Interview Allison Knight

by

Dorothy Bodoin

1) Congratulations on your November release, Too Late To Scream. Could you tell us a little about yourself--where you live, your family, your interests, aside from writing?

We live close to the Gulf, in Alabama. My husband and I are retired and we are so busy we both have those calendar books to keep track of what’s going on. We swim at six o’clock in the morning, five or six days a week; my husband is into photography and computers, while I write. And I refuse to clean house. We do have help or we’d be feet deep in dirt.

2) You have an intriguing blurb: Hired to nurse a child who won’t speak, Elizabeth Sutton struggles against desire for the father who may be responsible for several servants’ deaths. Can you tell us just a little bit more about your book? Why, for example, is it too late to scream?

This is a classic Gothic (at least I hope it is). I’m not giving away the reason it’s too late to scream, but this is about an orphan from New Orleans who goes to a southern home to care for a little girl who won’t or can’t speak. In true Gothic fashion, there are several characters who could be the villain.

3) Too Late To Scream is a wonderful title. Do you find choosing a title for a book easy or hard? And do you title your book before or after you start writing?

I have to have a title before I start to write. I know it’s unusual, but unless I have a working title I can’t get into the book. I may change the title, but I have to have one to start writing. Too Late To Scream came to me about the fourth chapter of this book. I changed the title immediately knowing why I needed it as the title.

4) When did you first know that you wanted to write, and what was your first story or book to be published?

Writing came naturally to me. I wrote from the time I was in grade school. First poetry, then essays, short stories, even a cook book, which has never been finished and was (quite honestly) a disaster. My first book was published in 1988, a part of the Heartfire series by Zebra.

5) I notice that you’ve published Gothic novels with Wings. Are your Gothics traditional, like those of Victoria Holt, or are they the so-called new Gothics--big and dark and sensuous?

I write traditional Gothic, very much in the style of Victoria Holt. Mine are about 60,000 words, and feature a heroine alone in the world, with someone or something intent on doing her harm. They are also written in the first person.

6) What first attracted you to the mystery and Gothic genre?

I was attracted to the genre because I could write in the first person. Also my sister wanted me to write a mystery, so the first book was for her.

7) Would you rather set your novel in another time or use a contemporary setting?

I love historicals. I grew up reading Quo Vadis, The Robe, Swiss Family Robinson. I much prefer any historical time period from 1200-1900.

8) How much research did you do for Too Late To Scream: And where did you find your information?

New Orleans, before Katrina, was our favorite city. We probably visited it and the surrounding area ten, maybe eleven times. I saw the house I wanted to use and knew exactly where to put it as the idea for Too Late To Scream came to me. And, yes, there is lots of research in a historical. I even spent an hour at the convent in New Orleans, finding out all about the orphanage before it was closed.

9) Are your settings based on real or imaginary places?

I usually write about real places. Often I’ve visited the area, so I know what I’m writing about. With my first book, I made a big mistake in a battle scene because I hadn’t visited the area. Before I submitted the book, I ended up having to rewrite two whole chapters. Now, I visit the location, or at least view a lot of videos about the place. And I love the Internet. It helps tremendously.

10) What is the hardest part of creating a mystery for you? What is the easiest part?

The easiest part is deciding who the villain is going to be, and the hardest part is figuring out which characters are going to die. Creating characters is such fun and killing them off is often difficult.

11) Do you have a favorite scene or character in Too Late To Scream?

I love the children. They were so easy to write and I wanted a complete contrast between them. I hope I achieved that.

12) Do you have any secrets of the craft to share with new writers?

Don’t give up and practice, practice, practice. You never can learn enough. I’m still learning.

13) How do you promote your books?

I have a blog and I do my own web page. I should blog more often but time gets away from me. <g> I hand out bookmarks every place I go, and I put stickers about the books on all outgoing mail.

14) Tell us about your website.

When I first started to write, my husband did the web page. When I found a program I could use, I took over. He takes all the photographs, scans the book covers, comments about my writing, but I put the pages together. He’s wonderful because he helps so much. Some husbands don’t like writing wives but mine is wonderfully supportive.

15) What can we expect next from the pen of Allison Knight?

Of course I’m working on another traditional Gothic. This one takes place in Tennessee. Again, I saw a house. Seems houses inspire me. This one also has a working title--The House on Cotton Stocking Road. And yes, there is such a road, but my house was not on that road. Instead, it is at the top of a hill, alone, dark and sinister, three brick stories, with a long, winding road… You get the picture.