THE QUEEN’S RISING

Hello friend!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by my website! I hope to post regularly here on my blog (…er…we’ll see about that as I am not the best at blogging!) and share any news, fun things, as well as stories and some thoughts on publishing and writing!

Just in case you didn’t know…THE QUEEN’S RISING is my debut young adult fantasy novel, scheduled to release Winter 2018 from HarperTeen. I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember, so having this opportunity is a dream come true. There are literally some moments I feel like I need to pinch myself, because it still feels surreal.

An update on where I am in the publishing process:
I turned in my copy edits for TQR a few months ago, so I’m eagerly awaiting my first pass pages! (I might have been granted a little glimpse of a few pages yesterday and oh my stars–the interior of this book is absolutely lovely! It only makes me more excited to share it soon with you all!).

I’ve also seen the map art (YES! There is an incredibly gorgeous map designed by Virginia Allyn!) and my final cover (which again…I pretty much burst into tears of happiness when I saw the first cover mock up months ago. So you can imagine my reaction to the beauty of the final cover!).

All of this should be revealed soon!

In the meantime, here are some questions I get asked a lot (just in case you are curious and want to know more about TQR!):

Q: What’s your book about?

A: Here’s a really short summary:
TQR is about a girl named Brienna who is trying to become a passion of knowledge. When she realizes she has inherited some crucial memories from her ancestor, she joins a secret revolution to overthrow a cruel king and put a queen back upon the throne.

For the longer summary, check out Goodreads: The Queen’s Rising

Q: Umm…so what do you mean when you say Brienna is “trying to become a passion of knowledge?”

A: In the realm of Valenia, there are five passions of life: art, music, dramatics, wit and knowledge. A young person can become a student and dedicate years of their life studying one of the passions beneath the instruction of a master or mistress. When the student reaches the height of their mastery, they gain a cloak and become “impassioned.”

Q: Is there romance?

A: Yes 🙂 However, it’s a very slow burning romance, which means there is far more adventure than there is kissing.

Q: Describe Brienna in three words.

A: Shrewd. Intelligent. Ambitious.

Q: What are some things that inspired you to write TQR?

A:

The Renaissance.
Friendships that last.
The sound of rain on the roof.
Finding family in unlikely places.
Girls with swords.
The constellations.
Ancestry.
Laughing so hard you cry.
Magical stones.
Fierce Queens.

Among many other things…

Q: Where is you favorite place to write?

A: My office!

I write best at my desk with a cup of coffee, mug of hot tea or a bottle of water within reach (sometimes all three. And no, I am not kidding. Ask my husband), a candle burning, and my dog at my feet. Also, with epic music blasting 🙂

I find that places like coffee shops, etc. are waaaaay too distracting for me!

Q: How long did it take you to write TQR?

A: 48 days! It was one of the can’t eat, can’t sleep, burning me up from within kind of stories. Literally, the story I had been waiting YEARS to write.

I was working a full time job and my husband had just broken his ankle and had an intense recovery time. And yet this story would not let me rest. I spent every spare minute I could find on it: lunch breaks, late into the evenings, complete weekends.

Sometimes, inspiration likes to find us when we are most stressed!

Q: How many books will be in this series?

A: I sold three books to Harper…so a trilogy! Yay!

Q: What sort of music do you listen to when you write?

A: I LOVE epic, emotional, instrumental music. I also love soundtracks. Here are a few songs that I frequently listen to on repeat:

Opening: Far From the Madding Crowd

Everlasting: Two Steps from Hell

Mhysa: Game of Thrones, Season 3

I think that’s all for now!

xo, Rebecca

About Rebecca Ross

I write fantasy novels for young adults. Out now: THE QUEEN'S RISING and THE QUEEN'S RESISTANCE. Coming up next: SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG, publishing on June 23, 2020 with HarperTeen/HarperCollins.
Blog Post, FAQ, The Queen's Rising

5 Responses to THE QUEEN’S RISING

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.