A Little Bit of Q&A

Do you read and reply to the reviews and comments of your readers?
I try to reply to all comments and reviews on blog posts. Without readers my books are nothing ☺  However, I don’t comment on reviews at other sites like Amazon.

Does a bad review affect your writing?
A bad review can be discouraging. If the book has also received many positive reviews, then I try not to let it get me down. If a get a bunch of bad reviews then uh oh, then maybe I need to work on my craft. 

Any advice you would like to give to your younger self?
I’d tell myself to prioritize kindness above edginess when picking my friends and partners. That seems obvious. However, when I was younger, I hadn’t yet realized the “bad boy” is only a fun option in a romance novel and not in life. 

Any advice you would like to give to aspiring writers?
Read many books, fiction and non-fiction, literary and commercial genres. They all can open possibilities and ways of dreaming. In addition, take writing craft classes. I still take courses or read books to improve my writing.   

What did you want to become when you were a kid?
I wanted to be an actress. My parents were working actors (not famous). They introduced me to it at an early age. I loved performing everything from Shakespeare to improvisation. I pursued it for several years and got professional jobs. However, I did not like the business aspect of the field so I turned my sights to something much easier—I became an attorney ☺   

Do you recall the first ever book/novel you read?
Does Hop of Pop by Dr. Seuss count? If so, then it was my first book. The first novel I read on my own was The Phantom Tollbooth. I still love that book. 

Which book inspired you to begin writing?
When I was young, my mother read Little Women to my sister and me. I remember wishing to be a writer just like Jo. 

Did you ever think you would be unable to finish your first novel?
Many times. Dragon’s Shadow is in fact the first book I wrote. I could not sell an earlier version of the book. So for several years it gathered dust in a file while I pursued other stories. Last year, I returned to Dragon, revised it and now it is published! Hooray! 

Do you read any of your own work?
Before a book is completed, I have read and re-read it a dozen times during the revision process so you’d think I’d never want to read it again. Yet, I confess, I will occasionally look back and visit passages, or certain characters of my older work. 

Tell us about your writing style, how is it different from other writers?
More than style, content is the unique element of my work. As is true for all writers, personal experience informs the work––-even when the story takes place in a land with magic and dragons.    

About the Author

Allison Morse is the author of three very different novels: Fallen Star a Hollywood Gothic mystery, The Sweetheart Deal, a Rom/Com and Dragon’s Shadow a YA Fantasy & Adventure all published by The Wild Rose Press. She lives with her wonderful husband in a house in the hills filled with books.