From retelling Little Red Riding Hood in a childhood writing class to crafting fierce, magic-wielding heroines who defy the patriarchy, romantasy author Rebecca Parcha has always known the power of a good story. Inspired by literary icons like Virginia Woolf and modern romantasy trailblazers like Sarah J. Maas, Rebecca blends old-world symbolism with bold, emotionally rich narratives that champion strong female leads and challenge societal norms. In this interview, she opens up about her writing rituals, literary influences, and what it means to create work that not only entertains, but empowers.
In Fangs of Fate, Tate Aaralyn walks a dangerous line between predator and prey—an executioner of justice in the human realm and a conflicted vampire in the Glenn, where her hunger feels like a curse. When a disciplinary hearing forces her into service with the guara, Tate must confront dark truths, a mysterious bond with a powerful vampire named Aether, and her own evolving power. Meanwhile, Chance Dale, the president’s son and her former lover, uncovers a sinister threat rising within the vampire world. As their paths cross again, both must decide whether love is their salvation—or their undoing.
Q: What/who were your early literary influences, and how do you think their writing has shaped you as a storyteller today?
A: I love Virginia Woolf. I’m a huge fan of A Room of One’s Own. Her short stories are also amazing. To me, getting to study her and her life in college was one of my favorite parts of various literature classes. Beyond her, I’d say Hemingway, Poe, and George Lillo would also be up there as far as influential favorites within cherished prose and plays. There’s also the Brothers Grimm and Anne Saxton who I also have a great appreciation for.
Q: What’s a memory of a story or book that made you realize you wanted to be a writer?
A: Growing up, I took several creative writing classes. One of them was focused on retelling well-known stories. We did a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood in class, and this process was truly one of the best projects I’ve ever worked on—it was just so much fun. And I realized, telling stories through a new lens is something I love. It was in this class, and our focus on the tale itself, that my passion for fairytales and all things fiction began to bloom.
Q: Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?
A: I think Sarah J Maas is one of the most impactful modern-day authors. For me, I consider her the mother of romantasy and credit her with making ‘Fae’ sexy and appropriate for women in their thirties, forties, and fifties, etc.
Q: How do you nurture your creativity when life gets busy or overwhelming?
A: For me, it’s an outlet. It’s a place my creative self can finally be expressed. I have two littles, both four and under, so life is always busy. But I find that when I carve out an hour a day and just paint the picture I see in my head with words, I can find a bit of an escape and get far more done than I would’ve guessed.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice another writer has given you about storytelling?
A: I’ve heard another author say that “you can’t improve something that hasn’t been started.” This is something I remind myself of often when I’m just starting a project. My process often has several revisions to get to the final product, and each time it gets better and better. I’ve heard other authors demand their work be burned if they die and the book is only in its first draft. While this isn’t something I would do, to me it’s just more encouragement that my first draft is just that: a first draft. It will only get better with time. It is also helpful to know I’m not the only one with a vastly different manuscript from first draft to that of my final copy.
Q: When do you feel most “in the zone” with your writing—early mornings, late nights, or somewhere in between?
A: For me, it’s mostly in the mornings. Something about coming out of a deep sleep, sometimes filled with dreams, to a cup of coffee and renewed energy just screams time to write.
Q: What’s a book that changed how you think about writing or storytelling?
A: I read A Cage of Crimson by K.F. Breene recently, and it reminded me of how fun fairytale retellings can be. It was witty, it broke the rules, it played with the tale, and it turned the characters (in their traditional form) on their heads. I absolutely loved it and it made me recall the joy of finding symbolism within books and planting it within my own work.
Q: Do you find inspiration in other art forms (music, film, visual art)? If so, how does it shape your work?
A: Absolutely. I think about the artistry of music quite a bit. To me, when I feel moved by a song, that’s a powerful song. If my work can move someone or inspire, then I’ve done it right. I’ll often consider what makes the song compelling. Is it its story? The emotionally evocative tune or lyrics? Or is it the whole way it’s weaved together that brings about connection? At any rate, I find inspiration in music to make my work something that can connect to my readers; I want to make something that can be felt by my audience too.
