Today, we have a special guest author in the house! Everybody give Rebecca Besser a warm welcome and a hearty HELLO!
Becca: I’ve hopped over to stalk you. Thank you for making it easy with an email subscription option.
Me: Thank you for participating.
Becca: Hey, baby, Hey, baby, hey. Thanks for having me.
Me: Tell us a little about yourself. Are you married? Do you have any children?
Becca: Once upon a time I was married—for twenty-four years, actually. We had one son (who lived; we lost two children with a miscarriage and a still birth) who is now twenty-one.
Me: I’m sorry to hear that. It has to be one of the toughest things anybody could ever experience.
Becca: I’ve been divorced for a year. I’m Christian turned Spiritualist… My views on life have changed completely and I’m lovin’ it in that regard. I’ve actually started cultivating my spiritual gifts, discovering I’m a Medium. Be aware of you’re a strong empath, you might be one too, especially if you take on the emotions of people around you. I can also read energy with tarot and use a pendulum (which is a form of scrying).
All of this culminated in my current title: Sexual Volunteerism: WTF? It explores relationships, sex, and property. It’s time to get weird and wild with some lovin’. waggles eyebrows
Me: That sounds interesting. If you could market it, it should explode. I’ve always heard that ‘sex sells’. And since it’s such a primal thing, I can see people flocking to it. What do you do for relaxation?
Becca: Meditate, play Playstation, take learning courses, sleep, and do tarot. I’m Black Tree Seer on TikTok and YouTube.
Me: Maybe some of our readers will find you there. Are there any recent works (books) that you admire?
Becca: Not really. I’ve been working on my OSH degree (I’m currently an equivalent of a Bachelor’s on paper, but a Master’s with experience), which I hope to complete through Columbia Southern University. I took the HOP and Safety Professional Certified (SPC) courses with the National Association of Safety Professionals.
I’ve also recently finished an Art Therapy Coach certification.
Sadly, that hasn’t left room for other reading.
Me: Definitely not what I was expecting. Although, I can say that when I was with the Oklahoma Dept of Environmental Quality, I met a LOT of OSH folk and it seems they all had a side gig that was their passion. Who is your favorite author(s) (and is there a reason why)?
Becca: Jean M. Auel (Clan of the Cave Bear Series) and Linda Rios Brook (Reluctant Demon Diaries Series)
I think I’m drawn to them for the alternate aspects of culture that make me explore beyond what I was born into. They explore ancient beliefs, like origin stories, in a broader way. I love complexity and depth.
Me: I can see that. My dad read the Clan of the Cave Bear series when he was sick with cancer. Up until then, I don’t think I ever saw a book in his hand. Anyway, are there similarities between you and any of the above mentioned authors?
Becca: Yes. I’m a female author, and I hope to expand human culture to think broader with Sexual Volunteerism: WTF?, especially about marriage and our deep ingrained need to do what we do, while exploring alternate paths.
Me: Why do you write?
Becca: I have a lot to say and it’s the best way to get people to listen. Whatever genre or format, most authors tend to explore concepts, tropes, themes, everything, from the perspective of themselves—this creates the originality. There’s a lot to explore and all voices matter.
Me: I like that. “All voices matter.” I think I’ve found a new motto. So, what is a typical working day like for you?
Becca: I’m working on being fully self-employed again, so a working day to me is writing, doing tarot videos, gearing up to do Eventbrite stuff with author coaching (possibly), but definitely OSH Safety training and Art Therapy Coaching events.
Eating, sleeping, and creating.
Me: When and where do you write?
Becca: I write mostly in my living room on what I call “my snugglies,” which are fuzzy brown chaise lounge couches that are REALLY comfortable. It’s not hard to just lounger, be perfectly comfortable, and fall asleep. They can be pushed together and latched to make a guest bed. They were worth the money.
Sometimes I write in bed…waggles eyebrow …which is a good place to be creative.
I have an adjustable, over the bed table I bought to write on the snugglies, but I’m thinking about raising it up to a comfortable standing position so I have a standing desk alternative. I don’t use it for what it’s intended for right now.
Me: Yeah, I have to have a desk. If I tried to do it lying down, I’d end up smashing the tablet onto my face…or vice versa. So, what kind of research do you do for your books?
Becca: Personal experience… wink, wink …reading, and online. The subject matters the most as far as where to find things.
Me: And, how do you conceive your plot ideas?
Becca: I try to be weird. I don’t like predictability, so I try to think outside the box.
I’m just going to insert this here for your enjoyment… waggles eyebrows
For my nonfiction handbook-style book, Sexual Volunteerism: WTF?, I was actually thinking about marriage and ethics from my personal experiences, which lead to the birth of the concept—I’m the Mother of Sexual Volunteerism. It’s not only a sexual orientation, but a way to have fun flirting, expand sexual playfulness in a healthy way, and could possibly change the face of sexual safety. Sexual Volunteerism challenges the culture we live in while exploring other, lesser known cultures, some showing clearly the difference between matriarchal and patriarchal societies.
