Writing under the pen name Rektok Ross, Liani Kotcher is a former trial attorney turned author, screenwriter, and producer. In her new book, SUMMER RENTAL, bestselling author Rektok Ross combines the classic teen dramas Mean Girls and Scream in a heart-pounding psychological thriller.
Liani Kotcher has received numerous awards for her writing, including the American Fiction Awards, IAN Book of the Year Awards, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, the Chanticleer Dante Rossetti Book Awards, and Women Writing the West. Her debut young adult thriller SKI WEEKEND was named one of the best books of 2021 by several publications, and it is currently in development as a major motion picture.
Interview with Rektok Ross
Rektok Ross discusses her inspiration for her newest novel Summer Rental, and what it was like transitioning from a legal career over to the creative field.
“I went through the experience in high school where I was kind of isolated for a while for my very best friends. So, you know, you hear about bullying and it’s not that it’s good in any scenario, but you don’t often hear about it coming from your own friends. And I feel like I went through that and it was incredibly traumatic. But to have your entire support system, kind of disappear, the people you really trusted the most are now no longer your friends.And it was really traumatic for me going through it.
But obviously, as an adult, you know, I’ve gotten through it enough kind of living my life. But I have stepchildren and I saw them go through, which is insane to me. Two girls, and a boy, too. But it didn’t happen to him. I saw them go through the exact same thing that I went through.
Their group of friends turned on them. One happened in high school and one happened in college. And it really made me really think hard about women. Just yeah, what we do to each other, the harm we do to each other. And just I think if there was more of an open dialog about it and about, you know, bullying and the way it happens and toxic friendships. I really wanted to write a book that kind of got to the heart of that. And really explored in and kind of open up the conversation because I feel like we really don’t talk about it enough.
– Rektok Ross
Summer Rental
Summer Rental follows the story of Riley March and her friends. Riley and her friends are headed to a remote island for a weekend of partying before college. But when one of their friends goes missing, a hurricane cuts them off from civilization. Now the friends find themselves trapped inside a rental house with a killer on the loose. Riley and her friends must confront the secrets they’ve been keeping if they want to stay alive.
SUMMER RENTAL is a gripping and suspenseful read that will keep you guessing until the very end. It’s perfect for fans of twisty summer reads, unputdownable novels, and complex emotional stories that make you think. You can pick it up anywhere books are sold. You can find her online just about anywhere at @RektokRoss and on her website, www.RektokRoss.com, where she blogs about books and writing. If you are headed to San Diego Comic-Con later this month, she will also be on a panel with fellow authors discussing her work.
