Everything ’til the End by Rebekah Brown is shortlisted for the 2023 Author of Tomorrow, 12-15 Category. 

Everything Til’ the End: Autry, a poor tailor on the Isle of Venus, and Soren, an elite assistant to the leader of the Isle of Neptune are both summoned to a prosperous event- the Convergence. There they will discover something that will change the course of history. And they must choose to die or become villains of the empire. 

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WNSF: What is your favourite book?

Rebekah: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. The story and world are crafted beautifully, all intertwined with the dark heist. The enjoyment is shared among my family as well. We’re planning to cosplay a handful of the characters at DragonCon this year in Atlanta.

WNSF: Who is your favourite author? Or one who has inspired you and why?

Rebekah: Ray Bradbury is easily my favourite. There’s something so admirable about the way he crafted words, and how personable he was. I find myself enjoying his thrilling tales of future and dystopia, even when they’re just assignments. I love listening to his interviews because he is so down-to-earth. Most of the symbolism in his writing is actually accidental, even though it appears genius.

WNSF: What is your favourite subject at school?

Rebekah: History has always been my favourite. I enjoy complex fantasy world-building, so learning about the past of our own world and the people who built it is so fascinating to me. 

WNSF: What does ‘adventure writing’ mean to you? Why did you choose to try your hand at an adventure story?

Rebekah: Adventure writing reminds me of the classics, such as the hero’s journey format, and fairytales with medieval knights and mythical beasts. However, I see adventure writing going step further. A whole new world never before seen, yet one that still captures the same whimsical feelings. 

WNSF: If you could ask an author anything, what would you want to know?

Rebekah: I would want to know what story caused the inspiration for their favourite novel that they wrote. Inspiration can come in so many amazing ways, especially the spark that comes from personal experiences. Those stories can be very close to an author and are so amazing to hear.

WNSF: Who would you consider one of your heroes and why? 

Rebekah: I have many different role models, but one that I find fascinating was Molly Brown, also known as the “Unsinkable Molly Brown.” She survived the disaster of the Titanic and urged her lifeboat to look for survivors afterwards. She also joined the women’s suffrage movement and became an outspoken activist. Overall, I find her life incredibly intriguing.

WNSF: What is the most adventurous thing you would like to do, or place you would like to visit and why?

Rebekah: I would like to visit as many museums and historical sites as possible. Everything from prohibition bars in the 1920s to national parks to Angkor Wat. I want to see everything, but if I can’t, I at least want to see as much history as possible.

WNSF: Where do you find inspiration for your stories? 

Rebekah: I tend to find my first inspiration from experiences that deeply affected me or changed me as a person, and then I branch out. For example, I take inspiration from my favourite characters, interesting events, historical details that intrigue me, or find ideas from things I bounce off my friends. I combine all of those items together and I have a fully working story idea with unique characters and worlds.

WNSF: If you could time travel, where would you go and why?

Rebekah: I would go to Mali during Mansa Musa’s reign in the 1300s. I’ve always been fascinated with anthropology and ancient cultures, especially successful ones. So the Mali empire has fascinated me and I long to know more - except there’s almost no information about that time period besides the fact Mansa Musa was the richest man on earth. It would be interesting to experience that time period for myself. Also, I might become a renowned historian for the information I would bring back, who knows?

WNSF: What three words would you use to describe your story?

Rebekah: Strangers to “Villains”.