Q: If you could collaborate with any writer, past or present, who would it be, and what would you create together?
A: I think working with one of the greats, one of the well-seasoned romantasy authors of my time would be a dream come true. And then, of course, to be able to work with Virginia Woolf now and show her how far women have come, would also be so amazing.
Q: What themes do you find yourself returning to again and again in your work?
A: I continually have powerful female representation within my work. I think it is so important to break down old concepts of the patriarchy. I’ve seen the destructive power that certain views of male roles have on women in our modern world; marriages plagued with this idea of ‘the head of the house’ as being all knowing; females told their value is less than that of males; inequality between genders; and the sexual shaming of women. All these things, in my opinion, are due in part to old school patriarchy, and this is something I love to come against within my work.
I love a powerful FMC who can stand on her own and is brave. I appreciate an intelligent female character who can also speak her mind and fight for what she believes in. I love exploring female pleasure within my work too, and I think this is an important step in normalizing it, especially for women who, like me, grew up being shamed for their sexuality. This is not to say that I don’t also appreciate a ‘knight in shining armor’ motif, but I think for far too long women have been told they need to be saved and they’re unworthy if they’re not the special one chosen by a man. Ultimately, I want to champion powerful FMCs that are relatable but also notably stand against the patriarchal norms of female characters.
Q: How do you approach writing characters with experiences different from your own?
A: This is something I had to immediately address in Fangs of Fate, as I wrote it from a duel POV. When I got to Chance’s chapters, I had to maintain his voice and his male persona without being able to relate to all of it. Often, I’ll think of someone in my head—whether I know them, or they’re just a figure on TV—and then pull from how I’d see them responding to this. Eventually, Chance developed his own voice and now it’s all him. Even still, I don’t know what a male orgasm is like (thanks Google), I’ve never fought in the military, and I don’t wield magic, so I still have to just picture what it would be like if I could do what he does, and then just attempt to capture that in writing. In the end, each character develops on their own and becomes their own entity, even if partially (and often unknowingly) influenced by my own personal accounts and personality.
Q: What’s your go-to snack or drink while writing?
A: Coffee, coffee, coffee. Sometimes something with lots of tasty carbs can be good for the brain too. 😉
Q: What’s a quirky or unexpected detail about your writing space?
A: It’s a complete mess. And it often changes. I’ll write at the kitchen counter, the table, or my cluttered desk, but no matter where I write, there will always be old coffee mugs stashed somewhere close by. My husband jokes he can just ‘follow the trail of mugs’ to my location.
Q: Do you have any rituals or routines to help you transition into “writer mode”?
A: I love listening to instrumental music in my headphones. I find it relaxing and conducive to creativity.
Q: What’s the most rewarding feedback you’ve ever received from a reader?
A: I love hearing that they could picture the scenes vividly and felt like they were watching a movie. This compliment means so much to me as I strive to capture the movie I see going on inside my own head and transcribe it to the paper in the best possible way.
Q: How do you define success as an author? Has that definition evolved over time?
A: To me, success is found in giving it my ‘all’ and simply trying. Sometimes, my efforts are met with great reward, and other times I’m just proud of myself for giving it a go. I think success varies for everyone, but if my work can inspire someone else to follow their dreams, to stand up for themselves even when they don’t have family support, then I think that work is successful.
From a numbers standpoint, as a new debut indie author, I’m pleased if the sales keep going up and I sell even just one book a day. I was once told that 80% of books will never sell more than 100 copies in their entire life; my goal was to hit 500 in the first six months, and I’m beyond pleased to announce this was accomplished. So, to answer the question fully, I think pursuing your dreams and believing in yourself is its own form of success. Beyond that, I’d recommend coming up with a goal and a plan and then just monitoring all the baby steps that are also smaller achievements in your path to success. Celebrate the small things too.
