How does one define a heroine or a female warrior? What makes her a relatable icon for young women? We had the opportunity to interview Amy S. Foster, author of The Rift Trilogy, who offered some insight as to how Ryn, the titular protagonist, is a prime example of a female warrior who enjoys fighting and isn’t afraid to curse or let her presence be known in the face of a government conspiracy. Ryn leads a double life as a high school teenager and a supersoldier who guards Rifts — doorways to alternate Earths. The heroines we need to see more of — in fiction and reality — are the ones who can be confident and brave but also sensitive and doubtful from time to time.
A huge thank you to Amy for the interview!
The interview has been edited for clarity and grammar.
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You began with poetry and songwriting before releasing four published works of fiction, When Autumn Leaves and The Rift Trilogy. What was the transition like, from being a lyricist to an author? What have you gleaned from poetry and songwriting that inspires you to write novels?
When you stop and think about it, there are so many ways to tell a story. Recently, I binged the last few seasons of Top Chef. Now… fun fact about me, I can’t stand cooking and I’m not even really a foodie. But, I love Top Chef because these cooks are telling the most amazing stories — through food. People love music — they love to dance and sing along. They can attach a song to certain memories and be transported right back to that place and time once they hear it again. I don’t think they necessarily stop and think ‘Oh right, I’m listening to a story.’ They’re just feeling it. For me, it’s all storytelling in different forms. So, I don’t really differentiate. It just feels like writing.
How did you come up with The Rift Trilogy’s premise? How did you keep track of the alternate worlds and beings/creatures that enter through the Rifts? What’s your writing process like?
Like so many of the protagonists in my writing, Ryn just sort of popped into my head and introduced herself. I knew who she was and what she did — once I had that, I just plotted out her entire story arc in a way that felt authentic to that original introduction. I work off [of] outlines — very intense and specific outlines. But, honestly? I had no idea where things would go when I was writing the first book. I kept putting it off. I just wanted to experience as much confusion as Ryn. We were kind of in it together — feeling our way and not trusting anyone. But, by the time I plotted out Book 2, I had to know where Book 3 was going to go. Everything was building to what happens in Coda, and I needed to leave the breadcrumbs in The Rift Frequency. I don’t know if I’d do it that way again, but I really liked how this worked.
In another interview, you stated that you wanted to create a heroine who’s a creator and a destroyer. What inspirations — whether books, TV shows, films, songs, poetry, or real life — allowed you to create a character such as Ryn Whittaker? With all the comparisons among popular YA heroines such as Katniss Everdeen, what was the challenge in creating Ryn who’s her own type of “female warrior”?
Well, first of all, I love Katniss — but she isn’t a proper female warrior. She hangs her cap[e] on the Reluctant Hero trope. We don’t have many female warriors — women whose sole purpose is to fight. Who are happy with the fight. Wonder Woman. Black Widow. Red Sonja. Captain Marvel. Buffy The Vampire Slayer… I’m a feminist obviously, but, I do believe that women and men are biologically different and because of that, they generally employ different tactics to fight, lead, and communicate. So the challenge with Ryn was getting her to lean into the idea that vulnerability doesn’t make her weak. You’re getting her to say, ‘This thing right here could be hard for me. I need help navigating this thing so that we don’t lose.’ Active listening was another tactic she had to learn. She is the Commander — the General of her army but, she HAD to stop thinking her opinion was the only one that counted. She had to start listening to her lieutenants. She had to not only listen to them, but [also] know when to take their advice. A female warrior basically employs a non-linear leadership modality as opposed to a more masculine hierarchical form. It was really cool to flesh that out.
Originally, the series was categorized as adult sci-fi, but now it’s been tagged as YA. Why do you think exploring YA themes is so important? What messages or themes would you like readers to pick up on from the trilogy that will inspire them to become their own badass heroine?
Yeah…this has really been a thing for me. I just assumed that by making Ryn and her friends talk the way I heard my kids talk, I was creating realistic characters in an unrealistic setting. I had no idea that because of the language and somewhat mature content, I was sort of disqualified from a YA imprint. Also, I ignorantly assumed a book could be in more than one place in a bookstore. In point of fact, I knew very little about how the system really worked until I got inside it and by then it was a problem. I’ve spent the last three years repositioning The Rift [Trilogy] and promoting myself as a YA author. But the truth is, I suppose I’m a New Adult writer (if such a thing existed in genre fiction). I really do think that kids 16 and up need books that are in their section filled with characters that look and sound like them. I don’t know why publishers are squeamish about this — the internet kind of invalidates any sort of morality issue. I’m convinced this is why dystopia has really been a cornerstone of contemporary YA. When it’s the end of the world or a world that’s been built off an existing one, teens end up acting way more mature and their language is really different than the nomenclature they use now. The Rift [Trilogy] isn’t dystopian, despite being as such labeled far too often. Ryn watches Netflix and basically guards a Hellmouth. OF COURSE she swears. A lot…
With the conclusion of the series, where will you go next on your writing journey? What advice would you give to aspiring writers, especially to young women who would like to break into the YA or sci-fi genre?
Well, I’m working on several projects concurrently. I was tapped to write Red Sonja’s first long-form novel so that’s pretty exciting. I’m also working on a non-fiction book called You Are Here with a friend of mine who is a life coach. The idea is about world building inside of yourself — we’re calling it ‘Emotional Geography.’ So, I feel pretty confident — on several fronts — about this bit of advice to any aspiring writers out there. You have to love yourself and your vision more than you like validation. For every one person who says they are a huge fan, a hundred more won’t care for your work or even worse, will be indifferent about it. It’s amazing that I get paid to write, but honestly? I would do it for free. I would do it because these characters won’t go away. So, while taking constructive criticism is something I would always recommend, you have to stay committed to your path, even in the face of failure. If you want to be a writer, you will never stop hustling. It’s part of the gig.
Lastly (without spoiling, of course), what can readers expect in the series’ last installment, The Rift Coda? What would be your parting words to the series?
Well, I think readers will be really pleased with Ryn’s arc. She wasn’t a complete asshole in Book 1…but she was a little bit of an asshole? In Coda, she has to step into this thoughtful space where she is both tough and soft. Most importantly, she leads. She’s a Boss. We just need to keep seeing women like this in art and culture until it’s mirrored back in reality. So, my parting words for the series is a sincere hope that Ryn inspires others to see their worth. She has many doubts throughout all three books, but she never doubts her worth.
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The Rift Coda releases on Oct. 9 while the first two books in the series, The Rift Uprising and The Rift Frequency, are available now in paperback from your local independent bookstore and other retailers. You can follow Amy on Twitter, Instagram, or her website for more information and news.
