Rebecca spent her early twenties working as a waitress, her late twenties teaching English in Indonesia and Japan, and most of her thirties having babies and working as a kitchen designer.

She has started several university degrees but has yet to place any letters after her name. Despite her highly developed procrastinatory skills she has somehow managed to finish writing a book or two - and plans to spend her forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties finishing several more.

She lives in Armidale, Australia with her partner, their four sons and two dogs.

The Wall Street Journal wrote an article on October 23, 2009 asking whether James could be 'The Next JK Rowling.' It also said, of Beautiful Malice, that it 'isn't merely to be published, but has become a publishing phenomenon that is sparking an aggressive bidding war worldwide.'

In April 2010, The Bookseller ran an interview with James, in which the interviewer describes the novel as having 'strong international appeal.'