IndieView with Rebecca Henry, author of Louisiana Latte

It’s a tale about sisters. Everything else is for kicks and laughs, but what truly shines is that you can’t judge a person by their heel height. Deb is a genuine soul and if you know her, you’re blessed.

Rebecca Henry – 7 March 2022

The Back Flap

In 1989, at the age of twenty-two, Deb was in a life or death situation. As the engines started, accompanied by the fasten seat belt sign, Deb felt her skin crawl with immobilizing fear. She had two choices, either get off the plane or die in her brand-new Gucci stilettos. Deb couldn’t get on a plane for love that day, but she could do it twenty years later for money. Money was worth dying for.

About the book

What is the book about?

In 1989, at the age of twenty-two, Deb was in a life-or-death situation. As the engines started, accompanied by the fasten seat belt sign, Deb felt her skin crawl with immobilizing fear. She had two choices, either get off the plane or die in her brand-new Gucci stilettos. Deb couldn’t get on a plane for love that day, but she could do it twenty years later for money. Money was worth dying for.

Fast forward to present day with sisters Deb and Becky, waiting to board a Boeing 737 to Louisiana at Reagan International airport with Deb in a pair of six-inch diamante Gucci stilettos and a Dunkin Donuts coffee, click-clacking her way through the airport, chatting enthusiastically with every passenger in sight and making Becky her personal caddie. The sisters were on their way to attend a prosthetic convention, hoping to obtain clients for their new online medical billing service.

Once at the conference, staying at a five-star hotel that they cannot afford, Becky makes it her mission to find Deb the man of her dreams who Becky refers to as Mr. Perfect. Becky runs into Mr. Perfect (later known as Dylan, the hunky Londoner) throughout their stay in Shreveport. Dylan is a carbon copy of Deb from his Gucci shoes to his Dolce & Gabbana Cologne. Becky knows this is the man that will stop Deb dead in her tracks with his light eyes, dark hair and creamy caramel skin. One look at Dylan and Deb will finally kick her loser boyfriend Bucky to the curb and ending her string of bad boy romances. The only problem is, how is Becky going to get them to meet with so many men trying to sweep Deb off her diamante stiletto wearing feet?

When did you start writing the book?

I began writing Louisiana Latte after my sister, Deb, and I returned from a business trip together in Shreveport, Louisiana. I was in my mid 30s with two kids and Deb was in her forties. Her daughter had just gone off to university and I had been living overseas for six years with my husband and our children. I had just returned to the states for a couple years before our next overseas move to Germany. Deb and I were beginning a new chapter in our lives and what began as two sisters starting a business together in a male-dominated profession turned into the novel of my life! If you’ve never traveled with a diva before, then buckle up for this ride because diva’s only travel first class!

How long did it take you to write it?

I completed the rough draft within three weeks, but the completed result took two years of perfecting the novel thanks to the help of my talented editor, Angela Willingham, and my trusted alpha readers, Fallak Tabassum and Georg Kienberger. I honestly could not have done this story without these influential and accomplished professionals. The story passed through their hands, each time offering me important feedback on how to prefect my craft and turn the book into what is has become today. I not only learned how to develop my skills as an author, but I also took a self-learning crash course in writing query letters, cover letters and formatting a manuscript through this entire process. Honestly, it was one of the best experiences of my life and shaped me into the writer I am today.

Where did you get the idea from?

My diva sister Deb! I always knew at a young age I wanted to be an author and ever since I was a kid, I saw Deb as the older, beautiful, light the world, on fire sister. You only meet a person like Deb once in your life and after spending a weekend with her in Louisiana, Louisiana Latte was born.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Yes, deciding how vulnerable I wanted to be in the book since it is loosely based on real-life events and real-life people.

What came easily?

Describing Deb! Ha-ha. There is only one stiletto wearing, coffee obsessed, money driven woman in my life and I always knew she would be my meal ticket some day! But in all honesty, no one has a heart of gold like my sister and that is the real focus in this story. It’s a tale about sisters. Everything else is for kicks and laughs, but what truly shines is that you can’t judge a person by their heel height. Deb is a genuine soul and if you know her, you’re blessed.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

I couldn’t make Deb up if I tried! She’s real all right, but just to be clear, this book is fiction.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

Omigod Yes! Absolutely! Reading for an author is the same as an IT specialist keeping up with their profession by taking updated Microsoft courses! I read an average of four books a month, and I select the subject matter of each book based on what I’m currently writing. Apart from my latest series coming out, Ambrosia Hill, I tend to write across the genres. If the subject interests me, I’ll write about it. Because I read every night before bed, I’m able to flow in and out of genres with my work and learn the craft for each one. When I was writing Louisiana Latte, I read a lot of fun, chick-lit books and romance titles, but authors that have influenced me throughout my life are Alice Hoffman, Chuck Palahniuk, Ryan Carrie, and Richard Matheson.

Do you have a target reader?

Louisiana Latte is targeted for women in their early thirties to late forties, especially women who love a heartwarming story about sisters, stilettos, coffee and one fabulous diva!

