Renowned author and self-proclaimed “book doula”, Rea Frey, has just shared with us her unique journey through the world of book writing. Known for guiding aspiring authors through the creative process, Frey has made a big impact as both a mentor and an author. Her latest book, In Every Life, explores the deep themes of love and resilience, continuing her tradition of crafting stories that resonate deeply with readers. In this exclusive interview, Rea Frey dives into her dual roles and offers information on her latest works, inviting readers and writers to explore the world through her words.

What’s the moment you realized you wanted to be a writer?

Writing isn’t something I necessarily wanted to do for money . . . it simply became the fabric of my daily life. I journaled every day. I wrote poetry with my father. I created stories. I quickly learned I could concoct killer essays at school. I wrote endless love letters to boys. But I didn’t see anyone in my immediate life pursuing a creative path for money, so instead, I set my sights on wanting to be an Olympic gymnast. (Aim low, am I right?) I really poured myself into being a competitive athlete and a good student. It wasn’t until I was trying to decide between colleges and career paths (athletic training versus journalism or creative writing) that I started to think about writing professionally . . . and ultimately ended up at Columbia, pursuing a creative writing degree.

How do you feel your writing has evolved over time?

As someone who still has all her old journals and some of her stories, I think my writing has become more focused. I used to write anything and everything (I was a sports journalist, a health and wellness writer, a journalist on death row, an editorial manager, etc.), but when you become a genre fiction writer, you are delivering a very specific product. I used to want readers to notice my writing; now, I want them to remember a good story. So, I think I’ve actually “trimmed the fat” in a lot of ways, though I appreciate all stages of my writing life.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received as an author?

Enjoy the process of writing, because any success you hit is momentary. It comes and goes, so make sure you love what you do. That’s what matters. Not the accomplishments or accolades.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

As a book doula who helps other authors get published, my biggest piece of advice is this: Learn everything you can about the publishing industry. Clearly define your goals. Understand the different publication paths and pick the one that works best for you. This industry is often romanticized, but it is a business. Your book is a product to sell, and there aren’t many guarantees around how many books you will sell or what success will look like. Really make sure that you truly understand every facet of this business before you enter it. Or find someone who can help!

With your most recent novel, In Every Life, you’re exploring love, and grief and . . . parallel universes. Talk to us about the origin of this idea and share some of your favorite writing moments from bringing it to life.

I am a big believer in second chances and what ifs. I think most of us, if given a second chance at life, we might do things differently, and I love writing about these subjects.

When I was 19, I had one such moment, when I was diagnosed with an arachnoid cyst in the left parietal lobe of my brain and had to get brain surgery. At the time, I was a competitive boxer. Boxing was what alerted me to the mass and actually saved my life. However, it was absolutely terrifying. I didn’t know if I was going to live or die. After that surgery, I started to look at life differently.

Mostly, I started looking at healing differently.

I feel we are all capable of healing ourselves simply by shifting our energy, but we often outsource so many of our issues to Western medicine (and 95 percent of our issues are usually stress-related). For this book, I wanted to take my main character, Harper, and give her some tough decisions. Though she is living a beautiful life, she does have regrets and what ifs . . . but when her new husband is diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, she comes face to face with her past . . . and losing her future. How does one prepare to say goodbye when you are just getting started?

I have two dear friends who also inspired this book. As newlyweds, the wife was diagnosed with leukemia, and they went from planning their lives to trying to survive. (And she did!) It was a tough battle to witness, and I wanted to honor their story here as well.

I had a lot of fun writing moments for this book, however, especially when Harper gets to face her what if life. I put a lot of my favorite things into this book: quantum healing, full moon rituals, oracle decks, first love, art, and second chances. It was so fun to create these worlds for all the characters.

Talk to us about what it means to be a “book doula.” What are the origins of this title?

What a fun title, right? I was an actual doula for my friend’s birth and have often found myself in a supporting role for people. I was a personal trainer and nutritionist for years and then, when I moved to writing novels, I found myself naturally wanting to help others reach their dreams too. I realized what I do is literally helping others birth their books into the world. Every client is different. Every process is different. I’m there to help facilitate and get their work safely into readers’ hands.

How did you become a book doula?

For me, it was organic. I’ve been working with authors for about 20 years in one capacity or another, but it wasn’t until 2018 that I started taking it more seriously. I realized that I was really good at taking someone’s idea and helping them get organized. I was great at crafting nonfiction book proposals, at matching authors to agents and publishers. To date, I’ve helped hundreds of authors land literary agents, book deals, and become bestselling authors, so I think to “become” a book doula, you have to understand the industry first, go through your own struggles, and be willing to share what you know with those who want to step into this world.

How can writers benefit from this?

No two writing journeys look the same, so we shouldn’t approach publishing in the same way. It’s so easy to compare yourself to others, especially in the age of social media. The first thing I do is help authors get clear on what they actually want (not what they’ve been told to want). Then we discuss the barriers to entry with traditional publishing, the pros and cons of each publishing path, and how they work. All writers can benefit from this clarity and the strategy. It also helps to have that accountability in place and to know that someone is rooting for you . . . someone who knows exactly how it feels and what to do next.

In Every Life by Rea Frey

Harper’s life took an unexpected turn after her dreams of becoming an artist in New York fell apart, leading her to a simpler life as an art teacher in Chattanooga with her new husband, Ben. When Ben is diagnosed with late-stage cancer, he encourages Harper to find a new partner, and a journalist’s visit brings her face-to-face with Liam Hale, her first love. Affter making and wish and waking up in another world, Harper explores the parallel universe where her “what-ifs” become reality, she questions whether her current life is where she truly belongs.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble