Author interview | Becca Wierwille
I’m super excited to have middle grade author Becca Wierwille joining us today for a chat about her new middle grade book Road Trip Rescue, running a Kickstarter campaign, being an indie author and a lot more.
Becca Wierwille writes stories to show kids they are wonderfully created for the unique adventures in their lives. Born with only half of her right arm, she aims to help others find beauty in what makes them extraordinary. Mom by day and novelist by relatively early in the morning, she wishes she could eat peach pie as often as most writers drink coffee. Despite her dreams of sandy beaches and mountain peaks, she loves living in Pennsylvania with her family. Road Trip Rescue is Becca’s debut novel. Visit her online at beccawierwille.com or follow her on social media @beccawierwille. Sign up for her email newsletter to receive free resources and monthly encouragement.
First, thank you, Becca, for taking your time to join me in this interview.
JD: Do you have a tagline?
BW: My author tagline on my website is “Live Wonderfully Created,” and I’ll often use #wonderfullycreated as a hashtag on Instagram.
JD: Tell us about ROAD TRIP RESCUE. (It so cute and heartwarming!)
BW:
A girl with a missing dog. A magazine photo that points north. A pink-haired aunt with a beloved old car and a heart for adventure. Will Kimmy’s rescue mission bring Bo home?
Twelve-year-old Kimmy trusts dogs more than people.
After all, her dog Bo never made fun of her for having one hand. But two years ago, Bo disappeared.
When Kimmy stumbles across a magazine photo of a dog in upstate New York that looks just like Bo, she knows she has to find him. Her parents seem oddly unsupportive, but pink-haired, adventure-hungry Aunt Skylar agrees to a road trip with a stop in the Adirondacks. Kimmy jumps at the chance to bring her furry family member home.
Unfortunately, Aunt Skylar’s idea of a road trip isn’t the rescue mission Kimmy had in mind.
JD: Where did you get the idea for ROAD TRIP RESCUE?
BW: My first inspiration for Road Trip Rescue came when my family was planning a trip to the Adirondack Mountains in New York. I was researching online for things to do while we were there and found a photo of a dog eating ice cream.
The photo sparked a question in my mind. What if a girl saw this photo and was convinced it was a dog she lost years ago? What if she loved this dog more than anything and was willing to do whatever it took to bring her home?
From there, the idea grew.
JD: Which character/s do you admire and why?
BW: One of my favorite characters is Daniel. He comes into the story about halfway through and is so thoughtful, even when those around him aren’t being very kind. Daniel will be the star of book two in the series, so I’m excited to share his story with readers as well!
JD: He’s a charming character!.Readers will love him!
JD: Describe Kimmy in three words.
BW: Lively, lonely, determined
JD: Describe Bo in three words.
BW: Loyal, loving, playful
JD: Describe Aunt Skylar in three words.
BW: Intense, adventurous, unpredictable
JD: Can you tell us a bit about the relationship between Kimmy and her aunt?
BW: Kimmy has always loved Aunt Skylar—she’s the fun aunt who tells lots of great stories and has gone on lots of adventures. But once Kimmy is on the road with her aunt, Aunt Skylar’s unpredictable nature becomes a source of frustration.
JD: What is one of your favorite scenes in ROAD TRIP RESCUE?
BW: One of the scenes in the book is based on a real-life experience in which my dog caused quite a bit of damage to my in-laws’ house. The chapter is called “The Dining Room Waterfall,” and it’s one of my favorites.
JD: Is Bo based on a dog you’ve known IRL?
BW: Bo is a combination of a lot of dogs I’ve known and loved! He has the gentleness of the black lab mix we had growing up, Barney; the blue eyes of the first dog I picked out myself, Esther; and the snarling smile (and mischievous history) of my dog now, Georgia.
JD: Is there a Bible verse you had in mind when you wrote this? What were you hoping to convey to your reader?
BW: Yes! I’m not sure if it came to mind until the revision stage, but the story’s “theme verse” is Matthew 28:20, where Jesus tells his followers, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (NIV).
I want readers to know that they are not alone, and they never have been—because Jesus is always with them.
JD: What are some themes or tropes we can find in RTR?
BW: Friendship, appreciating our differences, dealing with betrayal and loss, courage, faith, and adventure!
JD: Where is your favorite place to write?
BW: I love writing outside when the weather is nice! Picnic tables make the best kind of desk.
JD: What’s your writing go-to beverage? Tea or coffee or something else?
BW: Honestly, I usually just drink water while writing because I don’t take the time to make myself anything else.
But on the tea vs. coffee debate, I’m firmly in the tea camp. I love herbal tea, but I am not a fan of coffee. My unpopular opinion is exactly as Kimmy says in Road Trip Rescue: I think coffee tastes “bitter like rotten dirt.”
