A Warm Welcome to Alison Stone

Growing up, Alison Stone never imagined becoming a writer. She enjoyed math and science and ultimately earned a degree in engineering. Go Yellow Jackets!

After the birth of her second child, Alison left Corporate America for full-time motherhood. She credits an advertisement for writing children’s books for sparking her interest in writing. She never did complete a children’s book, but she did have success writing articles for local publications.

Finally, Alison got up the nerve to try her hand at full-length fiction. After completing a handful of manuscripts, she sold her first book to Samhain Publishing in 2011, followed a few weeks later by a second sale.

Now, Alison has the best of both worlds. From her home office in Western New York, she writes fast-paced romantic suspense while her four children are in school. It never fails to amaze her how soon the afternoon bus arrives.

Random Acts  by Alison Stone

BLURB: Second chances can have a terrible sense of timing.

As a child, watching her mother always pick the wrong man left Danielle Carson wary of opening her heart to anyone—except Patrick Kingsley. But circumstances came between them and left Danielle with a broken heart. Now she buries the pain of what might have been by channeling all her energy into her career. When a family crisis brings her back to her hometown, she is forced to face the past—and the disturbing fact that her sister’s car accident was staged to mask a brutal beating.

A police officer and widower, Patrick guards his heart as fiercely as he guards his beloved daughter. Seeing Danielle again unexpectedly reignites their old flame, but no way will he introduce a woman into his daughter’s life. Certainly not one whose values on faith and family are so different from his own.

Despite their best intentions, they are drawn together—until Danielle learns Patrick had a hand in putting her sister in harm’s way. Her fragile trust is crushed, but Patrick is the only man who can help her stop the villain before everything they both love is destroyed. Faith, family…and their second chance at forever. 

Before treating us to an excerpt, Alison Reveals...

Who controls the story – you or your characters? Oh, this is a great question. I think it’s a little bit of both. Of course, I come up with the idea that sparks the story. I usually make note of a few plot points and maybe I have a vague ending in mind. But I find I get the greatest ideas when I actually sit down and write the story. The characters take over. Sometimes I have these moments where I think, “I so didn’t see that coming.” That’s an awesome feeling.

What do you hope your readers come away with after reading your book(s)? I don’t usually write with this in mind. I just tell the best story I can and hope my readers truly enjoy it. If something in my book sticks with them long after they’ve finished it, that’s a bonus.

What do you think are the main ingredients for a successful book? Each character has to have a goal, motivation, and conflict. The goal has to be a worthy one, the motivation has to be believable, and the conflict shouldn’t be easily overcome. And just when it seems the character is about to overcome an obstacle, another one has to be thrown in their path.

What do you most enjoy about writing romance? I enjoy showing the hero and heroine falling in love. I write romantic suspense, so it’s an interesting challenge to show this progression while keeping the villain at bay.

What do you like best and least about writing? I love the creativity and the flexibility. The latter is especially key because I have four children. My least favorite thing about writing is the rejection. It’s heart breaking. A writer can spend months, years even, on a manuscript only to have it rejected. I often joke that it’s not like we’re producing widgets. I don’t always have another one in my back pocket. It takes time to then get the next manuscript completed. I am working hard to become more prolific.

Have you ever suffered from writer’s block? What would be your tips to overcome it? I don’t know if I suffer from writer’s block. I think for me, it’s more a case of procrastination. There are so many bright and shiny things on the internet to grab my attention. However, I find if I just shut the world out and open my Word file and start writing, the words come.

Do you have a writing routine? I don’t have a rigid routine, but I do try to make the most of the hours my kids are in school. I’m very fortunate to write full-time. So, I get my 4 kids off to 3 different schools, then I sit down at the computer. I usually check e-mail, social media, and blog posts. Then I get to the business of writing. I tend to leave my office multiple times a day to do laundry, volunteer at school, or start dinner. In my efforts to become more prolific, I’m trying to better guard my writing time. It’s a process.

What can we look forward to from you in the near future? I have another romantic suspense, Too Close to Home, coming out from Samhain Publishing on August 7, 2012. It’s thrilling suspense…heartfelt romance. (I had to get my tagline in there! J)

How do you like to spend your free time? I enjoy spending time with my family. It could be something as simple as watching a movie, taking a walk, or hanging out in the yard by the pool.

What would you most like to accomplish this year? As a new author, I would like to find more balance. I’d love to find a way to get all my writing-related work completed during the day so I can have my evenings free. So far, I haven’t figured out how to do this. I usually return to my computer after dinner.

Now for A Taste of Alison

End of opening scene of Random Acts by Alison Stone:He bobbled her body, freeing his hand to grab the handle of the driver’s door. It opened with a groan. He loosened his jaw and let out a quiet breath. A dog barked in the not-too-far distance. An incessant bark, as if the animal sensed the girl’s plight.

His stomach tightened. His actions took on a renewed urgency. Swallowing hard, he maneuvered the girl’s body behind the wheel—no small feat, despite her small frame. Her lifeless body had a will of its own. Her head dipped toward the passenger’s side, physics demanding her body follow suit. His jaw clamped in frustration. He grabbed her shirt sleeve and yanked her back into position. With a flat palm, he pushed the door closed, careful not to make a sound this time. He reached through the open window to adjust her body one last time. Fastening her seatbelt would be counterproductive. He shook his head. Silly girl had only herself to blame. Ducking his head, he reached into the vehicle and stretched across the steering wheel to put the car in neutral.

With his plan coming together, he relaxed his shoulders and strolled to the rear of the vehicle. Some things were meant to be savored. He lifted a dusty boot to the plastic bumper.

And pushed.

The tires gained traction. The vehicle rolled forward. Arms crossed, he watched the vehicle pick up speed as it raced down the steep hill, heading toward the crop of trees at the bend in the road.

Just as he had planned.

Follow the rest of Alison's tour

BUY links Amazon Barnes & Noble Samhain
Review links: Library Journal Reviews  Long and Short Reviews
Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Website: www.AlisonStone.com  Twitter: www.twitter.com/Alison_Stone 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlisonStoneAuthor  Blog: http://alisonstone.wordpress.com/  E-mail: Alison@AlisonStone.com

Thank you for having me! ~ Alison Stone                                             

Thank you for being here, Alison. Great to meet you!

Now leave a comment for the chance to win a prize

Alison will be awarding autographed bookmarks at every stop, as well as a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. She will also give away a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to host with the most comments.