Alison Stone Interview

Q: Let me start with asking you to tell us a little bit about yourself.

A:  Thanks for hosting me, Susan. I’m a mom of four children. The two oldest are in college, another is in high school and the youngest is in middle school. Prior to leaving Corporate America to be a stay-at-home mom, I was a manufacturing engineer.

Q: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

A:  Shortly after my oldest was born, I kept seeing those ads in women’s magazines about writing children’s books. I signed up for the creative writing class they were advertising. Initially I tried my hand at writing for children, but ultimately gravitated toward writing novel-length fiction.

Q: What do you write and why this genre?

A:  I write romantic suspense for Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense and Waterfall Press. I like to write suspense stories with elements of mystery because I enjoy fitting all the pieces together. Also, this is what I like to read.

Q: Do you base your characters on people you know or are they totally made up?

A: I am an observer of people. I think most writers are. My characters are a blend of everything I observe in the world, but they are not based on any one person I know.

Q: Would you tell us about your current book release Pointe and Shoot?

A: I’m very excited about Pointe and Shoot. It’s a romantic suspense – maybe leaning more toward the cozy mystery side – set in and around the world of dance. I like to call it my Dance Moms meets Blue Bloods story. Jayne, the heroine, comes from a family of cops and dreams of also becoming a cop. But when circumstances outside her control arise, she’s forced to help her mom run the dance studio. When a much-loved dance instructor is killed in a car accident, Jayne doesn’t believe it was an accident. The story takes off from there.

Q: Where did the idea for this story come from?

A:  Both my daughters were competitive dancers at the time. (One still is.) For years, I’ve had this idea to write a murder mystery set in and around the dance world. When I heard Amazon Publishing was opening a new Christian imprint, I just had to submit a proposal.

Q: Tell us a little about your main character and how you developed him/her.

A: Jayne comes from a family of cops and has dreams of also becoming a cop. But when her brother is killed in the line of duty and her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Jayne knows she has to put her dreams on hold and help her mom run the dance studio. However, Jayne is intrigued by everything true crime. When a dance instructor is killed, she enlists the help of a police officer, who was her brother’s best friend and partner, to help her investigate.

Q: Would you share with us what you are working on now?

A:  I just finished an Amish romantic suspense due out March 2017 with Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense. I’m also working on a proposal for a follow up to Pointe and Shoot.

Q: What are some ways that readers of your books can help you as an author?

A:  Tell a friend! If you’ve enjoyed my books, tell your friends. Word of mouth is a wonderful form of advertising. Also, consider leaving a review on Amazon. It doesn’t have to be long. A few words are great and much appreciated.

Q: What one thing about writing do you wish other non-writers would understand?

A:  Writing is not like making widgets. My productivity varies wildly given the day. J

Q: Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.

A:  Three things that might surprise my readers: (1) I didn’t discover the joy of reading for pleasure until after I graduated from college; (2) I was always a math and science person and disliked the subjectivity of English class (hence the engineering degree); and (3) even with 12 published books, I still feel the same apprehension when I start a book, as if I don’t know what I’m doing.

Q: Milk or dark chocolate? Coffee or tea?

A:  Milk chocolate and I enjoy both coffee and tea.

Q: Favorite TV show or shows?

A:  With the popularity of streaming TV shows, I have discovered so many TV shows that I have never watched before. I’m currently enjoying Psych with my daughter. Even though it’s a silly show, it’s smartly written. You have to pay attention to the zingers.

Q: Where can readers find you on the internet?

A: I enjoy connecting with readers. I can be found here:

Website: http://www.alisonstone.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonStoneAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alison_Stone (@Alison_Stone)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonstoneauthor/ (@AlisonStoneAuthor)

Q: Anything else you’d like to tell or share with us?

A: I enjoyed writing Pointe and Shoot. It was a departure from my Amish stories with Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense. I hope you give it a try and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping by.