How Rachel Harrison Sits Down & Writes
Rachel Harrison's chilling debut novel 'The Return' will keep you reading way past bedtime...and sleeping with the lights on.
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In many ways, The Return is a love story. Not the typical boy-meets-girl kind with a bright, sunny romantical falling in love montage in the middle and a happily ever after waiting for you at the end. The Return is a love story about best friends. The kind of friendship that goes way, way back, where all of your deepest, darkest secrets are known. The kind of friendship that molds you and keeps you. The kind of friendship that might just be the biggest, most significant relationship you ever have.
And as we know all too well in real life—not all love stories have happy endings.
After vanishing during a solo hike without a trace, everybody has given up hope that Julie will ever be found. Well, except Julie’s best friend Elise, that is. Despite all evidence suggesting otherwise, Elise believes—no, she knows—that Julie is still out there somewhere.
Exactly two years after Julie’s mysterious disappearance, Elise is proven right when Julie returns home without any memory of where she's been for all that time.
In an effort to heal and reconnect with each other, Elise and Julie plan a girls’ trip with their college friends Molly and Mae at the remote Red Honey Inn. As soon as the four women reunite, however, it's obvious that something is wrong with Julie. She's emaciated, with sallow skin and odd appetites—like craving raw meat after years of vegetarianism.
As the weekend unfolds (with a number of odd and disturbing occurrences at the Inn), Elise, Molly and Mae must come to terms with the fact that the Julie they know and love is not the same Julie who came back. But then who—or what—is she now?
The Return is perfect for fans of The Shining, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Hereditary, as well as Jessica Knoll and Gillian Flynn.
We asked Rachel all about her writing process—there will be talk of excessive blankets— the inspiration behind her wildly imaginative setting and all things The Return
Q: Where/When do you like to write the most?
I like to write in the morning, on the couch or in bed. It feels good to start the day off doing what I love while being seated under an excess of blankets.
Q: When it comes to drafting, do you prefer writing on a computer or freehand?
Computer, or in the Notes app on my phone. I write there when I’m on the go and inspiration strikes, which usually results in me tripping or running into people. I’m that jerk. I’m sorry!
Q: Are you more of a plotter or pantser?
I’m a bit of both. I had a detailed outline for The Return and after I finished, I declared that outlines were the key! But then when I sat down to work on an outline for my next book, I got really stuck. After a few trash outlines and a lot of angry muttering, I ended up just starting to write. I let the story unfold as I went, and it turned out really cool and unexpected. I think in general I like to have the floorplan but be able to change the wallpaper if I want, if that makes sense.
Q: Stephen King has a great line in ‘On Writing’ that says “the scariest moment is always right before you start. After that, things can only get better.” That scary pre-start moment often inspires procrastination in writers. Suddenly, you have to clean your entire house, do the laundry and play Candy Crush for an hour before you can actually start writing. Is there anything you need to do before you can actually sit down and work?
I’m a Virgo so I’m allergic to procrastination. I’m of the Nike school of just do it. Just write! However, I am guilty of getting distracted while I’m writing. If I have to look something up and open my web browser, it’s game over. I will undoubtedly end up down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. I’ll be like, “what’s the word I’m looking for?” and next thing I know I’m on the Wiki page for the Boston Molasses Disaster with my manuscript sulking, neglected in the background.
Q: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what music? Is your choice of music inspired by the project you’re working on?
I like total silence while I write, which is very obnoxious for my husband, and would be for my cat if she respected my process at all, which she does not. I did listen to music while editing The Return. I tried classical music because I thought it would make me an instant genius. No such luck! I switched to Jenny Lewis, Mitski, Japanese Breakfast, Lykke Li. I do like to listen to music that fits the mood of what I’m working on. It’s motivating!
Q: Do you need any particular drinks—coffee, tea, etc—or snacks on hand when you’re writing? If so, which ones?
I love tea. I like to have a variety of teas on hand always. I drank a lot of matcha while editing The Return, and lately I’m obsessed with Stash Tea Double Bergamot Earl Grey. When it comes to coffee, I love it, but I need to be careful because if I have too much caffeine I turn into an insane person, more so than usual. Mr. Hyde vs. the Incredible Hulk.
Q: Some writers believe you have to write every single day. Is that true of your process? How often do you write/how long for each session?
If I’m working on a novel, I shoot for 1,000 words a day, regardless of how long it takes me. I need to keep up the momentum. If I’m working on something else, like a short story, I write every day, but I don’t hold myself to a word count or amount of time. But everyone is different, everyone has their own process. I’m a big believer in finding what works for you.
Q: Are you a fan of craft books for writing? Is there one you consult often/would recommend to aspiring authors?
My best advice for someone looking to hone their craft is to read like your life depends on it. Read, read, read. Craft books can be useful, I personally enjoyed Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration, and the Artistic Process, but you also have to be actively reading and paying attention to what you like, what you think is good and why. I also recommend taking a class if you can, or just finding someone to swap work with to get feedback. There’s no secret sauce. Read and write! Immerse and commit yourself.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give an aspiring author?
Be persistent, have faith in yourself, and enjoy it! Also, if you’re actively working toward your goals, writing and reading, dedicating yourself to your craft, you’re not aspiring. You’re an author!
If anyone has specific questions about writing or publishing feel free to DM me. I don’t claim to be an expert but I’m always happy to help!
Q: The Return is full of dynamic characters, including the setting. The Red Honey Inn feels like a character itself throughout the novel. Did you find any inspiration for The Return’s setting in real life/use any tools—such as Pinterest mood boards—to create the Red Honey Inn?
