INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR OF "SHADOWED SOULS"
ALLISON AILEEN MASTERS
Hello Allison, thank you so much for allowing us to interview you. My first question is, how in the world does a licensed mental health therapist become a writer of mythical creatures and the realm of fantasy?
It's my pleasure and thank you!
That's a good question. I think my brain can only handle so many "real world" stories before it shuts down for the day. Also, I don't watch TV. So, I needed to come up with a way to entertain myself. LOL. But in all honesty that is the truth. I've always had a great imagination, and one day I just decided to start writing down some of those stories that were running/flying/ screeching around in my head.
Tell us more about your book "Shadowed Souls" and the inspiration behind it.
Shadowed Souls is a story about Ava Malone, a reluctant seer of angels and demons, who is called to fulfill a prophecy. She's sassy and usually gets into trouble due to her sharp tongue. This story is about her deciding if she will fulfill the prophecy as well as try to keep her day job as a special agent. She ultimately is forced to team up with a few good looking men that break the laws she supposed to enforce, making her realize she is capable of doing things she never thought she would.
Tell us a bit about your day job as a mental health therapist and what is perhaps the craziest thing you've seen?
Well, if I told you the craziest thing I have seen, you wouldn't believe me. And unfortunately I'm not allowed to tell those kinds of stories. I would get myself into some serious legal troubles.
Do you think your job has a direct inspiration on your writing?
Hmmm, that's complicated but I would say it is linked. When I first started writing I would definitely say I wanted to write stories that had happy endings because at the time I was working on a lot of difficult cases where there was a great deal of sadness. I think it was my way of balancing things out or creating happy endings (with writing) in other people's lives because it was not possible with the current cases that I was working on.
Now, writing has taken a life of its on and has very little to do with my work world.
This first book is destined to become a series, can you give us a glimpse into the next book?
Sure! The next book picks up right where Shadowed Souls left off. In Shadowed Ava's world did not change all that much. In the next book, things start to change pretty quickly. Ava gets herself into more trouble and her worst fear becomes a reality. There will be more creatures coming out of the woodwork, and then a certain man in her life will complicate things for her (professionally and emotionally).
When did you realize that you were interested in writing?
You know the funny thing is I never set out to be a writer. I'm actually a musician and when I grew up I was always writing songs and what have you. That was my focus for a very long time. Like I said earlier, I always had these stories in my head but I just didn't think too much about them when I was younger. Then one day I came home from work, sat down at my computer, and out of nowhere started writing a story. Twenty-five pages later I glanced up at the clock and was shocked. It felt like only minutes had passed by when in reality it was more like a couple of hours. I re-read the story and realized I could see myself writing the whole thing. So I did, and eventually I sent it to my best friend who told me, "I think you have a story here, but it needs work." That was officially the beginning of my whole writing process.
Have you given thought to writing in other genres and if so what are they?
Yes. I actually started writing contemporary romances. I was working on trilogy before I started writing Shadowed Souls, and I was even shopping the first book around. When Ava first popped into my head I knew it was going to be a complicated story so I intended to write five books before Shadowed (I had those stories mapped out already). But eventually Ava kept interrupting the other stories to the point where I couldn't even focus on them.
It became apparent I had no other choice. I had to give in and start writing her story.
She’s pesky that way and her sister, Elora, is worse.
Maybe when I am done with the series I can go back to some of those stories. They were fun and light.
This is a question I like to ask people now because there is so much buzz about the Mayan Calendar and the end of the world. What do you believe and do you think it is true?
I am more inclined to believe that the Mayan calendar is referencing another 26,000 year cycle of our world and how it relates to our universe. I am not one to believe in the gloom and doom theories. I think there is enough negativity in our world, and we do not need more of that. However, I can see how people think these are the end times, and I do think that the Earth's changes are adding to those fears. But, I think 12/21/12 might end up being more like Y2K. Or at least I hope it does
Here’s an off mark question. Tell us one of the scariest nightmares you've ever had, if you've ever had one and if so have you thought about turning it into a book?
You know the funny thing is I rarely have nightmares. However, I did have this one and I don't know if you can categorize it as a nightmare. Maybe in retrospect it could be classified as an off the wall, dark comedy. I would love to see it as a short graphic novel.
