The Spun Yarn works with and provides beta readers and manuscript critiques for all kinds of authors. Our Author Profile series highlights some of the successful authors we’ve worked with, getting insight into their process so other writers can learn from their experience.

Rebecca J. Sanford grew up in a small town in New York and fell in love with writing, language and culture at an early age. She is a People & Culture executive, a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association, and a proud sponsor of Women for Women International since 2009. She’s also a founding member of Fe League, a professional women's leadership organization. Her as-yet untitled novel was selected as the winner of the WFWA 2020 Rising Star Award for unpublished fiction.

As a teenager, Rebecca studied at lycée in southern France, sparking a lifelong love of travel - always with a pen and notebook close at hand. Later, while studying and conducting research in Buenos Aires for her master’s degree thesis, she ensconced herself in learning about the activities of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo and the role they played in recovering kidnapped children during the last Argentinian dictatorship in the late 1970s. 

This became the basis of her fictional novel.

Tell us about your book.
I’ve written a literary/book club fiction novel about a young woman who was adopted at birth, uncovers the truth about her biological identity and is forced to confront a devastating secret about her past and her adoptive parents. The book is inspired by the actual events of Argentina's Dirty War and the true story of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo.

Where did you get the inspiration to explore that part of Argentine history? 
I had the great privilege of working with the Identity Archive of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires while I was completing my master’s thesis. The work of these women inspired me tremendously.

How do you approach the writing process?
For me, the initial inspiration is chaotic and feels a bit like catching fireflies in a jar. But once a first draft is spread onto the page, it becomes more structured. I do a lot of revision work.

What do you like most about writing?
I love going deep into the work. The creative aspect of immersing yourself in another place and time – and doing everything you can to draw that experience out for the reader – is transcendent for me.

What's the biggest challenge for you in the writing process?
I’m a full-time executive, wife and mother, so making time for writing is my biggest challenge. I take little “residencies” and retreats whenever I can. My favorite writing spots are the beach and Rockvale Writers’ Colony in Tennessee.

How was your experience with The Spun Yarn?
I can’t speak highly enough about my experience with The Spun Yarn. I used it for beta readers on an early draft and again for sensitivity readers on a later draft. All the feedback was helpful, thoughtful and professionally cultivated. It truly made a difference in my work.

How did you find your literary agent?
I went the traditional route and queried agents directly. I also found a wonderfully supportive community in the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and received recognition through their Rising Star Contest, which helped expose me to some of the agents who judged.

What's your favorite quote about writing?
“Write what should not be forgotten.” – Isabel Allende

What advice do you have for other authors?
Keep writing. Keep creating. Keep telling your stories.

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Learn more about Rebecca J. Sanford and her writing at her website, rebeccajsanford.com.

And follow her on social media at:
Instagram: @rebeccajsanford
Facebook: @rebeccajsanford
Twitter: @rsanford

To learn more about The Spun Yarn and see how you can use their manuscript beta reader program for authors to help make your writing even better, click here.