As my long-time readers know, my publisher cancelled my Seven Deadly Sins series after two books. While some readers loved the supernatural thriller series, it didn’t find its audience — unlike my more successful crime thrillers. Publishing is a business — I get that — but I was still disappointed because I loved this series and I loved these characters. I put it aside and started the Lucy Kincaid series — which is still going strong. The 12th book, MAKE THEM PAY, will be out in March!   While writing these two books nearly killed my career — and I don’t… Read More

I’m not talking about Frankenstein or Catcher in the Rye, I’m talking about MY old books — books I wrote years ago and am now re-reading. Cringe. I have three side projects going right now. Yeah, I know. But I’m waiting on line edits for COMPULSION and what else do I do? Clean? Ha! The first is taking my first six books and digitally publishing outside of the North American market. I paid to have them scanned (because I don’t have the original edited files anymore — wonder how THAT happened!) and am proofreading them primarily for scanning and formatting… Read More

. . . I’m not talking about your children! There’s a phrase writers use in the revision process: Kill Your Darlings. That a descriptive paragraph or scene, no matter how well-written or poignant or suspenseful or romantic or just plain stunning . . . if it doesn’t fit in the story . . . if it can be taken out without changing anything . . . has to go. Kill it. It’s the hardest thing a writer can do. Because killing your darlings goes well beyond a well-turned phrase that may be repetitive, or a scene that is unnecessary. Sometimes… Read More

Stephen King has said that the short story is a lost art. King is the master of the short story; in fact, my favorite King movies originally came from his short stories. (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION was originally “Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption; there was also ‘1408’ and ‘The Langoliers’, both of which translated well to film, and others.) But as the magazine market has collapsed and fewer anthologies are published, the short story has become rare. My mom says she doesn’t like short stories and novellas because she doesn’t feel like there is a completely story; other people enjoy… Read More

I rarely comment about reviews I receive for my books because reviews are generally one person’s opinion. I can take the bad reviews with the good, and while I don’t like to get a bad review, I just suck it up and repeat what Stephanie Laurens said at the Orange County Romance Writers meeting a couple years ago: “They’re just having a bad reading day.” There are a few things that irritate me about reviews, however–good and bad. The first and foremost is spoilers. I’ve had good reviews where the reader obviously loved the book and wants to talk about… Read More

I rarely comment about reviews I receive for my books because reviews are generally one person’s opinion. I can take the bad reviews with the good, and while I don’t like to get a bad review, I just suck it up and repeat what Stephanie Laurens said at the Orange County Romance Writers meeting a couple years ago: “They’re just having a bad reading day.” There are a few things that irritate me about reviews, however–good and bad. The first and foremost is spoilers. I’ve had good reviews where the reader obviously loved the book and wants to talk about… Read More

Catholics aren’t supposed to be superstitious. (I can hear a lot of you laughing out there, because the Irish are mostly Catholic and the Irish are very superstitious!) I suppose it doesn’t help that I’m Irish Catholic. :/ Writers also tend to be a bit neurotic. Some of us never read our books after they are published. Some of us have little rituals in the morning to help lure the muse out of hiding. Some of us simply write off our entire career as rubbing the right lucky shamrock at the right time when all the moons are aligned. I… Read More

Sometimes, I’m at a loss of what to say. Those who know me well are laughing right now–Allison can always find something to say! But this week is upside down. It’s release week. I’m woefully behind on my schedule. I’d planned on going out to local stores and signing stock today, but didn’t because I’m reworking the last 100 pages of CARNAL SIN, my July release. And I’m not done, so tomorrow, no stock signings either. And I’d wanted to get a newsletter out Tuesday, to announce that ORIGINAL SIN is on sale . . . but that, too, fell… Read More

So much is going on right now, I barely have time to breathe let alone think about a blog topic! And to follow our new additions, Lori, Laura and Sophie? Wowza! Aren’t they terrific? When I sat down tonight to write my blog, I knew in the far depths of my brain that I had a topic . . . somewhere . . . but it disappeared. I’m not surprised. My oldest daughter turned 16 yesterday. I’m very happy–she’s a great person, strong, resourceful, grounded, and a leader. But I don’t feel old enough to have a 16 year old…. Read More

Here’s one of my favorite posts of the year . . . well, last year. I wrote this at the end of 2008, but I’m posting it again because it’s relevant to publishing today and me specifically. Today is the last day of 2009. My career has been arguably successful. I can support my family with my writing, but I’m not at the point where I feel any sense of job security. That I’m writing something different from my first twelve books is thrilling–it’s exactly what I want to write. But it’s also scary–what if my readers don’t follow me?… Read More