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Rebecca Forster

Jennifer Apodaca: Rebecca Forster, welcome to ReadersRoom.com's Introducing....I'm delighted to chat with you today!

Rebecca Forster: Thanks. This is so exciting. I've never conducted an interview this way.

Jennifer Apodaca: Let's jump right in. Hostile Witness is the first in your new legal thriller series. I finished it over the weekend and was blown away by the book. Can you tell us a little bit about it?

Rebecca Forster: I'm so happy you liked it. There's so much to tell about this one. Hostile Witness the first book for me after a long bout with writer's block so it's very special in that sense. I found it difficult to write after we moved from a very noisy Los Angeles to a very quiet suburb because cities had always inspired me. It took a new agent who truly believed in my work and the understanding that, no matter where I live, there is inspiration. And I sure found it in the South Bay of Southern California! I set the series in Hermosa Beach, will use the other beach cities for crime scenes, was inspired by a colleague of my husband's (a very tall, beautiful superior court judge who comes from a volleyball playing family) and everything fell into place.

Jennifer Apodaca: Speaking of settings, the book is set in Hermosa Beach, California. How are the residents of that area receiving the book? What kind of response are you getting?

Rebecca Forster: The response has been amazing! Readers in Hermosa are happy with the way I portray the city and have been offering their own ideas on places I may want to check out. Readers in other parts of the country are excited because they say it really gives them a feel for what it's like to live in a beach city. I'm glad for that response because I worked hard to make the setting come to life. I had originally set the series in Venice Beach but after spending time there I realized that Hermosa was the only place for a heroine who loves volleyball. In my mind Hermosa is communally independent. By that I mean that this little city accepts everyone, lets them live their lives but, when necessary, a real community is available to rally around.

Jennifer Apodaca: You did a great job bringing out the beach setting. Now let's talk about characters. Both Josie Baylor-Bates and Hannah (who is 16 and accused of murder) are damaged women--yet they are compelling characters because of their problems. What drew you to these two characters? How much research did you do on teenage cutters, and how did the research influence the direction of the book?

Rebecca Forster: I have to start with the basis of the inspiration. I have two teenagers, an extended family and friends. Unfortunately, in that mix I've watched teenagers really suffer due to divorce. We all have sympathy for small children but believe teenagers can handle a lot of emotional upheaval. I believe they try very hard to live up to our expectations but inside they are hoping just one person will understand how lonely and frightened they are. Josie, my main character, still has that wish because she was abandoned by her mother as a teenager. She recognizes Hannah's strength and her need. Josie handles her pain by being a good woman and good lawyer, Hannah cuts herself to relieve the pain. I found in my research that cutting is a byproduct of obsessive compulsive disorder. So, once I had the motivation, the physical and professional manifestations became a part of the characters.

Jennifer Apodaca: Hannah's pain was very real, and yet she came across so strong. As did Josie. My next question is another issue that you shine a light on in the book. You really show the powerlessness that many defendants and their families feel in the court system. Was that something you wanted to address, or was that a byproduct of the story line itself?

Rebecca Forster: I definitely wanted to address that issue. My husband has been a federal prosecutor specializing in organized crime and terrorism, a criminal court judge and now a civil judge. I have, in effect, been a legal voyeur most of my adult life. I am fascinated by the criminal system. In the last few years as I court watch, listen to friends -- everyday people who have had to deal with the law -- I realize how very frightening the process can be. When politics enters the mix I wonder how a normal person fights that without the help of a committed attorney. In my stories no one ever really wins. There is always some price to pay because that's the way it is in real life.

Jennifer Apodaca: Your books do have that "it could be real" feeling. And I wonder, being on the outside looking in (legal voyeur), instead of having actually trained in the law as a lawyer--do you think that gives you a different perspective? Maybe a broader empathy?

Rebecca Forster: Yes, I do believe that. I think an outside view allows me to understand that attorneys and judges are only human. They wield a lot of power in a rather rarified world. I don't think that is always a blessing. Sometimes a client becomes just that -- a word and not a person. That's when the system goes awry. But then there are times a client's agenda can ruin an attorney or a judge. It is a fascinating, scary, exciting system we have and the reason I write about it -- and people like to read about it -- is because the smallest thing--a word, a wrongly filed brief, a new statute, a simple mistake--can ruin a person's life: judge, accused, victim or lawyer.

Jennifer Apodaca: Very well said, Rebecca. Now moving back to characters for a minute -- Archer is another great character in Hostile Witness. As a private investigator and Josie's boyfriend, he gives whole new definition to the "strong silent type." We get tantalizing glimpses of the depth of Archer in this book, but I want more! Are we going to see more of Archer in the next book Silent Witness?

Rebecca Forster: First, I'm so glad you like Archer. I adore him. He wasn't originally part of the cast and now I can't imagine the books without him. Yes, yes! Silent Witness is Archer's book. I think you'll be amazed at what happens to him. The twist at the very end - literally -- will hopefully bring a depth to him as well as to his relationship with Josie that will touch readers deeply. I will be curious, though, to see how readers react to his honesty given the plot of Silent Witness.

