Indie Authors Uncovered - Meet the person behind the pages - Meet Rachel A. Stine - Her Craft is Flowing brain to paper.

Where were you born?

I was born in Chicagoland (midwestern United States).

Where do you live?

I now live in Still in Chicagoland.

Do you have fur babies?

I have no pets at this time.

Do you use a pen name? 

I use the pen name Rachel A. Stine because I was not the only Rachel Stine with books for sale, and I didn't want our stuff getting mixed up.

What kind of writer are you?

• Old School Notebook and Pen Writer
• Modern Day Laptop/PC Writer

Name one book you loved as a kid - one you loved as a new adult - and one you love now.

• As a kid my favorite books were the Goosebumps books.
• When I was a new adult, my favorite was Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot.
• Now I'm really into cozy mysteries, especially Magic, Movies, and Murder by Emily Fluke.

Is there an author you look up to? Or had an influence on your craft? 

Anne Lamott has been a huge influence on me as a writer and a person. I read "Bird by Bird" for a class in high school and it was the first time I had ever felt truly seen. I even adapted her "school lunch" exercise for a creative writing class I taught at the library.

How would you describe your craft in one sentence

I write my first draft in pen, letting the pictures flow straight from my brain onto the paper.

At The Dreamer's Bookshop, we embrace diversity and advocate for invisible illnesses. How do you feel about those topics? Do you include messages in your writing?

As a queer author with a couple of invisible disabilities, it warms my heart to see a bookshop dedicated to inclusion. Most of my books have a POV character with similar disabilities to my own (restless leg syndrome, chronic nerve pain, autism/anxiety) to show that we exist everywhere and deserve happy endings that don't involve a magical cure.

Do you have red lines when it comes to writing/reading? 

I refuse to use or read anything made with generative AI. I am also 100% any books that promote child abuse or bigotry. I will read books by people who have been hurt by bigotry who are writing about their own experiences, but not by bigots themselves.

Was there a review that touched you more than others? 

One reader gave a short review, but it was clear how much they loved my book, and it made me feel like I had finally arrived as a writer. 

If someone asked you why you write, what would you answer in one sentence?

It's a way to make my dreams come true, even if they're only true between the pages of my books.

Which book are you most proud of and why?

I think my upcoming middle-grade novel "Strength of the Vampire" (coming in October 2026) is the best thing I've ever written.

What would you tell an aspiring writer?

Just keep writing and editing. You're better at it than you think you are.

What's a wish you have for yourself as an author?

For my books to reach all the people who need them most.

What's a wish you have for yourself as a person?

To go everywhere and see everything and eat all kinds of different foods.             

Do you have a message for your audience

I hope you love my books as much as I do.

Discover Rachel's book and get your copy.