Today on Meet the Author, we’re featuring Rebecca Ahola. Rebecca is a guidance officer and English teacher and has loved writing and storytelling since she was a child.
As both a teacher and counsellor, Rebecca has seen the power stories have to help young people make sense of the world. She is passionate about creating characters that children both love and to whom they can relate.
Rebecca’s first novel with Rhiza Press is Miles Thorne and the Forbidden Magic, a story with family secrets, fantasy beasts and a lovable group of magical misfits. Miles must find the courage to show the world who he really is if he and his friends are going to survive against the other teams in a magical competition.
What’s your favourite part of Miles Thorne and the Forbidden Magic?
It’s the dynamic between Miles and his friends. Miles has been to new schools before and has never found a group of friends. He believes the best way to survive school, especially if you don’t fit the norm, is to hide. When he meets the group who will become his people, he understands that each of them is a misfit in their own way. Miles struggles to comprehend the confidence that each of them has despite their uniqueness. He has so much to learn and each of his friends has something to teach him.
Share the section from the story that you enjoyed writing the most.
‘So that just leaves during the competition that they, and every other team, can literally kill us,’ I say. ‘We'd be slaughtered.’
‘We wouldn't,’ Eric insists. ‘It’s like Legions. Why do you think so many people don't play Legions?’
‘Because it's incredibly uncool,’ Colter suggests.
‘Because the guys who play it are all unattractive,’ Freya adds.
I look at Colter, who gives a tiny shake of his head and tilts his chin towards Eric. Catching the gesture, Eric says, ‘She can't mean me. I doubt she means our brooding boyband member either. She must mean you, Colter.’
‘Wait,’ I say, ‘I don't look like I'm in a boyband.’
‘Whatever you say,’ Eric replies, ‘but I'm pretty sure some poor guy from three decades ago is walking around bald because you stole his haircut.’
Laughter bubbles up from my chest. The sound is light and joyful and feels like effervescence on my lips. It’s so unfamiliar that I cover my mouth.
Do you have any other projects coming up?
I’m working on the next book in the same world as Miles Thorne. I’m also working on a contemporary novel for the same age group set in Far North Queensland. It has themes that are very relevant to my local area and is centred around a sweet romance. I have had this story churning around in my head for quite a while and it really needs to be on the page so I can sleep at night!
I often visualise full scenes with dialogue and description in my head before they make their way to the page. Luckily, I drive quite a lot for work, so I have lots of time to imagine my stories while travelling through the tropical rainforest. The downside is that it’s very difficult to get my characters to stop talking to me when it’s time for me to sleep.
Do personal experiences ever contribute to your stories?
My own personal experiences always contribute to my work. I went to quite a few high schools just like Miles. I remember well the joy of finding my own friendship group, just as Miles does. They were (and still are) an amazing group of people who were unapologetically themselves and the friendships in Miles Thorne and the Forbidden Magic are inspired by them.
I also draw inspiration from the young people I have taught and known. My characters are fictional, but it’s impossible not to be inspired by the ways in which young people show strength and kindness and overcome the obstacles they face.
What were some of your favourite books growing up?
I read widely growing up. I loved fantasy books like The Belgariad series by David and Leigh Eddings. I read The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien when I was very young. I was one of those young people who loved big, thick novels. I also loved Judy Blume, in particular the novel Blubber. It is a very nuanced story about bullying in primary school. I reread it recently and it still affected me.
Which favourite books, movies and TV shows have inspired or influenced your writing? In what ways?
I wrote a novel about a team of underdogs, in part because my favourite movies were the performance movies of the 1980s like The Mighty Ducks and The Karate Kid. Of course, I loved The NeverEnding Story. Every fantasy element in that movie is wonderful, but the very best part is Bastian using his Luck Dragon to get back at his bullies.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
I would advise writers to attend courses, listen to podcasts and read books on the craft. There is so much information on writing available. Not all of it will fit with the way you write, but you will find the information that is relevant to you. I would also advise new writers to take joy in writing their stories. Every time I sit down to write, I am excited to see the story unfold. I think I know where the plot is going and what my characters will do and say but often they surprise me.
When you need some extra encouragement, who do you turn to?
I am very lucky to have a fellow author, Fiona Bell, who reads my manuscripts and helps me work out what to do when I hit a snag in my plot or my characters’ motivations. I also have a wonderful beta reader, Katrina Williams, who reads my work in progress. Sending her my chapters gives me accountability, and I love her honest feedback and enthusiasm.
You can follow Rebecca via her social media:
Website: rebeccaahola.com
Facebook: Rebecca Ahola Author
Instagram: rahola_writes