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

Not really, I just sit down, and it flows. Usually, I work best in the morning when I first wake up with a cup of coffee and my keyboard. I do need to be in a room with windows overlooking nature. Here in England, I work in my conservatory and depending on what book I am composing I’ll have vison boards scattered about that I made to inspire me.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I am the worst at outlining. I love to wing it if I’m honest. I rarely know what is coming next in the story until I write it. Recently, I’ve needed to commit to an outline for my publishers at Finch Books. This has been a unique experience for me and one I’m slowly discovering it works and helps me stay on track with the plot.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I revise each chapter before I move on to the next, but I am constantly editing and revising as I go. I won’t edit a scene until it’s completed. The most important aspect for me is to just get it down on paper, then go back and perfect it. But the real editing comes at the end when I send it off to my editor Angela Willingham. She’s been with me from the beginning and has worked on almost all my final drafts. I’d be lost without her!

Did you hire a professional editor?

Yes, I do as I mentioned previously, Angela Willingham has been my trusted editor since my Sci-Fi novel Hybrid. The difference between submitting a quality piece of work versus an amateur one in my opinion is hiring a damn good editor. It’s invaluable and one of the biggest mistakes I made when I first published was not hiring a professional editor and it’s a mistake I’ll never make again. Even if you’re self-publishing, you want your work to be as professional and put together as possible, and that is a hard task to do with just your own set of eyes on your book. But, if you want to submit your work to publishers or agents, most won’t even consider your manuscript if it has not been professionally edited. You’re doing yourself and your book justice by investing in a good editor, and many can be found on social media sites such as Instagram.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

I do actually! My husband is a musician by hobby and his music studio is connected to my office, so I usually flow with his latest creations, but when he’s not with me, I have an electronic chill playlist off Amazon that plays on a constant stream coming from my echo whenever I’m at my computer.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes, I have, and I’ve even been signed by one. Honestly, at this stage in my career, I rather go at it without one and find that it’s not always necessary to hire a big-name agent. It really depends on your goals and where you want to see your work. I am in a comfortable place in my work and do not feel the need to be with an agent at this time.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

It was a gradual process, one that felt right to me. There is a lot to consider when deciding how you want to publish your work. Some people like to keep control of their work while others are happy to see it in print, no matter the cost. I had some rocky experiences with a publisher at the beginning of my career and quickly learned that finding the right fit for you and your book is more important than seeing it published by just any publisher.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

My publisher at Urban Edge Publishing did the cover and I think they nailed it! My favorite scene in the book is when Deb takes a shower in her four-inch stilettos at a ritzy hotel. And when they asked me what my vision was for the design, I said I would love for it to depict that scene. I couldn’t have asked for a better cover!

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I have a marketing plan and it comprises interviews, book clubs, online reviews and using social media. Instagram has an amazing author and reading community and it’s there where I have made most of my connections. Exposure is the name of the game for indie authors and it’s also the hardest aspect of going indie for me. But, if you are tenacious and keep at it, good things can happen! I keep mentioning the writing community within Instagram, and that’s where my book was noticed by Alexander Dakers, a London artist who painted the cover of Louisiana Latte for one of his solo exhibits at the Brick Lane Gallery in London. It was amazing exposure, and such an honor to attend the exhibit.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Yes, don’t give up! Keep going and learn to take criticism as a means to improve your work, not discredit it. Also, your best asset when going indie is finding your beta and alpha readers. These people will be the ink to your pen. I cannot stress enough how valuable it is to have a trusted team that you can turn to for solid criticism. But this will only work if you’re willing to listen and not take their comments to heart as a negative. Just remember, your team wants you to succeed! Once you have a final draft crafted by your beta and alpha readers, then it’s time to invest in a professional editor, and this must be with someone who believes in your work. The relationship you have with your editor is almost like a marriage. They want your work to be the best it can be, and you have to trust and believe in their talent as much as they do with yours.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Upstate New York in a small town called Clinton. I spent my summers in the Adirondack mountains until I moved to Daytona Beach at thirteen. Most of the sister’s flashbacks from Louisiana Latte take place in the 80s and 90s in either Upstate New York or Daytona Beach Florida. I tend to use Upstate New York as the main setting for most of my work, as it left a memorable mark on my character and in my life.

Where do you live now?

I currently live in England but will move to Thailand in July 2022. I’ve spent the last fourteen years moving to various countries around the world and couldn’t imagine a life without the constant thrill of change and adventure. I’ve met life-changing people in each move who have shaped and influenced my life.

What would you like readers to know about you?

I didn’t start my career as an author until my late thirties and it truly didn’t develop until my early forties! There’s no age limit to being an author, and it’s never too late to do what you love!

What are you working on now?

My current project is a YA, LBGTQ Magical Realism series called Ambrosia Hill. The first book, Amethyst is scheduled to come out in April 2022 with a cover reveal in March. I am obsessed with all things witchy and writing this series has turned into my greatest passion.

End of Interview:

For more from Rebecca Henry, visit her website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Get your copy of Louisiana Latte from Amazon US or Amazon UK.