Interview with romantic suspense, new adult author Ketley Allison

Author Ketley Allison joins me today to talk about her new romantic suspense thriller, To Have and To Hold.

Bio:

Author of Romantic Suspense, New Adult and mature Young Adult novels.

Ketley Allison has always been a romantic at heart. That passion ignited when she realized she could put those dreams into words and her soul into characters. Ketley was born in Canada, moved to Australia when she was thirteen, to California when she was twenty, and finally to New York to attend law school, but most of that time was spent sitting in coffee shops and wine bars thinking of her next book.

Her other passions include coffee, wine, Big Macs, her cat, and her husband, possibly in that order.

Welcome, Ketley. Please tell us about your current release.

To sum it up, TH&TH is about lost love and kidnapping, ha! Basically, it boils down to what chances you would take to find the person you gave up years ago but realize you still love. Of course, I throw in a lot of roadblocks, but my goal is to have readers on the same desperate trail and wanting these two characters to end up back together for a second chance.

What inspired you to write this book?

I started TH&TH over a year ago, and due to a lot of upheaval in my own life, these trials transferred into my characters. Although Spence and Emme have a much different (and more insane) adventure than me, a lot of their feelings, hopes, determination and terror come from my own experiences. Because of that, they’re the most authentic characters I’ve ever created and very close to my heart. I can only hope to take readers into their world and keep them there until the very end.

Excerpt from To Have and To Hold:

“It’s Emme, Spence.”

I stiffened as that name traveled from Knox’s throat and into my ear. Thoughts and memories took hold, that name turning into a face.

Eyes the darkest shade of green. Cascades of ink-black hair. A smile to melt me.

“You’re wrong.” I said. “You’ve spent a few too many hours off the clock and twice that amount on booze and now you’re blowing up my phone because you’re hallucinating. Right? Right, Knox?”

 “You heard me,” Knox said, though not with unkindness. He sounded tired, resigned. Scared. “It’s been confirmed. The woman taken is Emme Beauregard. It’s Em.”

My knees hit the floor.

What exciting story are you working on next?

I am FINALLY finishing the final installment to my Falling Paper Duet (title and book cover to be released in the next few months). It’s a romantic suspense with a jaded girl and a wounded man, involving poker, mafia bosses, the FBI and, of course, rediscovering love. As I grow as a writer, so do my characters, so readers will find that Scarlet and Theo have changed a lot since Paper Dolls, the first installment.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

As soon as I could read. Though honestly, it was through Sailor Moon. When I was really young, I loved this show. I wanted to be Sailor Moon so badly and have my own Darien/Mamoru. As this wasn’t possible in real life, I realized where I could put myself in Serena/Usagi’s place—through writing and stories. Since then, I’ve never looked back!

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

I wish so badly I could write full time! But I’m a lawyer by day, had a baby last year, and a husband to bring me Big Macs on demand. It’s a full schedule, but I try to write at least 2k words a day. This year, I plan to release three novels (TH&TH included), finish my series, and really give readers what they’ve been waiting for from me.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I need a glass of wine to write sex scenes.

(Truly, it loosens me up and I can create a kind of heat—and figure out words other than “throbbing”—I never otherwise would’ve!)

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Sailor Moon! Or, if that failed, an author just like my favorite, Nora Roberts. (Yes, I know I’m a lawyer, but I’ve even utilized that

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I am BACK! Any unfinished series of mine will be finished this year, and the idea for another standalone is already in the works.

And, if readers love To Have and to Hold, there is also a prequel available, From This Day Forward, which is a look into Emme and Spence’s past and how they met, as well as other secrets!

Links:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Thank you so much for having me, Lisa!

Happy that you could be here!