JD: Tell about a hidden talent of yours or something that might surprise readers to know about you.
BW: I can ride a unicycle! Or, at least I used to be able to when I was in college. I haven’t tried in over six years, so who knows what would happen if I got on a unicycle now.
JD: Tell us about your Kickstarter campaign. What was your favorite part about it?
BW: The Kickstarter campaign was a super fun way to pre-release the book and provide readers with fun, unique bonuses for backing. My favorite part has been getting to connect directly with readers through the Kickstarter.
When readers buy a book through Amazon, the author doesn’t get to interact with them. But when readers backed my Kickstarter, I got to send them messages and ship them the book directly. I loved that!
JD: What would you do the same next time?
JD: What would you do differently?
JD: What advice would you give someone wanting to do a Kickstarter campaign?
BW: Do lots of research before jumping in! I learned a lot about Kickstarter by backing the campaigns of other authors. I also read a book and took a course that provided two different strategy perspectives, so I was able to mix and match those depending on what felt like the best fit for my book.
JD: What is a tip for writing MG characters that stay true to their age?
BW: If you are writing from the perspective of a twelve-year-old character, spend time with kids that age! Pay attention to how they talk and act and the things that matter to them. And try to find beta readers in your target age range—they likely won’t be afraid to tell you if your characters don’t sound true to their age!
JD: Are you a fan of road trips? Have you ever been on a road trip with an adventurous person like Aunt Skylar who loves being spontaneous? (Or are you the spontaneous one?)
BW: Honestly, I tend to fall asleep within about five minutes of any road trip (as long as I’m not driving, of course)—I’ve even fallen asleep on the way to church before, and that’s less than ten minutes away! Being a passenger makes me very sleepy.
I love traveling, but I’d usually chose a plane ride over the car. I’m a fan of being in a new place, not necessarily the process of getting there.
In that way, I guess I’m more like Kimmy. I focus a lot on the destination, while Aunt Skylar is focused on the journey.
I have traveled with spontaneous friends before, though, and we do have a lot of fun along the way!
JD: What is a tip you’d give to someone considering Indie publishing?
BW: Just like with the Kickstarter campaign, I’d recommend doing lots of research before getting started. (Can you tell I like research?) There are so many wonderful books, podcasts, and other resources about indie publishing.
Even more than that, connecting with other indie authors and learning their “why” and “how” helped me take the leap into indie publishing. Community is so important, because then you can support each other along the way!
JD: Marketing advice: What is one thing authors can do to increase their newsletter reach?
BW: Newsletter swaps with other authors can be a great way to grow your email list, but I’d recommend being selective about who you swap with. You want to be a trusted resource to your readers, so if you’re going to recommend another author and their books, make sure it’s writing you actually think your readers would enjoy!
JD: What is next for you?
BW: I have three books planned for the Road Trip Rescue series. Book two is the story of Kimmy’s friend Daniel, and it’s currently in the revision stage. I’m hoping to pre-launch book two through another Kickstarter campaign, likely in spring 2024!
JD: Do you have any other books available? If so, tell us about them!
BW: Road Trip Rescue is my debut novel—but I do have a couple of short stories and some conversation cards available for free for those who subscribe to my email list! Book two in the Road Trip Rescue series will likely be available next year.
JD: What advice would you give to pre-published writers?
BW: Keep writing—but don’t do it alone! Seek out a community of writers. Invite God into your creative process. We aren’t meant to navigate life on our own, and that applies to our writing lives too!
🎉 LAUNCH MONTH GIVEAWAY! 🎉
To celebrate the launch of Road Trip Rescue, I’m giving away a signed and numbered special edition copy of the book! The giveaway is called “On the Road with Road Trip Rescue”—and to enter, all you have to do is post a photo (and tag me) of your copy of Road Trip Rescue out in the world! 📚 🚘
To enter:
- Post a photo (if you’re under the age of 13, please have your grown-up post for you) on Instagram and/or Facebook of your copy of Road Trip Rescue “on the go”—in the car, on an adventure, outside, or wherever you take the book!
- Tag me @beccawierwille on Instagram and/or “Becca Wierwille, Writer” on Facebook, and use the hashtag #RoadTripRescue.
- For a bonus entry, include one (or more) of the following in your photo: a pet, a tent, a hammock, or a car. 🐶 ⛺
That’s it!
Photos must be posted by Monday, November 20 in order to enter. The winner will be notified on Tuesday, November 21.
So excited to see your photos! 📷
To buy your books:
Here is the Amazon link. Right now, only the ebook is available for preorder. My focus is on the launch date, when the paperback and hardback will be available for purchase as well.
Where to find Becca!
Website: https://beccawierwille.com/
Social links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beccawierwille
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beccawierwille/
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/beccawierwille
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20712266.Becca_Wierwille
Newsletter sign up: https://beccawierwille.com/newsletter/