I love Morgan. He’s the hero every single mother dreams of… a true knight in shining armor, but instead of armor, jeans, t-shirts, baseball caps, and buckles. Getting him back together with his high school sweetheart weighted down all my happy scales.
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