Me: Is it hot in here or is it just you? I mean, ME! Okay, umm…moving on. When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?
Becca: Sometimes. More so now than I did previously. There was a draft of a short story I was writing for a Patreon I write for monthly (they have a theme and post so many authors a month for the chance to monetary payment, being in an anthology, and being the editor of the next month; it has been good practice/writing exercise for me)—The House of Shadow & Ink—which is part of Crystal Lake Publishing, where I was looking up all the names that meant butterfly because it had significant meaning.
Pet peeve: I try to make sure to limit the characters’ names from having too many start with the same letter. This allows them not to blend into each other or get confusing for the reader—that’s what happens for me when I read something when there’s too many similar character names.
Me: I hear ya on that. When I wrote the vengeful ghost story, Whispers, I let people volunteer to be characters and I didn’t realize that nearly every deputy for the local Sheriff’s Office had names that started with J. It wasn’t intentional, but a few readers pointed it out and said it made it difficult to keep the characters separate.
What are the major themes of your work? How long on average does it take you to write a book?
Becca: Currently I’m all about Sexual Volunteerism, which I plan to write in fiction and nonfiction—I’ve already blogged about it and intend to do more. Gotta keep it spicy.
I’ve been writing short fiction for a few months, transferring what I write for the Crystal Lake Publishing, The House of Shadow & Ink monthly challenges on my blog. Each month has a different theme.
If I do nothing else, I can write a book in a month. Most of my first drafts are like most people’s fifth since I spent over a decade editing the first fifty pages of manuscripts to prepare them to be submitted to literary agents. I also help create synopsis, etc., for those projects sometimes.
As a writer you can most surely weave an internal struggle into your storyline and the reader may not realize it until the end. That’s when your audience has that sudden realization; Oh yeah, I didn’t see that coming. Do you know what I mean? Is that something you do often? A writing style you prefer? Or are your stories an “open book” so to speak?
Me: It happens, but to be honest, it’s not intentional. I’m one of those weirdos that gets an idea and allow it ‘flesh out’ as scenes in my head. Once there’s enough possible scenes, I sit down and basically let the story tell itself. I just type it. The two things I HAVE to have is the beginning and the end. The rest tells itself. Just like life, we’re born, we die and what happens in between is just as much a surprise to me as it is to my readers.
Becca: I tend to start writing and go with the flow. I love WOW! moments and surprises—as an author and a reader/experiencer. waggles eyebrows Plot twists can be fun.
One of the most profound ones that I loved was the movie: The Book of Eli. That’s the kind of Ah-ha! moment at the end is amazing and makes you want to watch again to see if you can spot the tells you missed of the first experience.
Me: I know exactly what you mean. For me, the realization that Bruce Willis was dead through all of The Sixth Sense threw me for a loop. Like Book of Eli, I had to watch it again and see if I could catch it.
Who are your target readers?
Becca: With Sexual Volunteerism: WTF?, everyone. It’s a new concept I hope will go global and shake us out of the obedience of the “just because” expectations of life and how we live it. Face it, everyone, deep down, wants to ass-slap a stranger…with permission.
Otherwise, I write for all age groups and have been publishing in children’s, nonfiction, and fiction, so I’m all over the place depending on the theme.
Me: Yeah, me too. I’ve covered everything from Horror to Dystopian. Erotica to Children’s books. Urban Fantasy to Political Thrillers. I think switching genres from time to time keeps those creative juices flowing.
What do you think readers search for in a book?
Becca: Something that connects them or challenges them. Ultimately it depends on the genre though…a romance reader will want something completely different than a horror reader. A nonfiction reader will want something different than a fiction reader.
Me: True enough. What is your favorite part of a book?
Becca: Either a great ending, an amazing plot twist, or when I get two to three chapters in and start to understand what’s happening and can start to enjoy the story.
Me: What is the hardest part of writing for you?
Becca: Starting and/or when I get frustrated with word count. Nonfiction is different with word count. Fiction is easier to expand.
Since I’m single, I don’t have someone coming in and wanting something from me at any given time, interrupting my flow, so that’s nice. I don’t have to stop when I’m really into the story to cook someone supper or take the dog out, or anything like that anymore. I can wake up at any hour and write or do whatever I want.
Me: That sounds nice. What is the best thing about being an author?
Becca: Expressing myself and exploring ideas and concepts.
Sometimes you’ll be popular, sometimes you won’t. Sometimes your stuff will be read, sometimes it won’t.
I do like writing committee and friends—they’re good people. It’s good to be understood, especially if you can keep unhealthy competition out of it. We’re all special with our own voices, outlooks, experiences, and what we bring to the world. It would be great for everyone to see how amazing they are in and of themselves.