The Red Honey Inn was inspired by The Madonna Inn in San Louis Obispo, CA. I saw some pictures and was so enamored. The Red Honey Inn is on the east coast, and it’s a bit hammier with its themed rooms, but the spirit of The Madonna is strong. I haven’t been able to get there myself, but while I was writing the book my best friend went and brought me back a matchbook, which I’ve held onto and consider a good luck charm. I hope to visit someday. Photoshoot, baby!
Q: Did your writing space have to reflect the mood of The Return? Or did it have the opposite effect—did the creepy atmosphere of the Red Honey Inn have you writing with all the bright lights on?
Insight into the glamorous writer life: I live in a one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn and have a full-time job, so I wrote the majority of The Return at like 4:30 or 5 AM on my couch. So, it would be dark but only because the sun wasn’t up yet! I guess there was some ambiance there. I hope one day to have a spooky writing lair full of skeletons! That’s not my reality just yet. I should specify, fake skeletons.
Q: The Return follows four best friends: Elise, Mae, Molly and the recently returned Julie after a mysterious, two-year disappearance. While the book is told from Elise’s first-person perspective, did you ever find it difficult to balance your main cast of characters while writing, especially considering the group’s ever-shifting dynamic and loyalties to one another? Was there any character (or duo within the foursome) you personally favored above the others?
One of the things I find most fascinating about being in a friend group is how there are so many different dynamics. You can all be part of the same group but have very different individual relationships. I wanted that to come across in the book and have it feel true to life. It was fun and at times cathartic for me to explore that with Elise, Mae, Molly and Julie. I wasn’t too worried about the balance, because there will never be balance. If you’ve ever been on a girl’s trip, you know this is true. I love all of the characters, I have such a soft spot for all of them, and think each relationship is interesting and special. If I had to pick one to hang out with IRL it would definitely be Mae. She’s thoughtful, smart, fun, and super cool. She’s the kind of friend you get dressed up to hang out with, who you just feel good around.
Q: On the surface, The Return is a horror story. I don’t want to spoil anything for readers, but the last line of the book jacket perfectly sums up what the story is about without giving too much away: It becomes impossible to deny that the Julie who vanished two years ago is not the same Julie who came back. But then who—or what—is she?
While reading, though, the story underneath felt to me to be one of watching your closest friend change and realizing that, maybe, it’s time to let go of that relationship, which is a devastating realization (often more devastating than romantic breakups). Was that something you intended to explore in The Return?
100%! That’s why I wrote this book. This is first and foremost a book about friendship. My relationships with my friends are the most beautiful and complicated ones I have, and they were really tested throughout the course of our twenties, during a time of so much radical personal growth and change. Your lives veer off on different paths, you move away, you meet other people. What happens when you realize the distance has become too great, and you can’t close the gap? It’s really painful to look at a friend you’ve loved so dearly for so long and realize the change is too much, that your relationship can’t survive it. Painful, sad, and utterly terrifying! And I feel it’s not really spoken about. When you go through a romantic break up, there’s a lot of support available, a lot of songs to listen to, movies to watch. When you lose a friend, it can be really isolating, and I think there’s some shame involved as well. There’s no how-to guide on processing that loss.
Q: I loved the depiction of long-time friendship in The Return, as well. It perfectly captured the kind of dark underbelly friendships like that can have. One line that really stood out to me was: You can’t erase your past when there are pieces of it scattered inside other people. That feels so true to life—it can be hard to change and grow when the people around you intimately know the version of yourself you’re trying to leave behind. What drew you to writing about that aspect of female friendship?
Personal experience! I’ve lost two close friends in my life. With one of them, we met when we were three years old and stayed friends until we were twenty. I remember toward the end of high school realizing we were both changing, and I think neither of us could accept that. We had a big falling out, and I thought, she doesn’t know me anymore! We shared a lot of incredible memories and I will always love her, but she also tethered me to a version of myself I didn’t want to be anymore. And then there are other instances, less devastating but entirely unavoidable, when your friends witness you do stupid sh*t. Maybe you want to forget that time you drank half a bottle of Absolut Citron and told a stranger he was your soulmate and then cried and then threw up and then fell asleep eating chicken nuggets you melted cheese over, but you know your friend who was with you sure as hell won’t forget! When I saw Sarah Gailey’s blurb for the book, I clutched my chest because I felt they truly understood. They said the book was about, “the mortifying ordeal of being known.” And that’s what it is, isn’t it? Sometimes it’s pure joy to feel seen for who you truly are, and other times, it’s horrifying.
Q: The final passage of The Return is chillingly sublime (I will be thinking of those last lines for a long time). Did you know that’s how you wanted the story to end when you set out to write this book? Or did the inspiration for the last page come later?
My original ending was a cliffhanger. I write a lot of short stories, and I think a dark, open ending can work well for a short story but can be super disappointing for a novel. So, luckily, my editor suggested I revisit the ending, and I thought about what I would want if I were the reader. I would want a little bit of closure, but not all tied up in a pretty bow, because it is horror. I was actually really proud of what I came up with. Sometimes as a writer you have moments where you think, “I’m terrible at this! Woe is me! Leave me here to die!” and other times you have moments where you think, “Holy cow I nailed it! Is this how it feels to be Beyoncé?” Though that could just be me!
Q: What are you reading right now?
My life is pretty chaotic at the moment, and whenever I’m really busy I return to short stories, because they’re easier to squeeze in. So, I’m currently reading Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender. I’ve read it before, and I’ll read it again. It’s a gem, she’s a gem.
You can grab a copy of The Return by Rachel Harrison from Bookshop.org, Indiebound.org or Barnes and Noble. Happy reading!
Sit Down and Write is brought to you by Emily Lee and Cassie Stossel.