Jennifer Apodaca: I'm already hooked. Silent Witness is on my list to buy when it comes out! Let's take a minute to talk about your backlist. You had several books published a few years ago. Are any of those titles still available?

Rebecca Forster: Yes, you can still get three of my original legal fictions through the Kensington Web site. Keeping Counsel was a favorite of mine and readers. It made the USA Today top seller list some years ago. That was based on a real case: the character in the wheelchair is a real man who I was just blown away by. He actually taught my children Kung Fu. Character Witness was also based on a real case and I just love those characters. In some ways that was a very personal book. The Mentor was a tribute to my husband's mentor. My very first, and dear to my heart is Beyond Malice which was inspired by the fact that my sister and I are 14 years apart. She's very nice but the character of the younger sister in the book is awful! We had so much fun with that.

Jennifer Apodaca: That's quite a backlist! Very impressive. You mentioned that you took some time off with a bad case of writer's block. What changed for you to get you back on track?

Rebecca Forster: Breathing space was a big part of it. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just step away from something you love for a bit. But I truly think what changed things was my agent, Irene Goodman. She read my earlier work and quite simply believed I could do it again but better. She was patient, helpful, and insightful. Add to that my family cheering me on. The combination was just amazing. I'm very lucky to have met Irene and to have the family I do.

Jennifer Apodaca: I happen to know that more than luck played a part in that. You are very talented, and you did your research then made the opportunity to chat with Irene--am I remembering that right?

Rebecca Forster: You're right. I never count anything out. I try really hard to keep an open mind and options. When a realistic opportunity presents itself then I try to take advantage. The one thing I do know, nothing ever happens in this business without hard work. I wish it was all magic, though.

Jennifer Apodaca: Which is what a writer needs to do! Can you tell us a little about what your writing process is like?

Rebecca Forster: Sure. I treat the initial stages like work. I'm not one who can write in my pajamas! I get up, take care of the family, get dressed and have a set schedule. Usually I'm at my desk about nine after some morning exercise. I do the business of writing -- correspondence, getting ready for speaking engagements, public relations, visit schools -- until 11. Then I write. I go to a wonderful place called Coffee Cartel in the Redondo Beach Village. It's eclectic and interesting and inspirational because it's offbeat. That's where the real work begins. I usually shoot for 5,000 words a day or try to make great headway on a synopsis. The evenings are answering readers who write to me or just hanging out with my husband and picking his brain because I've come up with a new idea and want to make sure that it is legally feasible. Plus I love spending time with my husband.

Jennifer Apodaca: You have a built in resource with your husband! You are also involved in giving workshops and classes on writing. Folks can see more about that on your website at www.rebeccaforster.com. Can you tell us a little about the workshops and what you enjoy most?

Rebecca Forster: Yes, thank goodness for my husband. He cuts research time in half and it's a lot more fun than going to the library! I do teach. I am an anchor instructor at the Writing Certificate program at California State University at Long Beach. I also will do seminars for groups of writers as requested. My classes are fairly unique because I spend half the time on the business of writing so that new authors leave the class with a game plan, a query and an understanding of the publishing process. I focus on why their projects will or will not work. If there's a problem, we fix it then and there. We spend the rest of the time on writing itself. This is a full weekend boot camp. I also do short presentations on whatever topic interests the audience. I've learned from my mistakes and successes. The objective in teaching is to cut people's learning curve so they don't have to spend a lot of hit or miss time. That strategy in turn might hasten a sale or at least a positive response from an editor. What I enjoy most is being with other writers, sharing the excitement of the process. I draw as much creative inspiration from unpublished writers as I hope they do from me.

Jennifer Apodaca: That's very valuable to writers, particularly newer writers. The publishing process is a mystery to most people out there. So tell us, what's next for Rebecca Forster?

Rebecca Forster: More Witness books. I just submitted two new ideas. I'm also working on a police procedural and I would dearly love to write a funny, first person book. Hopefully that's on the horizon, too. Most of all everyday is just a joy telling stories and working again!

Jennifer Apodaca: Is there anything you would like your readers to know about you and your books?

Rebecca Forster: I would love readers to know how much I enjoy hearing from them. The first priority is to entertain and please the reader who spends time with me through my books. I like to know what they think about the work. That's what keeps me going. I'm fairly gregarious by nature and that's why I seek out the excitement of a court and enjoy reader feedback so much.

Jennifer Apodaca: In closing, I'd like to say that I met Rebecca years ago when I was an unpublished writer. She was gracious, funny and a genuinely nice person. Then I read her book, Keeping Counsel, and added talented to that list. So, I expected a lot from Hostile Witness--and I was not disappointed! Congratulations Rebecca on your successful new series!

Rebecca Forster: Jennifer, thanks for the opportunity to talk to you and for the kind words. The same can be said about you. In all these years I don't think I've run into anyone who loves to tell a tale that isn't genuinely wonderful and interesting. Thanks for the chat.

Jennifer Apodaca: Thanks for being with us today, Rebecca. It's been a pleasure. Now off to work with you!

Rebecca Forster: Bye. See you soon!

Jennifer Apodaca is the author of the Samantha Shaw Mystery Series from Kensington. You can visit her Web site at: www.jenniferapodaca.com.

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