For the last year I have been obsessed with one word: lost.

One of the reasons is that I have been working on a book entitled Lost Witness. I didn’t choose to write this book; I did it because fans of The Witness Series wanted to know what happened to Billy. After Dark Witness, my intent was to let readers imagine the next chapter in my character’s life for themselves. The more they asked, the more I retreated from the responsibility of making those creative decisions. There were a hundred permutations of the relationships the readers wanted me to address, a thousand ways I could disappoint the people who had invested so much of their reading time in Josie Bates and friends. In short, the fear of disappointing them, myself, and, most of all, these characters we all love created a most fearful case of writers block—and then life stepped in to completely paralyze me.

Mom a few years ago.

First, my fabulous, incredible, 95 year-old mom moved to Missouri to be near more of my brothers and sisters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This was not something she wanted to do; it was something she needed to do.  She now lives in a beautiful place where she is safe and secure, with at least three of her children seeing her everyday – something I couldn’t do no matter how much I wanted to. I am keenly aware that she felt a terrible loss when her house was sold and she left dear friends here in California. Her move left a hole in my heart, too. There was the sadness that comes with this kind of separation even though I knew the decision was for the best.  While this was going on I lost seven friends. Some were closer than others, but all of their deaths were surprising.  Six of them were my peers, and that knowledge alone brings a huge reality check with it. 

Lost Witness. A year in the making.

Lost Witness became a symbol of twelve months of upheaval, of real life stopping my work dead in its tracks.  Days, weeks, and months came and went and I thought I would never write again. I didn’t know how to answer readers who wrote asking about my progress so I stayed silent. I visited my mom; she visited me. I went to memorial services, and I shed a few tears, and I read books, but I didn’t work until one really good day. That day I talked to my mom and she was excited about a lecture she had heard, she had gone to dinner with a new friend, my sister had taken her on an adventure, and my brothers had stopped by for Margaritas.

My friend, author Richard Bard
My friend, author Richard Bard

I visited the widow of my dear friend, Richard, and we talked about his books and remembered what a wonderful man he had been. Part way through that day I had an epiphany about the book that was languishing on my computer. It was time to move forward, not move on.

I began to work on Lost Witness in earnest. I heard Josie, Archer, Hannah and Billy’s voices clearly in my head. There would be no bow ending, but that was okay. I don’t think the readers expect that either because life isn’t perfect. Life is hopeful and exciting. It is about resiliency, and courage, and memories of lives well lived, and about loving those who remain.

I am so thankful to the readers who made me realize that I had somehow done more than write books—I had created lives they cared about. They felt a loss when Josie’s voice suddenly went silent, when Billy hadn’t been accounted for, when Hannah was alone. It took a while for me to understand what they were telling me, but I finally got it. Loss is never the end, it’s simply the beginning of another part of life. It doesn’t matter if those lives we care about are real or imagined, we still want to know what happens next.


Pre-Order Lost Witness

LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

The sands of time are running out . . .

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LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

Author Bio
Author Bio
She marketed a world-class spa when it was still called a gym, did business in China before there were western toilettes at the Great Wall and mucked around with the sheep to find out exactly how her client’s fine wool clothing was manufactured. Then Rebecca wrote her first book and found her passion. Now, over twenty-five books later, she is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author and writes full-time, penning thrillers that explore the emotional impact of the justice system. She earned her B.A. at Loyola, Chicago and her MBA at Loyola, Los Angeles. Rebecca has taught the Business of Creativity at University of California Long Beach Writers Certificate Program, UCLA and UC Irvine extension. Married to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, she is the mother of two grown sons and spends her free time traveling, sewing, and playing tennis.
  • Rebecca Forster June Featured Author

    Rebecca Forster is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author and writes full-time, penning thrillers that explore the emotional impact of the justice system.

  • Rebecca Forster June Featured Author

    Rebecca Forster is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author and writes full-time, penning thrillers that explore the emotional impact of the justice system.

  • A ‘Wrich” Experience
    For the last year I have been obsessed with one word: lost. One of the reasons is that I have been working on a book entitled Lost Witness. I didn’t choose to write this book; I did it because fans of The Witness Series wanted to know what happened to Billy. After Dark Witness, my intent […]
  • Rebecca Forster June Featured Author

    Rebecca Forster is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author and writes full-time, penning thrillers that explore the emotional impact of the justice system.

  • Rebecca Forster June Featured Author

    Rebecca Forster is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author and writes full-time, penning thrillers that explore the emotional impact of the justice system.

DISTANT RELATIONS

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DISTANT RELATIONS
INTIMATE RELATIONS

CHARACTER WITNESS

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BEFORE HER EYES

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BEFORE HER EYES

THE MENTOR

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THE MENTOR

KEEPING COUNSEL

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KEEPING COUNSEL

VOWS: The 90s Collection

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VOWS: The 90s Collection

VANITIES: The 90s Collection

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VANITIES: The 90s Collection
THE RECKLESS ONES: The 90s Collection

SEASONS: The 90s Collection

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SEASONS: The 90s Collection

DREAMS: The 90s Collection

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THE BAILEY DEVLIN TRILOGY: BOOK 1-3 (The Bailey Devlin Series)
LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller

SECRET RELATIONS

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FOREIGN RELATIONS

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FOREIGN RELATIONS
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S SHIP CAME IN
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN PICKED UP A PENNY
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE

SEVERED RELATIONS

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DARK WITNESS

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FORGOTTEN WITNESS

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EYEWITNESS

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EXPERT WITNESS

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EXPERT WITNESS

PRIVILEGED WITNESS

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PRIVILEGED WITNESS

SILENT WITNESS

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SILENT WITNESS

HOSTILE WITNESS

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HOSTILE WITNESS

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She marketed a world-class spa when it was still called a gym, did business in China before there were western toilettes at the Great Wall and mucked around with the sheep to find out exactly how her client’s fine wool clothing was manufactured. Then Rebecca wrote her first book and found her passion. Now, over twenty-five books later, she is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author and writes full-time, penning thrillers that explore the emotional impact of the justice system. She earned her B.A. at Loyola, Chicago and her MBA at Loyola, Los Angeles. Rebecca has taught the Business of Creativity at University of California Long Beach Writers Certificate Program, UCLA and UC Irvine extension. Married to a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, she is the mother of two grown sons and spends her free time traveling, sewing, and playing tennis.
  • Tari Jewett says:

    My heart is with you as you handle all of the changes in your life, and it does seem to keep changing rapidly. I’m really excited to read Lost Witness!! I DO want to know what happens next. Thank you for more.

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