Author Spotlight: Nadette Rae Rodgers
On today's Author Spotlight, I'm happy to showcase Nadette Rae Rodgers, a Pittsburgh author that I met at a local book event. Nadette is the author of The Illusion Trilogy. I read and reviewed Illusion a few months ago and, just recently, Nadette published the second book in her series, titled Echo.
Nadette will be speaking at this year's Passages and Prose Event: A Gathering of Authors and Their Books on Saturday, October 7, 2017. The event takes place at the Twentieth Century Club in Oakland. To find out more, please visit their website at: www.passagesandprose.com
You can order Nadette's books through Amazon and read my review of Illusion after the interview below. Enjoy!
Nadette Rae Rodgers
Works: Illusion and Echo (The Illusion Trilogy Books One and Two) and Hoo Loves You, a children's book and ebook
Personal Questions:
1. Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It actually calms me down. I typically write once all my homework is done as a way to unwind from a long day of classes. It's really relaxing to me, just like reading is.
2. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
Original. My goal was to write the book I was looking for as a teen because I am interested in a lot of different genres. I also didn't write the first book intending for anyone to really ever read it, so I was just writing for me, not for an audience.
3. If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Not to hide my writing away for so long, that dreams do come true, even big dreams like writing a book!
4. What does literary success mean to you?
Inspiring my readers to pursue their dreams, doing that means I've done my job as an author.
5. Do you do research for your books?
Yes. I wanted to have some scientific and legitimate facts and ideas in my books. Because they have a big emphasis on dreams, I definitely did my research on dreaming and sleep disorders beforehand and throughout the editing process. In , the second book in the Trilogy, the main character goes on a spiritual journey of sorts, so I did a lot ofresearch for that as well.
6. Does your family support your career as a writer?
Oh my goodness, yes! I honestly do not think I would be writing today if it weren't for their support as I was growing up and their teaching me constantly to follow my dreams. I know they are behind me 100%, and tell everyone they know that I wrote a book. They are beyond supportive of my writing journey, and I could not be more grateful!
7. How long did it take you to write your first book? The second?
Book one I wrote as a freshman in high school, and it was done before that school year was up. But then I didn't do anything with it until my creative writing teacher encouraged me to get it back out again during my senior year. So I spent a year editing it and getting it ready for print. Book Two took exactly one year to write, edit, and format from the date I started writing it.
8. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I'm sure people can tell from my social media, but I am a HUGE Gilmore Girls fan! So if I'm not writing (or reading!), you can usually find me with my family, my friends, or watching Gilmore Girls with my mom!
Questions about Illusion:
1. What made you start writing Illusion? How did the idea evolve?
Dreams! I am absolutely fascinated by dreams. I'm sure everyone's experienced that feeling of deja vu before where you dream something and then in real life days later you can't help but feel like it has all happened before. I started wondering what would happen if someone felt like that all the time. And then I just started writing, and slowly crafted that idea into a whole other dream realm.
2. How did you select the names of your characters?
They were actually just names that I liked and felt suited the characters. There is however a name for a character in book three that I chose for the meaning, but that will be revealed soon...
3. Do you have any hidden meanings in your book?
The masks, that's a big one. There's a lot of masks or not being able to see people's face because that's often what high school and even life is about. It's hard to know who people really are. And for someone like Addison, living with such a big secret, no one at school really knows her and she has to in a way hide this whole other part of her. She's a dreamer, but no one can know.
4. What was your favorite chapter to write and why?
23. This chapter I actually have written on a pillow in my room to remind myself that dreams do come true, because sometimes I still can't believe I wrote a book! This chapter is one where Addison and Zach are just really honest with each other and finally talk about all the crazy dreams they deal with. It's just really sweet and I think you can really see their relationship in that scene. Also, that chapter was one I added at the last minute, it wasn't originally in the manuscript, so sometimes I think it's funny it was my favorite. I even feature this chapter in book two!
5. What was your hardest scene to write?
I think the ending chapters. I don't want to give anything away, but there is a very major plot twist at the end and that was a hard part to write and get it just right.
6. Why did you decide to self publish?
I'm a young author and it was my first book. I wasn't too sure how to go about the traditional publishing process, especially while trying to juggle school (high school then, but now college) and other activities. I never dreamed the book would be doing so well so soon! I'm blown away!
7. What is the best aspect of the self publishing? The most challenging?
The best aspect is that I get to do everything myself- is also the most challenging aspect. All the time I have put in is well worth it though! I love getting to dream up covers and then bring them to life myself, or have the capability to change fonts with the shift in P.O.V. like I got to do with the format of
8. “Echo” the second book in the series was just recently released. Do you have the third book mapped out?
I do! I have the very ending of the trilogy all planned out and am really excited for the day I get to share that with my readers.
9. Do you want each book in your series to stand on its own, or do you want your books build upon each other?
Definitely build upon each other! I want to continue to shape the dream world and the typical small town world of Madison Town as the series goes on. I think it is important for me to tell the whole story for these characters.
To learn more about Nadette Rae Rodgers and her novels, visit:
Website: nadetteraerodgers.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theillusiontrilogy
Twitter and Instagram: @nadetterae
Official Illusion Trilogy Site: illusiontrilogy.weebly.com
My Review of Illusion
The first novel in the Illusion Trilogy, Illusion is an intriguing read that will keep you guessing! The story follows Addison, a “normal” teenage girl who finds herself living between the real world and the danger that lurks in her dreams. Filled with characters that capture the teenage spirit, Rodgers weaves youthful experiences through the story that keep the pace moving and fresh – the school dance, text strings, and the attraction of that first crush. Unique and engaging, this is a young adult book that people of all ages will enjoy. I look forward to reading more about Addison’s adventures in the sequel!
