An Interview with Alyssa Day

The Reading Cafe is thrilled to welcome the wonderful Alyssa Day as our guest today.

Alyssa has just released Heart of Atlantis, her final book in her The Warriors of Poseidon series. We posted our review of Heart of Atlantis yesterday.  As we noted in the review, we are hoping that Alyssa will continue in the future to give us more stories of the men and women we have come to love.

Let’s begin our interview with Alyssa.

Hi Alyssa.  Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. As you are one of our favorite authors, it is a pleasure to have you back again at The Reading Café.

Alyssa: Thank you! I love you, too!

TRC: For those who are new to you, would you like to tell us a little bit about yourself?

Alyssa: I’m a recovering trial lawyer who is now a full-time novelist. I rescue dogs, travel and live all over the world, and have an inexcusable fondness for cheesy horror and sci-fi movies.

TRC: You also write as Alesia Holliday.  Are you still writing as Alesia, and can you tell us what you like to write about under that name?

Alyssa:  I wrote my nonfiction, my mystery, and my romantic comedies as Alesia. I may write more mysteries!

TRC: What is your writing process?  Do you have a specific place or time of day you like to write?

Alyssa:  It changes daily. I have 2 kids and 2 dogs and am a Navy wife, so I have to work around being a single mom most of the time.

TRC:  We love your interaction with fans on Twitter and Facebook.  Do you think this has changed how authors promote their books, by allowing themselves to be more accessible?  Do you think there is a downside to this, with some authors receiving negative postings?

Alyssa:  I have had a few strange interactions – the other day, when I had a 104 degree fever (strep throat for a WEEK now!) and was live-tweeting a horribly bad movie called Congo (which I made very clear I was doing) about killer zombie gorillas, as far as I can tell, a woman tweeted me that it was horrible for me to make jokes about such beautiful creatures as gorillas, and the Republic of the Congo didn’t like it, either. I apologized to both gorillas and the Republic of the Congo, but made it clear, again, that I’d been talking about the terrible movie, not actual gorillas.

Also, a woman who claims to be Atlantean frequently emails me with Poseidon’s thoughts about what’s wrong with my books (Poseidon is her friend and hangs out in her living room.)  I appreciate the insights, but since I don’t personally know any gods, I have to continue to write fiction, not historical nonfiction, about Atlantis.

I adore talking to readers, especially on Twitter, which is like the water-cooler conversation I used to have as a trial lawyer.  Honestly, the only downside is that there are a few people who feel entitled to demand things from authors, since we’re so accessible, and that can be frustrating.  We’re doing the best we can to keep the books coming, everyone, but sometimes international moves to Japan, historic international disasters and evacuations, and family illnesses can get in the way of spending 24/7 writing that next book.

TRC:  It is December, and Heart of Atlantis is here. Please tell us how you feel about closing the Arc of Warriors of the Poseidon?  How hard was it for you to close this series, and end with Quinn & Alaric?

Alyssa:  I actually cried several times writing the book.  It is exactly what I planned, nearly seven long years ago, when I dreamed up this series, and all of my warriors get their stories wrapped up beautifully, but there is a scene with Quinn and Jack that made me cry hard, hot tears, and there are several scenes with Alaric that made me cry.  Also, Conlan gives a speech near the end of the book that made me cry.  I’ve lived with them for nearly seven years. I will be writing a few novellas about some of the characters, so it wasn’t a complete goodbye, but it was still bittersweet.  Time to say goodbye, and time to move on to something new!

Heart of Atlantis Order Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Bookdepository

TRC:  The popularity of all your Warriors has been great, but perhaps since their story has been a long time coming, there has been a special bond for readers waiting for Alaric & Quinn’s story.  Why do you think this happened?

Alyssa:  They were the ultimate in forbidden love; the dark, tortured high priest, and the damaged rebel leader with secrets of her own.  You could feel the spark between them instantly—they started out with a conflagration!—and readers wanted to know their story.

TRC: At some point, you had mentioned this was the end of the first arc in Warriors of the Poseidon.  You have said that you plan on doing some novellas on Denal, Reissen & a Christmas story with the ladies.  Will we see novellas to allow us to visit our favorites again, or would you ever considering doing another arc?

Alyssa: Yes, definitely novellas.  Not sure about another arc.  Currently working on the League of the Black Swan, my new series, and I have 3 other new projects queued up and ready to work on in 2013!

TRC:  Since we follow you on Twitter and Facebook, we have heard that Jack will get his own series.  Is this true, and if so, what can you tell us about it?  Also, when can we expect this to start?

Alyssa:  I can’t give details yet. I learned my lesson on that one when I HORRIBLY underestimated the time it would take me to figure out the indie venture for Alejandro’s Sorceress.

TRC:  When you last visited us, you talked a bit about your new series, The League of the Black Swan.  Can you please tell us the latest on this new series?

Alyssa: The first book, THE CURSED, will be out 5/13, and it’s SO EXCITING!!  The series follows Luke and Rio and their continuing adventures in Bordertown, a secret part of  Manhattan that exists on an interdimensional fold between the human, Fae, and demon worlds.

A novella in the series, The Curse of the Black Swan, also releases in May, in the anthology ENTHRALLED, with Lora Leigh, Lucy Monroe, and Meljean Brook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRC:  What are you currently working on?  Would you consider writing a different genre? Would you like to add anything else?

Alyssa:  I am putting final touches on the two League of the Black Swan books and FINALLY, FINALLY, figuring out how to post Alejandro’s Sorceress before my readers drive to my house and make me walk the plank.

I have SECRET NEWS about a new genre that I’ll be able to tell you in 2013!  Also, when I write Jack’s stories, those will be urban fantasy and not traditional romance.  Think if Harry Dresden and Sookie Stackhouse had a love child!

LIGHTNING ROUND 

Favorite Food: potatoes and pasta – I’m Irish and Italian!

Favorite Dessert: Pumpkin pie!

Favorite TV show: Too many to count but The Walking Dead is up there at the top!

Favorite Movie: Lord of the Rings – I can’t wait for the Hobbit!!!

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Dark, but I’d rather have nachos 🙂

Favorite Author: Too many to count!

Favorite Literary Character (male & female) not your own:  too many to count!

Thank you, Alyssa for answering our questions. We wish you the best of luck with Heart of Atlantis, and your new League of the Black Swan series.  We look forward to working with you again in the future. 

If you want to learn more about Alyssa, you can find her at the following links:

Website: http://www.alyssaday.com/
Blog:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Goodreads:
Alyssa has graciously offered to give two members of The Reading Café a chance to win two books in her Warriors of Poseidon series…“Atlantis Rising” and “Heart of Atlantis”.

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Giveaway open to U.S. or Canada only

4.  Contest runs from December 6th – December 9th..