Me: I like that mindset. It’s too bad more writers can’t think like that. Too often, I see (esp. new writers) people bashing others like it’s a competition. I mean, seriously…who buys and reads only ONE book? Nobody! Readers are allowed to have as many favorites as they want. Tearing down another isn’t helping.
Okay, off the soapbox. Do you listen to music when you write?
Becca: No, not usually. Unless it’s frequency healing music. I like to have that on in the background—I can stream it on YouTube.
Me: I might try that. I usually listen to music without words or movie themes or Viking battle music. Just depends on the type of scene I’m working on.
So, what and/or who inspires you?
Becca: Everything and everyone. Since becoming a Spiritualist, a lot of my perception of the world has changed, in a positive way. I enjoy appreciating things like the stillness of a moment or the vastness of nature outside my door. Ignorance versus knowledge, pleasure versus pain…ways of thinking that get to the root of the matter in a deep way.
I had this one very deep day where I truly realized no one should hurt anyone ever… There’s literally no reason for it. I was thinking about Blood Eagle from the Vikings show, and started thinking about how fucked up people are to do anything even remotely like that to anyone ever. There’s absolutely no reason to actually harm anyone ever. What makes us do that? I write horror… I’m not scared to explore the darkness of what people do, but I don’t know where that urge to hurt and harm comes from; that’s where you get into the depth of the characters and the backstories, trying to find what created the beast or monster within. The dark urge center is still undefinable.
Why is it our first instinct to harm someone? Why isn’t it our first instinct to be kind? Really think about it… Humanity is fucked up, but where does that fucked upness come from?
Me: I’m pretty sure people have been trying to find that out since…well, forever. There are a lot of psychology books out there on the matter.
Anywho, have you ever collaborated on a book? If so, who was the other author? How did you collaborate with that author, and what writing process did you use?
Becca: I have a collection of short stories, Zombies Inside, where I had a friend I do book signings with locally, Courtney Rene, write a short story that’s in the middle of the book. That was fun.
I tried to collaborate with a couple people, but it never worked out. They didn’t get back to me, so I could say it didn’t go well.
Me: That sucks. I’ve only worked on one true collaboration, but it was for a trilogy, and although it was a rocky start, by the middle of the second book, the cogs of our gears meshed, and it became really fun. I guess I’m lucky that it was a positive experience.
So, if you wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Becca: Becca
Me: Ooh, that’s deep. 😉
What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview, but never have?
Becca: No one asks me if I want a million dollars. The answer is: Yes, please.
Me: Yeah, me too! What have you written? And what are you working on at the moment? What’s it about?
Becca: I write words, that make sentences, that form paragraphs, that become chapters, and created books.
Currently, I’m querying literary agents for:
Sexual Volunteerism: WTF?
By Rebecca Besser
Sexual Volunteerism: WTF? is an introduction to a concept Rebecca Besser birthed on her blog October 12, 2025. This handbook-style book walks you through what Sexual Volunteerism is and why you may want to be a Sexual Volunteerist, while also bringing into question the culture we live in. Religious, legal, consent, property, sexuality, and other topics are brought up with Sexual Volunteerism: WTF? The book is guaranteed to get conversation and…flirting started at home, at work, around the table at holiday get togethers, and more.
Step aside politics…sex is back!
Me: Where can we buy or see them?
Becca: Books I’ve written, contributed to, or edited can be found on Amazon and other book retailers. I even have a Simon & Schuster page.
Me: Excellent! What advice would you give to your younger self?
Becca: Take more time to love yourself.
Me: Nice. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Becca: Write, edit, learn, and grow. You’re going to make mistakes. Learn from them, get over it, and keep going. Keep yourself busy while you wait to hear back from submissions. You’re amazing just for trying, and you’ll get stronger and better.
Me: Excellent advice. Is there anything that you would like add?
Becca: There are new ideas all the time, so go with the flow and embrace you.
Me: Last question, what do you consider your best accomplishment?
Becca: Currently, loving myself enough to leave a marriage that didn’t give me what I needed. Trusting myself to take care of myself so I can experience the rest of my life open and free to be me. I broke out of the paradigm of having to be what’s expected overall to expand and love myself. Most people will never be brave enough to leave everything that doesn’t make them happy, even though they still have forty to fifty years, or more, of life left. How many years do you want to continue to give up to unhappiness?
Other people’s experiences are different. Choose what you choose—you are the god or goddess of your own life. Every decision you make determines what you believe…and how your life goes. If you don’t like your job, you have the power to change it by leaving and getting another one. If you don’t like your marriage, leave it. Anything you don’t like, you don’t have to stay with, unless you choose to.
Be free. Make your choices for you. Love yourself.
Me: Excellent advice. Life is too short to not be happy.
Heath Stallcup Author 