Interview Allison Knight

by

Sandra Dugas

Hello Allison. Your latest book, THE BRIDES OF OWLS HEAD, is coming out October 1^st. Can you tell us something about it?

This is a traditional gothic; the poor, orphaned heroine is thrust into a situation that seems, from the very beginning, to be sinister. Of course, she's attracted to the man she perceives as the 'bad' guy. But, is he? He's not the only character in the story who appears to have evil intentions.

You’re both print and electronically published. What made you decide to pursue electronic publication?

I decided to go the electronic route when I discovered that no paper house was interested in gothic romances, but electronic publishers were. I love gothics and I love to write them. I jokingly admit I really like to put my heroines in bad situations. And, I find some justification in 'doing in' the bad guys. People call me a romantic. <g>

When writing, do you ever find yourself “surprised” by a character, i.e. find them turning out in a way you didn’t quite expect?

I learned every quickly that characters have minds of their own. In the very first historical I wrote a minor character in the story died on me. I had absolutely no idea she would die, she wasn't supposed to die, but the poor woman had a heart attack and no matter how I tried to rewrite that chapter she still died. So, yes, my characters frequently astonish me by doing something I had no idea was going to happen. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work out so well. I have a half-finished romance that can't be completed until I find out why the heroine doesn't love the hero I planned for her to swoon over. But, that's life!

Do you generally write from a fully plotted idea, or do you prefer to let the story take you where it may?

I write full plots. However, that said, I find that frequently the way I had it worked out won't work. My characters decide they’re going to do it differently. And, they do.

What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing? And the most rewarding?

The most challenging aspect of writing is the rewriting. I hate it. So do most writers. I've had to learn that once the words are on paper, they are not golden no matter how good they sound to you and it's not unusual that the very words you like so will have to be pitched.

The most rewarding thing about writing is being able to write "the end" and know that it truly is the end. That, for the moment, the story is complete.

What advice would you give to other aspiring writers?

Learn to rewrite!!! Have someone else read what you've written and read what you write out loud, yourself. You'll learn when to rewrite.

Writers and readers, often talk of being transported by the stories they love to write and read. If you could choose another time and/or place to live, when or where would that be?

Nope! I like it in the here, and now. I can pretend, or through the lives of my characters I can go back or if I choose go forward, but I've reached what people call the golden years and Oh, boy, are they. We can travel, enjoy our kids and our grandkids, do what we want, when we want. If I want to sit at the computer for fourteen or fifteen hours because a story won't let go, I can. Now I get to do what I want when I want. <bg> People talk about the pains of old age, but I ask you, is having a baby a picnic? I never thought so!