Interview Allison Knight

by

Mandy Hager

Tell us a bit about yourself and your writing loves. What are your favourite books - both to read? and write? 

I'm a retired school teacher and I've always loved to write. In grade school I wrote poetry, in high school I wrote for the newspaper, a gossip column in college and when I started to teach I wrote a newsletter about the classes and what was happening in them. I even started a cookbook, "things your mother-in-law never told you". There just wasn't enough time with four children and my teaching assignments to finish the thing. And, believe it or not, I did not teach English.

The things I love to read and write are Gothic’s. I can truthfully say that for a while, I consumed two or three a week, even with school and kids. But, I love to read. I've always read. As a kid I read the entire Cherry Ames nursing books in one summer. I often found myself promising to go to bed when I finished the next chapter and then the next and the next. You get the picture. I hate to think about the days I went to school with two or three hours of sleep because I just had to finish a book. I think my favorite books are "Green Dolphin Street" and "Quo Vadis". (Not sure on the spelling on that one.) I loved Mitchner. Romances didn't come along until the seventies, or I would have gorged on them growing up.

How did you take the plunge to become a writer? Was there any defining moment when you called yourself a 'writer'?

I decided to try fiction when I read a book where the heroine's hair changed color, the disgusting mother-in-law disappeared with no indication what happened to her, and the hero's brother appeared out of nowhere. I knew I could do better. I always suspected I would be a writer. I just never thought I would end up writing fiction.

How did "Secrets of Hanson Hall" start its life or where did the inspiration come from? Is there a real Hanson Hall somewhere (with another name)?

"The Secrets of Hanson Hall" is my second gothic. The first gothic I wrote will be released in October. There is no connection between them. "Secrets" was born one night while I was reading a historical about Maryland. There was an uncle in the book, a minor character, and suddenly my uncle appeared out of nowhere. I spent hours trying to get rid of him, but he wouldn't go away, so "Secrets" was born and that historical never finished. As far as I know there is no Hanson Hall. Hanson Hall, like my characters, is a figment of my imagination.

I'm interested that you write under a pseudonym, why is that? How did you come up with your pseudonym?

I write under a pseudonym for two reasons. First, I was teaching high school when my first historical romance was released. I figured a pseudonym was the way to go until my principle announced to the staff that my first book had hit the stands. I can tell you it's something to have to tell a student to put the book away, and it's your book! The second reason for a pseudonym is that fact that my real name is not the least bit romantic. Martha is the homemaker, the practical kind and no one pronounces my last name on the first try. I figured very few people could mess up Knight.

How do you fit writing into your life? (What other things do you have to fit into your life?!)

I consider writing my life. I fit every thing else around it. I especially love the traveling we do, for the stories often scream at me in the strangest places. I have a hero brewing that arrived during a recent train ride to see the Comstock region of Nevada. He'll need to cook for a while before his story arrives. But, it will.

Do you have another work in progress that we can look forward to?

Brides of Owl's Head will be out in October. This is another gothic in the traditional manner. By traditional manner, I mean written in the first person, short and rated G, or PG.

What would you like your readers to take away from the experience of reading "Secrets of Hanson Hall"? What do you expect from them, as readers?

I would like my readers to take from the Gothic’s a sense that good wins over evil. No matter how destitute, or devastated the heroine is, if she tries hard enough she will win.

Are you published elsewhere?

I am also published with Kensington.

Are there any underlying interests or themes that you have found keep coming through in your writing? If so, what are they?

And I'm certain the theme that keeps reoccurring in all my books and in all of the historical and contemporary romances written today is that love will conquer all. Isn't it a shame the world hasn't learnt that yet?