A few days ago I featured on my blog a great book, ‘On the Isle Of Sound and Wonder’ by Alyson Grauer, based on William Shakespeare’s classic, ‘The Tempest’.

However I wanted to get to know better author Alyson Grauer and today I have the pleasure to have an interview with her.

– How did you decide to pursue a writing career?
I always wanted to tell stories when I was little, and was writing and illustrating books throughout elementary school. It just stuck with me! I journaled through middle and high school and in college promised myself that when I graduated I’d get back on the ball and keep writing seriously. And I did.

– Was getting published hard?
I would say yes and no. I submitted short stories to a number of online publications for several months (and was rejected repeatedly) before I found Xchyler Publishing’s anthology contests and got published there. It was challenging in that it is very overwhelming at first, but if you do some research on who publishes the types of things you write, and how they like their submissions, that can help narrow the field for you.

 – Are your characters based on people you know?
Sometimes I borrow the appearance or look of a person I know to help me picture a character better, but mostly the characters unfold themselves as they are. I try not to directly represent people I know as they are in real life, but I like to imagine them as actors performing the roles of my characters.

– Which of your books is your most favourite?
Well, ON THE ISLE OF SOUND AND WONDER is my first novel, so I’d say that one. 🙂

– Do you have a specific writing routine?
Not a strict one. My writing ‘routine’ involves a lot of Pinterest and a lot of visual research. Sometimes I prepare a playlist of songs to listen to while I write. I drink a lot of tea, of course. And I sometimes take breaks to stretch or do sit ups.

– What’s next for you?
I’m doing something for NaNoWriMo this month but it’s a casual thing… I’m not competing heavily this year. Need the break. But we’ll see what comes of it. …I know that sounds mysterious.