Words with... Allison Bruning

Thanks to Allison Bruning for this interview

 







What is your day job or are you lucky enough to write for a living? 

I’m the Executive Director of the Kentucky Young Writers Connection. I also sell Avon.

What books have you written so far?

Calico, which is book one of The Children of the Shawnee series.

What works in progress do you have?

Rose, book two of The Children of the Shawnee series, and Elsa, book one of The Secret Heritage series.

How long did it take you to write your book/s?

My first draft was completed in a summer. It took more time to find a publisher than to write my books.

Do you write linear, or jump back and forth? Do you plan or write by the seat of your pants?

I write in a linear pattern and by the seat of my pants. I do some planning, but mostly I allow the characters to take me where they want to go.

Why do you write?

I have a passion for writing.

How long have you been writing?

Since I was a child.

Where and when do you write? Do you have set times?

I have a schedule I like to follow in order to get my chores, errands and writing done on a daily basis, but sometimes that’s not possible. Generally, when I’m sick or at home on the weekends I get more writing done.

Which character from your books do you like most / are most like?

I have so many! My favourite male characters from Calico are Alexander (he has such an interesting backstory – he’s trying to behave, but that’s not always possible). Female-wise, I just love Creek (she is a great mother figure).

What/who inspired you to write and still inspires you?

When I was younger, my grandmother and some of my teachers inspired me to write. They saw the talent I had for it and encouraged me. Nowadays, I’m inspired by the less frequently told stories. I am trained in cultural anthropology and have found that to be a great asset to my storytelling.

What do you think is the ideal recipe for a good novel or story?

The secondary characters help move the story along. The story has to be believable and you need to keep your audience actively engaged.

Have you ever based a character on someone from real life? And did you tell them?

If you ask my husband he would say yes! LOL! He thinks he’s Little Owl. There are some qualities of different people I know in each of my characters.

When you were a kid, what did you want to do/who did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to be an astronaut or an archaeologist.

Would you say that your dreams have come true or are you still working on them?

I’m still working on them.

You’re walking in the forest and you bump into an alien librarian from Mars. He wants five book recommendations from you…

The Inheritance Cycle and Calico, of course J

Are you published or self-published? What is your experience?

I’m published through Page Turners Publishing House. At first I had been signed up with a subsidy-based publishing house in Texas that worked as an author incubator. $3,000 later, my book still wasn’t published so I left their house and went to Tate. I soon found out that Tate publishing is a scam. After a lawyer threatened to sue them on my behalf, they released me. I was so grateful when I found Page Turners. I love working with a traditional publishing house.

How do you find the marketing experience? 

Some days it can be intense, especially if something happens and I can’t work on it for a couple of days. Overall it’s pretty easy.

What advice would you give other writers just starting out?

Never pay to have your book published.

Do you have a blog? What do you blog about?

I do. I invite authors to do guest posts. I write about a wide variety of things. I have history, regional things, anthropology and other various notations on there. Every day there is something new and interesting.

What other hobbies do you have?

Photography, travel, spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, attending cultural events.

What would you like to achieve in the next five years?

Be a famous author with children.

If you won the Lotto or a major publishing contract, what would you do with that dough?

Invest it in a savings account and watch it grow. I would also pay off my mortgage and travel around the world. 

Book links:

Blog: http://allisonbruning.blogspot.com/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/tEO4d0

WIN A COPY OF CALICO !!!

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Read the Untold Stories!

See History through Her Eyes!

"A man whose heart appears pure shall deceive you. The power he holds over you leads you to evil. You shall denounce the ways of Our Grandmother. Another man comes, whose pure heart beats for you alone, and who has a pure spirit devoted to Our Grandmother. He shall defeat the evil and sets you free."

A prophecy has been cast against her. In a harsh world deep within the western frontier of Ohio and Kentucky, Calico Marie Turner must learn to survive among the Shawnee and the trust the one man who hates her the most, Chief Little Owl Quick as the Wind.