Authors Supporting Authors: Allison Maruska

What is your name?  
Allison Maruska

Where are you from?   
I’m a Colorado native. I get to experience 300 days of sunshine a year, and I can see the mountains from my yard. Can’t beat it. 

What genre are you in? 
Mystery and suspense, usually. My current project is a Young Adult dystopian and urban fantasy mashup.

 


Please list your books and the year of publication. 
I have two books that will be released soon. One is a YA mystery called Project Renovatio, which is in publication with 4RV Publishing. It’s the first of a three-part series about a brother and sister who learn they were genetically engineered to survive a global disaster, and the organization that created them wants to control their lives. They have to confront the organization if they want to keep their freedom.

The adult suspense that I’m publishing myself is called The Fourth Descendant. It’s about four strangers who are brought together by a century-old secret buried in a Richmond courthouse. The secret is potentially more world-changing than they could have imagined. 
*Look for The Fourth Descendant's release tomorrow, February 4!

Why are you an Author?  
I have stories to tell, and I have a knack for telling them. I’ve been an extremely avid reader basically since I learned how to read. I love the stories that pull me in and make me stay up too late because I just have to see what happens. Those are the kinds of stories I want to write.

After years of thinking about it, my husband’s truck is what gave me the nudge to finally write novels. It’s a funny story that I’ve included on my blog - http://allisonmaruska.com/2015/01/15/funny-friday-the-one-with-the-truck/

What inspires you?
Initial ideas seem to come randomly, but the stories develop after asking lots of questions.

For Project Renovatio, I had the characters in my head for a couple years before I figured out their story, and the idea for that came when I was researching GMO foods – what if there are GMO people? How would they fit into the world? It was such a lightbulb moment that I remember where I was sitting when it happened.

For The Fourth Descendant, I wanted to see if I could write a compelling story that included four diverse strangers – what could bring them together? Something in history? After some research, they’re in a courthouse basement unlocking a four-lock safe that was left by their ancestors. 

Another idea for a book I’ve barely started came from a news report about a car accident involving three men – two died, and one disappeared. Sounds like a juicy novel beginning, doesn’t it?

Where and what times during the day do you work best?  
I can tell you the best time of year for me is spring and summer, partly because of my work schedule (I work in public education) and partly because the longer days help my mood and allow for more creativity. During the day, I work best when my kids are busy with something or asleep. Ha.

Who is your target audience? 
Teenagers and adults. My YA books have strong crossover appeal, and The Fourth Descendant is written for an adult audience. Also, my cat seemed to enjoy the story when I was reading it out loud. Are pets a target audience? Hmmm.

How do you want your readers to feel as they read your book?  
I want them to feel like the story is easy to follow and moves at a good pace. Advance reviewers have said my stories play in their heads like movies, flowing from one scene to the next. That’s what I want. Something readers can enjoy and lose track of time while reading it.

Of all the scenes you’ve written, which is your favorite? 
Without giving too much away, one scene in The Fourth Descendant jumps out. It’s about how one of the characters, Jonah, relates to his adult brother, who has special needs. This is one paragraph from that scene:

Moments like these made Jonah truly appreciate Samuel. Despite his brother’s limitations, he could connect with people in ways that others couldn’t or didn’t want to. While anyone else would listen to Jonah’s song with a mild interest and maybe a hope that Jonah’s career would soar, Jonah believed Samuel felt every note, taking every line into his being, not caring if Jonah was an amateur or a platinum-album artist. As he sang, his emotions caught in his throat, and he had to close his eyes to power through the rest of the song.

What is one piece of advice you would give aspiring authors? 
Writing is basically spilling your guts onto paper. It’s taking the most vulnerable parts of yourself and putting them out there for the world to treasure or tear apart. Some people will love what you do. Some won’t. Keep writing anyway. Write for that one person who needs to hear your words at the exact moment your book lands in their hands.

Also, it doesn’t hurt to start a wine budget. Just saying.

Share one thing about yourself that you would like readers to know. 
I love to laugh. It’s probably one of the best things about life. I enjoy making people laugh, and I’m always up to hear a funny story. So if you have one, hop on my Twitter or Facebook page and share away!