Rektok Ross has an undying love of '90s horror and slasher movies, so that is one of the reasons why she wrote "Summer Rental."
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
I was inspired by two major things in my life when writing "Summer Rental" — my experiences as a teen being bullied/ostracized from a friend group (as well as what I saw my stepdaughters go through) and also my undying love of '90s horror and slasher movies. I think talking about bullying as well as toxic friendships is so important so that people who go through this know they aren’t alone, and also to provide a support system to them through literature. Books have always been pivotal in my own life; whenever I’m going through something hard, I always find myself turning to them. I also have a novella I just put out for the holidays called "The Pop Star And The Devil," which is heavily inspired by Taylor Swift (she’s such an inspiration to me!) and also my experiences as a woman working in a historically male-dominated field as a trial attorney.
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
To me, Reading Rainbow means celebrating literature that supports people of all different backgrounds, lifestyles, and beliefs — including sexual orientation — and gives them a safe space and avenue to be themselves and be proud about who they are. Though not exclusively about sexual orientation, all of my books have deep themes within them about finding out who you are and embracing that and being proud of it. "Summer Rental," specifically, though, does touch on sexual orientation and bullying and the horrible emotional and physical toll it can take on people.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
I think many people feel alone and like there is no one else out there who feels the way they feel or is the way they are. Having diversity and representation in books helps us all feel more seen and teaches us that we aren’t alone, but we are part of a big, beautiful world where we all fit in somewhere. I also think that books are important to expose us to people that are very different from us, too. This helps us understand people who are not like us and teaches us empathy and how to better understand and relate to them in a positive way. This is one of the major themes underlying my bestselling debut thriller, "Ski Weekend."
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
"Summer Rental" is best described as "Mean Girls" meets "Scream" and follows a group of friends who are trapped on an island and stalked by a serial killer, during a hurricane! It’s a page turner that will keep you guessing right until the shocking ending. I wrote the book as a way to reach out to others who have experienced bullying and toxic friendships and to tell them they aren’t alone; it’s also a message to those that are the bullies as to the true impact of their harmful actions (though, of course, as a thriller/horror, it’s all taken to the extreme!). The book is also an homage to my favorite '90s slashers like "Scream" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer," with tons of fun Easter Eggs for other fans of the genre.
What can fans expect from your book?
Lots of thrills, some romance, and some laughs, as well as a deep theme to really get you thinking about life and the world we live in. This is true of "Summer Rental" but also true of all my thrillers.
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
Working now on the third book in the "Ski Weekend" universe that will hopefully come out in 2024 as well as some more novellas like "The Pop Star And The Devil." I love connecting with readers so make sure to find me on TikTok and Instagram at @RektokRoss as well as my Facebook book club The Book Nook by Rektok Ross and my thriller podcast Just For Thrills.
