Q&A with R.A. McDonald

Please join me in welcoming author R. A. McDonald to P.S. I Love Books!

R.A. McDonald grew up in the Pacific Northwest and continues to reside there with her Husband, two children, and dogs.

Since she was a child, reading about foreign lands and people, as well as their beliefs, traditions and languages has captivated her. The possibility of being able to travel to those far off places was a dream.

It wasn't until late in college while seeking a dual major in Humanities and French that she finally realized words and writing were a way to travel to any land, real or imaginary.



 

Welcome R.A.! I appreciate you taking the time out to visit P.S. I Love Books.

Hi Everybody! Thank you Mishel for having me.

Can you tell us a little bit about Ada Legend of a Healer?

Definitely, Ada is a teenage girl who discovers she has the power to heal. She's spent her life being shuffled between foster homes so she hasn't had a lot of time to appreciate other people. The mystery of her mother's disappearance sends her to France where her life takes an unexpected turn and from there the adventure really begins.

What was one of your favorite and least favorite things about writing it?

My favorite part is disappearing into the lives of my characters. It's the same for me as travelling to a different country, which I love to do. My least favorite thing and the most difficult for me is when characters go in directions that I don't agree with. I let them, but it's hard at times.

Which of the characters did you enjoy working with the most?

I love working with Ada. She's stubborn and at times hard headed, but she's got a good heart and always in the middle of an adventure.

If you had the chance to do it all over again would you change anything in Ada Legend of a Healer?

At this point, I don't think I would change anything about Ada, but working on the second book keeps me busy expanding the story, so that helps.

What do you think of the cover?

I love the cover of Ada. My husband, James McDonald, did all of the artwork in the book, so I was able to watch the process. He's an incredible artist.

If Ada Legend of a Healer were made into a movie who would be your ideal cast for the main characters?

If I had a say, I would want all unknown actors. There are a lot of talented people out there.

If you could write a book about absolutely anything with any other author (dead or alive) what would it be about and who would you choose?

This is a fun question to think about. I love the idea of building worlds and creating creatures as well as interacting with mythological creatures. J.R.R Tolkien is one of my favorite authors, but if I had the privilege (as well as miracle) of seeing him write I would probably end up only reading in awe and trying to learn to better my own writing.

If you didn’t have a passion for writing books what do you think you’d be doing as a career?

I love working with little kids, so maybe an elementary school teacher.

I’m always looking for books to add to my ginormous TBR (to be read) pile. What books are you currently reading or have read recently? Any good recommendations?

I just finished reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and loved it and am currently reading Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, and really enjoying it. I would definitely recommend both.

What are some of your favorite things to do when given a break from the writing life and other work-related things?

I love to hike with my family, take spur of the moment road trips and find quiet places to read.

Are you currently working on any projects that we may see from you in the future?

Yes, I'm working on the second book in the Legend of a Healer series and hope to have it done sometime next year.

Thank you so much for stopping by R.A.! Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

Thank you very much for having me Mishel. Readers can find more about me and my work on http://www.adaslegend.com/.

Check back soon for my review of Ada Legend of a Healer and a giveaway!!