Author of Young Adult fiction

becca

ANDERSON

@ArtByClairePhotography

Welome

Hiiiiiiiii. I'm Rebecca. I write books about sex, relationships, friendships and mental health. You can find all of these things, plus an abundance of the word flaps in my debut OFFICIALLY LOSING IT, out with Scholastic July 2024.

My books

OFFICIALLY LOSING IT
Scholastic 2024

A frank, relatable and outrageously funny YA novel full of heart, friendship and the utter chaos of first relationships, perfect for fans of Sex Education, Holly Bourne, Ciara Smyth and Alice Oseman.

When Rose decides to lose her virginity to her gorgeous boyfriend, Joel, the scene is set for a major milestone. Except, when it comes to it, they can't seem to make it ... happen.

After seeing initially dismissive doctors, Rose uncovers a health issue meaning she's facing super awkward therapies - and even a daunting operation - if she's to have a 'normal' sex life. To make matters worse, her relationship with Joel grows strained under the pressure.

But it turns out sex is not always straightforward for Rose's friends (or strangers on the internet) either, and she soon becomes the accidental confidante of cringe. Maybe bodies and relationships are as weird and individual as we are?

Meet the characters

JOEL

Rose

LENA

DEMI

sAMMY

I am a registered counsellor, and I LOVE it

Get to know me a little

Every day I have the pleasure of connecting with people on a deep level and working with them move closer to living the life that makes them truly happy. I'm sure my main character, Rose, would be very impressed with my little counselling space – affectionately referred to as The Shed, considering its former life as a dumping ground for all sorts of old shite. Although I use my counselling skills to inform my writing and allow me to step into the head of the characters, I do not use anything my clients share with me in my stories. In fact, I started writing this book way before I even realised I wanted to be a counsellor.

I am obsessed with guinea pigs

I currently have five and I love them so much that every time I look at them I want to cry (in a good way). This handsome chap is Arnold. He loves cuddles, is a huge tart for tickles and is genuinely one of the loves of my lives. We've also got Mac, Rodney, Bertie (who has three legs) and Smidge, who is as bald as a Rose's left flap in the opening of OFFICIALLY LOSING IT.

I am a twin

When people ask us the question 'OMG are you identical?' I honestly don't know the answer as we've never had a blood test to officially confirm either way. As babies we looked the exactly same, but not quite so much these days. It appears from photos like this one that we both shared a terrible taste in fashion growing up. I love her a tonne and she is my best friend. Nothing beats it. She also writes and is better than me at it.

I have a degree in graphic design

Before becoming a counsellor, I worked as a graphic designer for ten years after doing graphic design at uni. I still do the odd bit of design work on the side. Like my MC Rose, I didn't know wtf I wanted to do when I was older, and am only just figuring that out now. And that's okay!

A blonde young woman wearing a mortar board on her head sitting in front of a laptop.jpg

Fact or fiction? Who knows. Not me at this point

OFFICIALLY LOSING IT is partly based on my own experiences, but not all of it is lifted directly from my own life. Yes, my Mum is a babe who wears Bon Marche, and yes, she did buy me that toy on Doctor's orders, but there's also a lot of fictional stuff in there. Joel is a made up guy based on a mash-up of many people I've met either personally or vicariously through horror stories regaled to me by friends/aquaintances. Same with Lena, Demi and Rose – a Frankenstien mashup of real and made up people. It's safer that way! But, here is a very embarrassing picture of me at 17 – the age Rose is in the book. I wrote this book for her <3 and every other person who relates to her struggles!