Get ready to learn more about the book Upheaval in this discussion with sapphic author Rita Potter.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Rita Potter about Upheaval, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Dystopian category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write Upheaval?
One of my favorite books of all time is The Stand by Stephen King, so many years after I read it I swore if I ever became a writer that I would write my own dystopian book.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
My favorite character turned out to be one of the secondary characters, Cynthia Kramer. I liked her so much that she got a bigger role in the rest of the series. I fell for her character because despite being caught in the middle between two feuding factions, she finds a way to stay true to herself and do the right thing.
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
My biggest challenge was the “science” or practicality of what could have caused the life changing event. Readers who are looking for a deep dive into what caused it should look elsewhere. I have a bachelors degree in social work and masters in sociology, so I am all about how people in groups function.
I wanted to explore how my characters would react faced with such extreme duress. How would they come together and create a society?
Besides, my practical nature says if something like this occurred it would be years for anyone to truly discover what happened.
If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?
I’m not planning a sequel, but I am tossing it around in my mind. I intentionally ended it at a trilogy because I didn’t want to feel the pressure to write another book in the series. I tend to be a free spirit when it comes to my writing and don’t let the market dictate what I write. Sure, it might not be the best idea for sales, but I would argue it is since I would likely stop writing if I was no longer having fun.
Anyway, I have considered writing another trilogy that revisits these same characters five years later. Who knows if it will ever happen because so many shiny new story ideas keep jumping in my path.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I tend to move around a bit, so I don’t get stuck having to be in the same place to be able to write. My favorite place though is in our sunroom that looks out over our garden. I love the sun, and this room has a full bank of windows facing the south. It’s also a little secluded from the rest of the house, so I get fewer interruptions.
How do you celebrate when you finish your book?
Celebrate? We’re supposed to do that? Seriously, I am horrible about celebrating because my next story is usually burning a hole in my brain, so I am on to the next. I keep a list of future story ideas, and currently there are over 50 ideas on the list. Since I write 3 books a year, if I don’t have another idea, I have enough material to write for the next 17 years.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
It comes natural to me. I’ve mentioned many times that I am a social worker and find people fascinating, especial their flaws. As human beings, we are all full of layers and flaws which is my favorite thing to write about.
In my work, you will never find a perfect or even near perfect character. They will make mistakes, sometimes you might even want to throw the book across the room because of the stupid stuff they do. (I don’t recommend this if you have an e-reader).
I’ve noticed that in some corners of the sapphic world, readers want characters that always do the right thing and never act badly. I don’t find this realistic. And when stakes are high, meaning our emotions are stirred, it is an even bigger recipe for us to react badly.
But I can guarantee the reader that by the end of my story, my characters will learn the lesson of how to do better. They still won’t be perfect, but they will have found a better way to handle themselves in their relationships.
Do you feel bad putting your characters through the wringer?
NOPE! The reason I don’t is because I believe my characters come out better and stronger from the adversity they face. In fact, I believe this is true in “real” life too. As a society, we sometime go to extremes to keep people’s worlds nice and pretty. I don’t want nice and pretty, I want real and messy. To me, that is the mark of a life well lived, so I don’t protect my characters from the world.
As a writer, I have the same philosophy as I do as a person. It is my scars, my challenges, and the adversity that I’ve overcome that makes me who I am, so I won’t try to shelter anyone from facing those things and growing from them.
Describe your favorite reading spot.
Anywhere there is a book :). Seriously, I love to read, but I don’t get to do it near as much now that I write, so I’m happy to read anywhere I get the chance.
Have you ever thought you’d hate a book, but ended up loving it?
I’m going to cheat on this answer. With such limited reading time, I never read a book that I think I will hate since there are so many books that I want to read. I have become brutal when it comes to reading books I’m not enjoying.
In fact, just today before doing this interview, I was reading the latest book from a bestselling suspense writer. I was about half way through the book. When I ride my exercise bike, I always read and look forward to the time. I was walking to our exercise room and turned to my wife and said, “you know what, I don’t care what happens to these characters.” So I put the book in the pile to go back to the library and pulled another one off my shelf.
I’m at the age where life is too short to read anything I think I might hate.