When I decided that I was going to write stories and ones that followed the romance genre I was reading A LOT of Nora Roberts. Now, Nora has been plagiarized and she has some strong feelings about that— naturally. I recall reading something along the lines that she would come after anyone who plagiarized her again. (Um, I am sure she was joking)
My dream went something like this:
I was asleep when I suddenly woke up remembering that I wrote this great story earlier that day but I had this nagging sensation that the story line felt familiar or close to something that I had already read. The dream fog began to wear off when my mind started putting puzzle pieces together and I remembered the story more clearly. In that moment I realized that I had just re-written one of Nora Roberts' stories. I was laying in bed saying, "Oh no! I need to fix this. " As I began to move toward my computer I could hear the clicking of high heels in my hallway, and heard someone saying, "Allison where are you? We have to talk, you and I." It was Nora's distinct deep voice echoing off the tile floors.
I jumped out bed, freaking out and trying to find places to hide in my room. I ran across the room behind the door when I saw Nora come in wearing a beautiful tailored Italian suit, dove gray to be exact, and she had an ice pick in her right hand. I gulped, thinking I didn't want to die, and then I began spewing out panicked words that it was all her fault I copied her in the first place. She wrote too many stories, and what was the rest of the writers suppose to do because we couldn't keep up with her. She tilted her head to the side and smirked. "Really Allison. Is it my problem that you lack discipline?"
I woke up from the dream to the sound of her throaty laugh. It makes me giggle today, but I can still see her in my head. I don't think you need Freud to psychoanalyze that one.
Do you have any advice you'd care to share with authors? Please leave us your links so we can get to know more about you and your works!
I guess as authors we often need to be reminded to take breathers and step away from a piece. Objectivity does wonders. However, the most important tool to have is perseverance.
Take care and thank you for the interview!
My webpage: http://aamasters.com/
I am on also on good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5402859.Allison_Aileen_Masters
I get on G+ about every day. So stop by and say hi. https://plus.google.com/u/0/108190921984920673802/posts
Thank you again Allison for taking the time to allow us this interview. We look forward to hearing more from you soon!
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=1289&page=1#ixzz1rZCSyNrN
ALLISON AILEEN MASTERS
Hello Allison, thank you so much for allowing us to interview you. My first question is, how in the world does a licensed mental health therapist become a writer of mythical creatures and the realm of fantasy?
It's my pleasure and thank you!
That's a good question. I think my brain can only handle so many "real world" stories before it shuts down for the day. Also, I don't watch TV. So, I needed to come up with a way to entertain myself. LOL. But in all honesty that is the truth. I've always had a great imagination, and one day I just decided to start writing down some of those stories that were running/flying/ screeching around in my head.
Tell us more about your book "Shadowed Souls" and the inspiration behind it.
Shadowed Souls is a story about Ava Malone, a reluctant seer of angels and demons, who is called to fulfill a prophecy. She's sassy and usually gets into trouble due to her sharp tongue. This story is about her deciding if she will fulfill the prophecy as well as try to keep her day job as a special agent. She ultimately is forced to team up with a few good looking men that break the laws she supposed to enforce, making her realize she is capable of doing things she never thought she would.
Tell us a bit about your day job as a mental health therapist and what is perhaps the craziest thing you've seen?
Well, if I told you the craziest thing I have seen, you wouldn't believe me. And unfortunately I'm not allowed to tell those kinds of stories. I would get myself into some serious legal troubles.
Do you think your job has a direct inspiration on your writing?
Hmmm, that's complicated but I would say it is linked. When I first started writing I would definitely say I wanted to write stories that had happy endings because at the time I was working on a lot of difficult cases where there was a great deal of sadness. I think it was my way of balancing things out or creating happy endings (with writing) in other people's lives because it was not possible with the current cases that I was working on.
Now, writing has taken a life of its on and has very little to do with my work world.
This first book is destined to become a series, can you give us a glimpse into the next book?
Sure! The next book picks up right where Shadowed Souls left off. In Shadowed Ava's world did not change all that much. In the next book, things start to change pretty quickly. Ava gets herself into more trouble and her worst fear becomes a reality. There will be more creatures coming out of the woodwork, and then a certain man in her life will complicate things for her (professionally and emotionally).
When did you realize that you were interested in writing?
