LOOPHOLE by Rebecca Weber

I first featured my fellow Artemsia/Kinkajou author Rebecca Weber’s middle grade book The Painted Butterfly last year. I’m excited to announce that she has another middle grade novel, LOOPHOLE, which just released on March 25, 2025. Have a look:

“Why couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut?”

Maybelline “Maybe” Reed has stuck to a strict set of rules since Mama left five years ago: neatness matters, avoid boys at all costs, and absolutely no talking aloud. She’s convinced by being good she will coax Mama back into her life. When her therapist suggests she confront her anxiety and OCD, Maybe must do the unthinkable: enter sixth grade at a public middle school.

Maybe meets a sixth grade boy named Oliver and, after a rocky start, breaks one of her rules when they become friends. But then she discovers her safe haven and last remaining link to Mama, the Salem Public Library, is scheduled to close for good. Maybe pledges to save the library with Oliver’s help, but is she brave enough to go through with their ambitious plan and possibly lose Mama forever? She can either obey her anxiety’s repetitive demands or use her long-lost voice to finally make a difference.

In our last interview, you said, “My time to write has been hit or miss because of my sweet 18 month old baby girl, but hopefully I can establish that writing routine again soon. I sorely miss writing on a more regular basis!” Now that your daughter is a bit older, are you able to carve out more time to write?

I wish I could say yes, but the answer is no! However, I’ve found a good stride with carving out more reading time! My daughter’s two hour naptime is a true blessing. At the moment, I’m focusing on beta reading for other authors and organizing a release event for my newest middle grade novel, Loophole, through Kinkajou Press. I’m in the middle of drafting a fantasy manuscript, but it’s been on hold for months now. Once Loophole releases, my hope is to return to drafting, but I’m giving myself grace and learning to be more flexible with my expectations.

Grace is a good thing, and definitely something I’m trying to give myself more of. Speaking of LOOPHOLE, the main character, Maybe, chooses not to speak, at least at first. How did you know this needed to be a part of Maybe’s story?

Maybe is the reason I wrote Loophole in the first place. She was the initial element of the story that popped crystal clear into my head. In fact, her selective mutism was what drew me to her like a moth to a flame. It’s ironic, considering how distinctly I heard her voice in my imagination.

A series of curious questions was my motivation for getting Loophole down on paper. Why is this young girl choosing not to speak? How can Maybe navigate everyday interactions and activities without speaking? How has her anxiety affected her life, and what made her anxious to begin with? Can she empower herself to heal while processing her past trauma? Kids are more powerful than they think. I also knew I wanted her to manage a diagnosis of anxiety and OCD, which would contribute to the rigid rules she’s built around herself and her behavior. Ultimately, Maybelline was looking for control in a chaotic world and her choice not to speak was a coping mechanism (albeit a negative one). Her lack of speech also opens the door for some major character development throughout the story. No spoilers, but the importance of using your voice was at the forefront of my mind while drafting Loophole.

Such a key and necessary theme! How do you balance marketing and promotion for upcoming books as well as existing ones?

Marketing is a thorn in my side, but it’s the reality of being an author in the modern age. I’ll be honest, balancing promotion with being creative is super difficult. I use social media as a tool to get the word out, but even growing my social media accounts was a huge time commitment. Now that people have read my debut, The Painter’s Butterfly, I’m finding it easier to market the release for Loophole. I think building a readership base is paramount to marketing, and I recommend authors offer free digital copies to readers in exchange for honest reviews. The word of mouth makes all the difference and the only way for readers to know about your work is if you share it with them.

Wise words. What is one goal you’re hoping to accomplish this year?

Oh, this is a good question. Now that I’m a parent, I’m in more of a survival mode than ever before. I think my main goal is to release my expectations and accept each day as it is. I’ve always held myself to high standards, especially when it comes to personal goals, but having a kiddo in my life has thrown all my well-formulated plans for a loop. I want to continue pursuing my dreams so that I can model what that process looks like for my daughter, but I’m trying to be happy and present in the moment too. Anyway, long story short, I’ll say my goal is to go with the flow and appreciate the now.

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