Behind the Gate Interview and Author Spotlight: Rebecca Rynecki

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Rebecca Rynecki to the blog! Rebecca is the author of The Secret World of Alaina Downs Trilogy. I'm reading the first book right now, The Secret World of Alaina Downs and loving it. Book two, The Knight's Ill-Thought Bargain, will be released in February. 

Here's a little bit about this New Adult Fantasy Romance series: 



When 22 year old Alaina stumbles into a world that she thought only existed in her mind, she is understandably a little bit freaked out. Who wouldn't be? Characters that she had written down years ago are walking, and talking, and telling her that she is the only one who can save the princess and the kingdom of Isleen. Um...okay. As she travels down to the southern kingdom with Sir Gabriel, a really hot knight, she falls off horses, has an interaction with an evil witch, gets attacked by a sea creature, and even falls from lust into love.




Excerpt:
    Gabriel glanced at her. She was lying on her side, facing him. "I think if I ever got a chance to tell you more of my stories, you would realize that it is one of the few tame ones."
    Alaina smiled. "I guess I've been warned then. Are you cold?"
    "Why?"
    "You look cold. Get closer, maybe I'm the one who has the secret heat creating powers." Gabriel silently moved closer to her. "Now, then," she said, adjusting the blanket over the two of them, "go on, tell me."
    Gabriel adjusted himself so he was lying on his right side. "Well, I have to tell you that this tale has wonder in it."
    "Ah...wonder." Alaina nodded seriously. "Always a good way to start."
    "Exactly. And fear." He chuckled. "I thought I was either going to vomit or shit my trousers."
    "I hope neither happened!" Alaina laughed softly.
    "Well..." Gabriel raised his eyebrows before he shook his head. "No. None of that happened."
    "So, what did?"
    "I climbed on, and my knuckles were so white from shaking so much. I held onto that dragon's hairs like..." He fisted his hands to show her.
    Alaina smiled. "Yeah."
    He stared into her eyes, his heartbeat quickening. "And my stomach dropped, and I was flying...and falling, and...it was maddening."
    "And you did it again and again."
    Gabriel nodded slowly. "Every time I go up, it's different."
    "Better or worse?" she whispered.
    "Better."

You can purchase The Secret World of Alaina Downs on:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble  

And Now for the interview:

1) What is your favorite part of being an author? 

 I love interacting with the readers, even over things that have nothing to do with the book. I like that the majority of readers who've reached out to me have turned out to be Hunger Games fans, love British television and just have embraced the weird and silly things that make us happy.

2) If you found a hidden gate in your backyard where would it lead to?

Wow. This is something that I've often wished for in my life. It would be awesome and maybe a bit scary to actually find a gate that led to a different world, but I would love to find a hilly, green meadow. Nothing around but trees, the sky, and an old crumbling castle.

3) Could you tell us four random things about yourself?

1. I bake.
2. I secretly, well maybe not so secretly anymore, read Hunger Games fanfiction late at night.
3. A rabbit came to me when I was 8-9 years old as I sat outside reading a book. Sadly he didn't lead me anywhere interesting.
4. One of my dogs is named Westley after, well, Westley in The Princess Bride. We were thinking of naming him Anakin but my mom thought that might turn him evil so...