You know the funny thing is I never set out to be a writer. I'm actually a musician and when I grew up I was always writing songs and what have you. That was my focus for a very long time. Like I said earlier, I always had these stories in my head but I just didn't think too much about them when I was younger. Then one day I came home from work, sat down at my computer, and out of nowhere started writing a story. Twenty-five pages later I glanced up at the clock and was shocked. It felt like only minutes had passed by when in reality it was more like a couple of hours. I re-read the story and realized I could see myself writing the whole thing. So I did, and eventually I sent it to my best friend who told me, "I think you have a story here, but it needs work." That was officially the beginning of my whole writing process.
Have you given thought to writing in other genres and if so what are they?
Yes. I actually started writing contemporary romances. I was working on trilogy before I started writing Shadowed Souls, and I was even shopping the first book around. When Ava first popped into my head I knew it was going to be a complicated story so I intended to write five books before Shadowed (I had those stories mapped out already). But eventually Ava kept interrupting the other stories to the point where I couldn't even focus on them.
It became apparent I had no other choice. I had to give in and start writing her story.
She’s pesky that way and her sister, Elora, is worse.
Maybe when I am done with the series I can go back to some of those stories. They were fun and light.
This is a question I like to ask people now because there is so much buzz about the Mayan Calendar and the end of the world. What do you believe and do you think it is true?
I am more inclined to believe that the Mayan calendar is referencing another 26,000 year cycle of our world and how it relates to our universe. I am not one to believe in the gloom and doom theories. I think there is enough negativity in our world, and we do not need more of that. However, I can see how people think these are the end times, and I do think that the Earth's changes are adding to those fears. But, I think 12/21/12 might end up being more like Y2K. Or at least I hope it does
Here’s an off mark question. Tell us one of the scariest nightmares you've ever had, if you've ever had one and if so have you thought about turning it into a book?
You know the funny thing is I rarely have nightmares. However, I did have this one and I don't know if you can categorize it as a nightmare. Maybe in retrospect it could be classified as an off the wall, dark comedy. I would love to see it as a short graphic novel.
When I decided that I was going to write stories and ones that followed the romance genre I was reading A LOT of Nora Roberts. Now, Nora has been plagiarized and she has some strong feelings about that— naturally. I recall reading something along the lines that she would come after anyone who plagiarized her again. (Um, I am sure she was joking)
My dream went something like this:
I was asleep when I suddenly woke up remembering that I wrote this great story earlier that day but I had this nagging sensation that the story line felt familiar or close to something that I had already read. The dream fog began to wear off when my mind started putting puzzle pieces together and I remembered the story more clearly. In that moment I realized that I had just re-written one of Nora Roberts' stories. I was laying in bed saying, "Oh no! I need to fix this. " As I began to move toward my computer I could hear the clicking of high heels in my hallway, and heard someone saying, "Allison where are you? We have to talk, you and I." It was Nora's distinct deep voice echoing off the tile floors.
I jumped out bed, freaking out and trying to find places to hide in my room. I ran across the room behind the door when I saw Nora come in wearing a beautiful tailored Italian suit, dove gray to be exact, and she had an ice pick in her right hand. I gulped, thinking I didn't want to die, and then I began spewing out panicked words that it was all her fault I copied her in the first place. She wrote too many stories, and what was the rest of the writers suppose to do because we couldn't keep up with her. She tilted her head to the side and smirked. "Really Allison. Is it my problem that you lack discipline?"
I woke up from the dream to the sound of her throaty laugh. It makes me giggle today, but I can still see her in my head. I don't think you need Freud to psychoanalyze that one.
Do you have any advice you'd care to share with authors? Please leave us your links so we can get to know more about you and your works!
I guess as authors we often need to be reminded to take breathers and step away from a piece. Objectivity does wonders. However, the most important tool to have is perseverance.
Take care and thank you for the interview!
My webpage: http://aamasters.com/
I am on also on good reads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5402859.Allison_Aileen_Masters
I get on G+ about every day. So stop by and say hi. https://plus.google.com/u/0/108190921984920673802/posts
Thank you again Allison for taking the time to allow us this interview. We look forward to hearing more from you soon!
Read more: http://www.greatmindsthinkaloud.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=interviews&thread=1289&page=1#ixzz1rZCSyNrN
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