Featured Interview With Alison L. Perry
Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was born and raised in Grand Prairie, TX, which is a suburb of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I left home to attend Texas A&M University in College Station, but moved back to the Dallas area as soon as I graduated. Now, I’m living in my dream home in Mansfield, TX, with my husband, two beautiful daughters, and two spoiled rotten dogs, Emmy and Max. I’m a diehard Aggies and Dallas Cowboys football fan, Starbucks addict, and office supply junkie! Whoop!
At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I fell in love with books the moment my parents started reading to me. My dad used to read me a chapter (or two or three) every night at bedtime from several series. Some of my favorites during that time: All of the OZ books, The Uncle Wiggily series by Howard R. Garis, The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye, and Watership Down by Richard Adams. Really, I could go on and on about how much I read! It was an escape and I was never happier than when I was reading a book. Because of that passion, it was natural for me to begin scribbling my own stories and fantasies starting from about first or second grade and on. I filled spiral after spiral notebook with short stories, poetry, and song lyrics. Writing was soothing to me. It spoke to my soul. And it still does today.
Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I am an eclectic reader. I love books from nearly every genre, but my very favorites are young adult, paranormal, and any of the romance sub-genres. Some of my favorite authors right now are Lauren Kate, Rachel Caine, Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie, David Eddings, and Christopher Pike.
I get inspired from so many sources. I’ve lived a good part of my life in daydreams, and I love to put those adventures and romances down on paper. But, I also pull a lot from my own life when I’m writing. The story itself may not seem to have anything to do with me, but most of them have a tone and/or theme that is representative of something I’ve struggled with at some point in my life. I joke about the fact that every book I write is a little piece of me, and it’s true in a lot of ways. It may be as subtle as the voice of a secondary character, but there’s always a tiny bit of me in my characters.
Tell us a little about your latest book?
The idea for CAUGHT IN BETWEEN was the result of emotional fatigue from finishing up an adult paranormal romance I was writing. I was tired and filming a little vlog about it, and right in the middle of the video, I started cracking up at this idea that flew into my head. First, I need to explain that I love vampires. Writing about them, watching them on TV or movies, reading about them. I’m fascinated by all of it. So, I’d just finished writing an intense, dramatic vampire romance and I was in need of something a little lighter. And the idea of writing about a teenage vampire girl who is simply terrible at being a vampire just felt really fun. So, Sadie was born and she’s a lot like me at that age. Even her appearance resembles me. I think because I love reading young adult and I have a teen daughter who is starting to ask the questions most teenage girls do at some point, it was an easy book to write. I pulled so much of the story from my real life experiences. The scene where she gets her first car…that was me! The whole thing. So, I was able to write this book in a few months because I was drawing on memories that still felt so fresh, and I had a teenage daughter who was starting to question her fit into the world in the same way I had at her age. I think young adult, and even adult, readers will be able to relate to Sadie because she’s a girl who doesn’t fit in with the vampire community, and even her own family, so she’s questioning where she does fit. I know many adults who still feel this way, who are still trying to find their purpose in life, so I know this story will resonate with a variety of people. It’s funny, there are cringe-worthy moments, and real heartfelt moments. It’s a coming of age story that speaks to any age. I can’t wait to hear what readers think of it!
Connect with the Author on their Websites and Social media profiles