Today on the Brave Blog, we have an interview with Allison Nance, author of Deep Cries Out. Welcome, Allison. Let’s jump in!
Sarah: What’s your favorite genre to read?
Allison: Contemporary, character-driven fiction, hands down!
Sarah: Why do you write in the genre you do? Did you always want to write in that genre?
Allison: I think I love writing contemporary fiction because I grew up reading fantastic examples by what I’d consider more classic authors: Mary Stewart, Lloyd C. Douglas, Agatha Christie. These authors and others like them completely encapsulated their era’s zeitgeist without diminishing their personal writing ethos (adventure, feminism, faith, mystery). Now, more than ever, I think it’s important to address important issues my generation and those following care about in truth and love. Telling stories is a crucial aspect of relationship-building and understanding the underlying goodness and beauty found there-in. Opening the door to healthy discourse by reading approachable but elevated language has been paramount for my development as a person and as a child of God, and I pray that my stories are able to open doors as well.
Sarah: I love that. What is your brainstorming process like? Where do your ideas come from?
Allison: You want to know something funny? Most of the ideas for my stories germinate from the seeds of fruit borne out of the relationships I hold most dear. More often than not, I’ll be hanging out with a friend or family member, and something striking will come up in conversation and I’ll think that’s it. That’s a story that needs to be told. Of course, my imagination takes hold and the story “seed” quickly blossoms out in all kinds of directions I’m not expecting. That being said, I spend a LOT of time with my characters and get to know them well. Therefore, I’m a pretty slow writer, and you won’t see me cranking out 80,000+ words in less than six months.
Sarah: How fun. Do you enjoy drafting or editing better? Why?
Allison: Drafting! Everything is new and I’m not tired of reading my story yet. 🙂
Sarah: Haha! I get that. When do you write, and where?
Allison: Goodness, literally almost any place and any time. My phone still gets first dibs since I’m running between work and my daughter’s ballet class most of the year. Usually the best ideas strike just as I’m about to fall asleep. Thankfully, I use Writing Habit, and honestly it’s been a game-changer for my pantsing/on the go/insomniac tendencies.
Sarah: Interesting and impressive. Do you enjoy writing in third person or first person better? Past or present tense?
Allison: First person! As a reader, I think it’s wonderful to be in someone else’s head. As a writer, I love the power that comes with convincing your audience that the narrator is reliable… until they’re not. I also tend to write in the past tense, but I’m learning to embrace the present tense more and more.
Sarah: What subject have you done the most research on for your writing?
Allison: Sex trafficking, for my second manuscript. It’s a dark, cyclical arena that encompasses more people and governmental entities than you’d think, and enslaves more than just the women and men caught in the industry.
Sarah: I’m glad more people are writing about this important subject. Who has helped you grow the most as a writer?
Allison: My critique partners! I belong to a small but mighty group of writers that meets almost every Monday evening for several hours to read and constructively nit-pick one another’s work. I cannot overstate how helpful it has been to have honest and wise feedback regarding my writing. Finding a critique group or several critique partners is essential to honing your skill as a writer!
Sarah: For sure, good critique partners are essential! What are you working on now?
Allison: I’ve talked at length about contemporary fiction in this post, so OF COURSE it’s natural that I’m 15,000 words deep in my first historical fiction novel. 🙂 However, my story-seed genesis is true to form in that the inspiration for this family drama set in Depression-era Arkansas comes from a box of 200+ letters my great-uncle wrote to his mother while he was serving in the Army during World War II. He died in combat at the age of 22, and I’m absolutely loving hearing his voice through his letters to my great-grandmother, and honoring him by crafting a character based on his brief but beautiful life.
Sarah: That sounds wonderful. What rich family history. What are 3 books you’re looking forward to reading this year?
Deep Cries Out by yours truly (it’s been a hot minute and several manuscripts ago since I’ve read it), as well as Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, and Daikon by Samuel Hawley.
Sarah: Thanks for joining us on the Brave Blog and for sharing your writing process. Many blessings on all your writing endeavors!
About Deep Cries Out
When stress blindsides Aimee Rojas, a tenacious single mother at the height of her high-powered career, she returns home to Galveston Island on the coast of Texas.
Surrounded by family and friends, she soon realizes accepting help from those closest to her comes with its own nuanced complexities.
As Aimee grapples with the physical and mental effects of her illness, she has no idea her healing will involve the love of a man whose past is just as complicated as her own, and the surfacing of a lie which might not only end her career, but her life.
Allison Nance has been writing and singing all kinds of words since before she can remember. Deep Cries Out is her debut novel.
With a career in fine dining and special events spanning two continents and almost as many decades, Allison currently resides outside of Houston, Texas, with her family.
If she’s not writing, she’s probably baking.
