Read our reviews of Rachel Vincent’s books.
Soul Screamers Book 4
Alpha Werecat Book 6
My Soul to Lose

Many thanks to Rachel. Rachel Vincent graciously allowed Annabell to interview her.

Brought to you by OBS Staffer Annabell Cadiz

Annabell: What attracted you to creating a series, (the Soul Screamers Series), centered around the mythical stories of banshees?

Rachel Vincent: I hadn’t seen much done with bean sidhes and I thought there was a lot I could do with the mythology.

Annabell: My Soul to Take takes us through Kaylee’s discovery of what she really is and how she comes to cope with it. And My Soul to Save shows how Kaylee learns to control her powers. What do you think is Kaylee’s best quality? What do you think is her worse quality? And do you feel you can relate to her?

Rachel Vincent: I like that Kaylee has a burning desire to do what’s right, even if it gets her into serious trouble. I like that she feels like she needs to do something important with her life, because of the sacrifice her mother made for her.

Annabell: You write the Soul Screamers Series from Kaylee’s perspective , what made you decide to write from her point of view?

Rachel Vincent: That wasn’t a conscious decision. She’s the central character. That’s just the way it works. If you mean why am I ONLY writing from her perspective, that just seems to be the way I naturally see a story–from one point of view. I’m writing an adult series from two different first person points of view per book, and it’s HARD. And not the kind of hard that feels like a challenge I really need to meet. It’s the kind of hard that takes everything out of you so that you’re relieved when the day is finally over. One first person POV is really what comes naturally to me.

Annabell: In the third installment of the Soul Screamers Series, My Soul to Keep, you explore the world of drug addiction and peer pressure. What made you decide to tackle two big issues young people face today?

Rachel Vincent: That wasn’t a conscious decision either. I’m just telling stories, and though they’re fantasy on the surface, the characters face very real problems. The same problems that people (both teen and adult) face in real life. Drug addiction is one of those. Ignoring that would have meant making a conscious decision to avoid the issue, and that didn’t feel honest.

Annabell: The descriptions of grief and heartache and guilt Kaylee feels every time she makes a prediction of a girl’s death is beautifully written. Does Kaylee’s emotional journey stem from personal experience you’ve had to endure? If yes, do you think through writing about the grieving process and losing a loved one helped you in healing?

Rachel Vincent: No. I’ve been fortunate enough to never have lost anyone I was really close to. I’ve only been to three funerals in my entire life, and only one was a relative, who’d lived a long, wonderful life. To write those scenes, I use a writer’s most important tool–my imagination. 😉

Annabell: I’m TOTALLY team Tod! *hehe* Why did you decide to write Reaper (which is centered around Tod’s back story)? Would you ever write a series solely based on Tod?

Rachel Vincent: I pitched the idea for Reaper to my editor for two reasons. 1) I wanted to give something to the loyal series followers as a thank you for reading, and after the success of My Soul To Lose in the same format, another free short story seemed to be the way to go. Reaper is best read after at least the third novel in the series, so I didn’t expect to get much out of it as a promotional tool to attract new readers. It was always supposed to be a thank you. It’s still free just about everywhere right now, and even after the e-retailers start charging for it, it will remain free on my website.

Reason number 2: People were asking for more and more of Tod. He’s a very strong fan favorite. But no, I don’t think I could write a whole book from his POV. Writing Tod from his own perspective is really, really hard, because he doesn’t see himself as hot, or funny, or tragic, or any of the things others see in him. So bringing those things out in him when he doesn’t see them is really difficult.

Annabell: In My Soul to Keep, readers are introduced to Alec and gain more knowledge of him in My Soul to Steal. Will he be playing a bigger role throughout the series?

Rachel Vincent: I hope so. As of IF I DIE, he’s still a minor character, but I feel like he has growth potential. But not as a love interest for Kaylee. They’re friends.

