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Rachel Phelps is a 23-year-old who lives in Kansas City. She has her Bachelor’s in English Literature and currently works as a clinician for Applied Learning Processes, a private center for dyslexia treatment. She has experience in journalism as a reporter and editor, but her true passion is fiction.

She has been scribbling ever since she can remember and is working toward her dream being a published novelist. She is active on FaithWriters, enjoys writing skits and plays for her church, and has finally joined the blogosphere. Her favorite genre to write is historical of any period. Rachel will read almost anything as long as it is well written and isn’t senselessly offensive (offensive with a purpose gets an extra star in her book). Her biggest dream is to be an excellent author who is a Christian and prove to the skeptics that the terms are not mutually exclusive.

Find out more about Rachel by visiting her website,
http://www.wix.com/parexcellence/home, and her blog,
http://www.liveparexcellence.blogspot.com/.

interview by Marcia Peterson

WOW: Congratulations on winning first place in our Summer 2010 writing contest! What was your reaction when you found out you won?

Rachel: I screamed. I was watching a movie with friends and decided to check the Web site even though I hadn't received an email yet. When I clicked on the Contests tab, there was my picture on top. I almost dropped my computer. Once my friends figured out what was happening, I was given an impromptu toast with our soda glasses. Definitely a moment to remember.

WOW: Love your reaction! Can you tell us what encouraged the idea behind your story, Motherhood?

Rachel: I love telling the stories of forgotten characters. I think it's the journalist in me--I believe everyone deserves to have their story told. I'm adopted, so even though I'm not a mother, I've often thought about what it takes to give up a child. Putting those two instincts together brought me to Moses' mother.

WOW: It’s a powerful story that really pulled me in. You also seem to have a clear understanding of the historical period that made the story seem real. Could you share your research process, or any other good tips for writing historical fiction?

Rachel: The most important part of writing historical fiction is understanding the rhythm of the voice. For example, today, somone would say, "Hey, whatcha' doin'?" In medieval times, it would sound more like "Good morrow. How do you fare this day?" In the 1800s, you might say, "Good day. Is your family in good health?"

The best way to capture the voice of a period is to read a lot of stories from (or set in) that period. You'll also learn a lot about mindsets and social issues of the day by doing that. I've never officially studied Ancient Egypt, but I've read a ton of novels set there. I'm also very familiar with the B

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