Q: What have you written that you found to be the most fun to write?
A: I absolutely love writing characters that are a bit unhinged or deranged. I wasn’t expecting to love writing from a villain’s perspective as much, but I find myself thoroughly enjoying it.
Q: What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
A: A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jenson! I stumbled across this book and into the Viking world without any backstory last summer and fell IN LOVE. If you haven’t read it, you seriously need to do so ASAP.
Q: Do you have an all-time favorite writer, or does your favorite change over time? Who is your favorite writer today?
A: It does change. I think Sarah J Maas will always be a favorite; I credit her with my love of fantasy, specifically the spicy stuff. 😉
Q: What is your favorite genre to read? Do you write in that genre? Has that always been your favorite genre, or has your taste evolved as you have grown as a writer?
A: I love reading romantasy! It’s just my all-time favorite. I love how it transports you to another time and place with powers and realities that do not fit within our natural world. I love overcoming alongside the FMC and MMC and experiencing new cultures and abilities. So, naturally, writing romantasy is what I love to do. Romantasy has not always been my favorite genre as growing up it was taboo. Back then, I’d read a lot of mysteries, Amish romance, or western romance novels. However, since I stumbled into romantasy, I don’t think anything else can really compare to its power and magic.
Q: What other books would you recommend to our readers in addition to your own?
A: Oof! So many. Outside of the well-known ones, I’d recommend: A Cage of Crimson by K.F. Breene, A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jenson, The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson, and One Last Stop by Casey McQuinston.
Q: If you could live in the world of one of your books for a day, which would it be and why?
A: I would love to experience the Embassy! I think getting to see dragons soaring throughout the sky, flame wielders practicing in the arenas, and the sophisticated feeding habits of the Untish culture.
Q: If your life were a novel, what would the title be?
A: I’m not sure. Maybe, Always a Dreamer.
Q: What’s a surprising or unusual skill you have that might make its way into a story one day?
A: I just got my open water diver certification, so there may just have to be some underwater scenes in some of my future novels.
Q: What’s a new genre or style you’d love to experiment with in the future?
A: I’d love to play with a psychological thriller or dark comedy.
Q: What’s one thing you hope readers take away from your latest book?
A: A love for magic and unlikely heroes. I also hope they have a new appreciation for morally grey characters, along with what it means to overcome.
Q: What do you think the future of storytelling looks like in a world of evolving technology?
A: I honestly don’t know. This is an area I do find a bit concerning, but ultimately, only time will tell. I do think there will always be value in human-curated art, so I plan to keep telling my stories.
Q: What projects are you working on at the present?
A: Currently, I’m working on the third book in The Untish Series. I can’t wait for everyone to get to experience Mydant and all the wild events in book three! Additionally, I’ve been plotting another fantasy book and am playing with inverting tropes within this novel.
Q: What do your plans for future projects include?
A: Stories, badass FMCs, and lots of love. I have a plethora of ideas and can’t wait to breathe life into each one and see what they become. Who knows, I may even write that thriller I’ve been thinking about and crafting in my head for the past five years. I also have been working on converting my current series into audiobooks!
Rebecca Parcha writes bold, emotionally rich romantasy that explores power, identity, and the magic of transformation. Her stories are known for their vivid worldbuilding, morally gray characters, and celebration of female strength and pleasure. When she’s not writing, she’s usually chasing after her two young sons, sipping coffee, or dreaming up new plot twists during quiet Colorado mornings.
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Book Summary
When Jack Utley loses his daughter just as his business is about to soar, it seems he’s traded financial gain for Callie’s life. After an encounter with a mysterious woman on the eve of Callie’s funeral, Jack wakes up to find that time has somehow rewound to the morning of Callie’s accident. Jack gets an opportunity that most grieving parents can only dream of – he saves his daughter’s life.
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