Annabell: You connect the legend of banshees along with the old classic story of the Grim Reaper with an added twist. How were you able to connect the two stories together? And how did you decide on the abilities each character ended up possessing?

Rachel Vincent: That part of the creative process is very fluid. It’s a bit trial-and-error, a bit wish-fulfillment, for me at least. I get to throw several things that have always fascinated me into one story, shake them all up, and see what pattern they make when I pour them out. It’s fun! That’s one of the biggest reasons I love fantasy–all the possibilities!

Annabell: Are any of your characters inspired off of people you know or have met?

Rachel Vincent: No. The closest would be Sabine, whose name comes from a girl I went to high school with, who was rumored to have been close to my boyfriend. Really close. While we were still going out. But she was only a parasite in the figurative sense and had no true superpowers. 😉

Annabell: The suspense and pacing throughout each of the Soul Screamers novels thus far are wonderful. How do you approach creating suspense in your novels?

Oh, thank you! I wish I could claim that I had some kind of awesome pacing system, but I don’t. I’ve never really studied pacing. I just naturally write fairly plot-heavy stories, so something’s always happening. My CP, however, has hinted on occasion (and by hinting, I mean yelling at me at the top of her own fierce lungs) that the reader may need a break with a quieter scene after some of the bits heavier in action. So if you see a break in the action, it’s probably due to her influence. 😉

Annabell: In the prequel, My Soul to Lose, Kaylee is institutionalized because of her special abilities. Will readers ever get to find out what happened to Lydia and the special gifts Lydia had been able to use to help Kaylee?

Rachel Vincent: Yes! Lydia is in IF I DIE.

Annabell: Any hints you’re willing to give away as to what readers can look forward to in the next installment (that isn‘t already mentioned in the blurb of the book), If I Die? (which comes out September 20, 2011) There is also a rumor that will be the final book in the series, is that true?!

Rachel Vincent: Um . . . I’ve said several times that IF I DIE is a game changer for the series, and that’s true. The bad guys are a creepy, make-your-skin-crawl kind evil that was sometimes uncomfortable for me to write. And I will say that Kaylee’s forced into making an INCREDIBLY hard choice near the end, and both of the available options are horrible. Like, can’t-live-with-yourself awful.

The book is dark, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel. The very end. A tiny little glow, from afar. 😉

Annabell: The covers to each of your novels in the Soul Screamer Series are always so beautiful and alluring. Can you tell us who designs them? Which is your favorite cover so far?

Rachel Vincent: I believe the designer’s name is Erin Craig, and she works in the HQ art department. I think my favorite so far is MY SOUL TO STEAL, for the color alone. But I am in love with the gorgeous, swirling skirt on the IF I DIE cover.

Annabell: If you could be a banshee would you want to be? Why or why not?

Rachel Vincent: No way. In case you haven’t noticed, Kaylee’s life is HARD.

Annabell: Outside of writing, what do you enjoy doing?

Rachel Vincent: Reading, watching movies, baking, playing video games.

Annabell: What are some new projects you are working on that fans of yours can look forward to?

Rachel Vincent: Right now, I’m working on the second novel in my new adult series, SHADOW BOUND, which is due out next summer. I’m also brainstorming the next Soul Screamers online novella.

Annabell: If you could have any supernatural/magical power, which one would you choose and why?

Rachel Vincent: Telepathy. Because knowledge is the ultimate weapon, and if I could read minds, I’m pretty sure I could rule the world. Seriously.

Annabell: What’s one thing fans don’t know about you (that you are willing to divulge *wink*)?

Rachel Vincent: I can’t dance. At all. It’s not that I have no rhythm, because I do. But I suffer a crippling lack of confidence and fear of humiliation that keep me off the dance floor. Always and forever. I am a wallflower. 😉

Thank you very much to author Rachel Vincent for granting OBS such an AWESOME interview! You can find out more about her and her books on her blog: http://rachelvincent.com/