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Welcome. Toss a blanket down, sit for a while under the willow, relax, and enjoy what's written below.

Monday, April 30, 2012

Interview With Allison Merritt

Today I have the honor of interviewing romance writer Allison Merritt here Under the Willow Tree. I hope you will find her interview as interesting as I did.


What are you currently working on and when do you plan to release your next book?

My next book is The Sky Pirate’s Wife, the sequel to The Treasure Hunter’s Lady. One of the
characters would not let go of me after I finished The Treasure Hunter’s Lady, so he got his own book.
After a tragic airship wreck, Captain Alwin van Buren is worried that his shipping business might fail,
so he begins searching for a wealthy bride. He meets his match in Sophie Barnes, heiress to an airship
empire. But after he seduces her and ensures their marriage—igniting a rivalry between him and her
godfather—he learns that she’s as headstrong as he is.
Sophie’s entertained herself by reading the dime novels based on Van Buren, but the romantic
character and the flesh-and-blood man are two very different creatures. She doesn’t approve of the way
he captured her business, but she can’t deny her attraction to the Dutch captain. If it’s not bad enough
that her godfather wants to break them apart, she learns that Van Buren’s airship accident was a result
of mythical eagles that appear to have a grudge against him, a fact that he deliberately tried to hide
from the world by accusing her godfather of sabotage.
But lies are a small problem compared to the danger their lives are in when they’re stranded in the
Midwest at the mercy of beasts that were once men and the evil that controls them.
I’m hoping to release it sometime around mid-summer.

Do you have a favorite genre for your writing or do you write whatever moves you?

Romance has always been my genre. Nearly everything I've written has some kind of romantic thread
running through it. Love is understood universally.

What is the best piece of advice you were given about writing?

It was from a fortune cookie. Who can you believe if you can't believe a fortune cookie? It went
something like this:
"You have a charming way with words and should write a book."
I still have that in my wallet.

Do you have a special spot where you like to write or are you a “have lap top will travel” writer?

I write sitting in this big old armchair my parents bought when I was a kid. It's about worn out, but
it's comfy and I love it. During National Novel Writing Month, I like to get out of the house, so I can
usually be found in a library or a coffee shop. The rest of the year those places tempt me to use the
Internet too much.

What is your favorite book and favorite author?

One of my all-time favorite books is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. That first person narrative from
Ponyboy Curtis is so honest that it just speaks to me. Louis L'Amour is one of my favorite authors. He
captured the West with his prose and created amazing heroes and villains. He definitely inspires me.

When did you discover your passion for writing?

I always feel kind of like a faker when I answer this question. When I was in sixth grade, my best
friend said she wanted to become an author because she read all the James Harriot novels. I announced
I wanted to be a writer too and set about writing a really bad novel about dinosaurs. She moved on to
other interests, but writing stuck with me. I wonder where I'd be if she hadn't gone through that phase?

Do you have a favorite beverage or snack you must have while writing?

Anything that easy to eat. I'm convinced pre-packed food was made for writers. I don't mind if it's
cereal or veggies, it if's little and you can eat it with one hand, perfect.

What inspires you?

My critique partners are huge inspirations. They understand all the troubles I face as writer, they pick
me up and get me going when life doesn't seem fair. They help me brain storm and figure out the tricky
parts of the plots. They are amazing women!

Do you have a favorite vacation destination and do you write while vacationing?

Oh man, I wish I remembered what it feels like to vacation. I haven't had one in a few a years.
Occassionally my husband and I will take off to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a weekend. It's the
beautiful little town set in the Ozark Mountains. Lots of natural springs and a creepy haunted hotel
where an evil doctor did cruel experiements on cancer patients (I'm not making that up, I swear). It's a very magical place.If I could get to the ocean, which is one of my very favorite places, I doubt I'd be interested in writing. I could run up and down the beach and play in the waves all day without a break.

Do you have any advice for other writers on any subject you choose?

I admire the way my dog takes things. He was a rescue, but he's always gung-ho about a new
adventure. If it's food, he wants it. If there's room to run, he's going to fly. If it's play time, he wants
to rough house. Who cares if it's a long car ride or a short one, he's going somewhere. Just enjoy what life brings you. Do everything like it's the best thing that's happened to you all day. (Okay, maybe
housework is the exception.)

Thank you Allison for your great answers to my questions. Below you will find links to Allison's sites and books. Be sure and drop by and visit her and enjoy her books.
Links:
Amazon -  http://www.amazon.com/The-Treasure-Hunters-Lady-ebook/dp/B0076ZE4W2/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1108643191?ean=2940014022002&itm=1&usri=the+treasure+hunter%27s+lady

Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/130781

Blog - http://havenovelwilledit.blogspot.com/
Facebook - http://facebook.com/allisonmwrites
Twitter - http://twitter.com/allison_merritt
Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/AllisonMWrites

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