Author Interview: Allison Karras

I am so pleased and excited to welcome one of my favorite Indie Authors to the nest today. Allison Karras is the author of the Samantha Carver Saga. Book one, Drowning in the Dark, was such a fun read. Check out my review for Drowning in the Dark. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series, Demon Revelation, in the near future. 

Andrea @ Reading Lark: How long have you been writing?

Allison:  First off, thank you so much for having me on Reading Lark! I’m so excited to be here!

I first discovered I had a talent for writing in 4^th grade. I always thought of myself as a writer after that, but I never really understood what being a writer meant up until about four years ago when I actually began to take it seriously and write everyday. I got a job as a reporter, and that has really taught me about being disciplined and meeting deadlines, and that to get better, you have to be dedicated to developing your talent on a consistent basis. You can’t just write when you feel like it because that might only be a few times a week, and that’s not enough to get better. I transferred a lot of what I learned in the newsroom to my fiction writing.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Can you describe the Samantha Carver Saga in five words?

Allison: Teenager, baseball bat, zombie-demons (yes, I am counting that as one word) secrets.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Where did you get the idea for Samantha's story?

Allison: I was interested in creating a fresh interpretation of the zombie. I've always loved zombies, but at the same time, they can be pretty unglamorous, just plodding around aimlessly like they do. So I thought of how I could bring a new twist to their mythology. Possession is something that has always truly frightened me – I probably saw The Exorcist at too young of an age! I thought that explaining zombies as corpses that are possessed by demons might make for an interesting series. Plus, I’ve always loved the Buffy-the-Vampire Slayer-idea of this teenage girl who is the chosen one to rid the world of this evil. A character that young who has to carry such burden and responsibility makes for an intriguing story, I think.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: What made you choose Oregon as your setting for this series?

Allison: My family moved to the Willamette Valley in Oregon from Los Angeles when I was seven years old. We used to take trips to the coast a lot. The atmosphere always captivated me. Sometimes we went camping at the beach, and I remember lying awake, listening to the wind howl outside and the rain patter against the tent, and the sound of the ocean crashing in the distance. Those memories have always stayed with me, and I thought it would be a natural setting for my series. The Oregon Coast is such a beautiful place, but at the same time, there’s a certain creepy aspect to it that makes it the perfect setting for a paranormal fiction story.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Is Samantha based on a real person or is she entirely from your imagination?

Allison: Sam, like most characters, is a combination of a lot of different people and character traits. I think she has an overdeveloped sense of responsibility and guilt. She’s also pretty quiet, but a lot is going on with her. She’s also very strong and resilient, and even though there’s been a lot of tragedy in her life, she hasn't let it sour her. She still has the strength to love despite what life has thrown at her – I've known a few people like that in my life, and Ives always admired that kind of spirit and determination.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: Which character is your favorite to write?

Allison: It’s a tie between Shane and Terry. Both are fun to write in their own unique ways.

I find Shane much more mysterious and appealing – and even difficult to write sometimes. That’s one of the challenges of his character is that he’s a spirit from another realm. As a writer, you have to put yourself in the character’s shoes and figure out how they think, which can be difficult with someone as otherworldly and complicated as Shane. He’s definitely a challenge to write, but that’s part of the fun. His scenes always take longer to figure out because I have to always consider so many different angles and elements.


On the other hand, Terry’s character is very easy for me to write. Maybe it’s because I feel like I can relate to some of the things he’s going through. I hear his voice very clearly in my head sometimes – out of nowhere, he’ll just start saying things. I guess I’ll stop talking before you have me committed…


Andrea @ Reading Lark: What was the road to publication like for you?


Allison: You’d think that being a reporter, I’d get used to having my writing edited all the time. But the hardest part of the publication process this time was the editing. There were things that I had to change that, at the time, pained me a lot. It’s hard having others edit your work – especially because you’re so close to it, it feels like it’s part of you. But now, I’m glad I went through that process. The finished book is about a million times better than it was before editing, and I feel like the storytelling is much more effective now. Sometimes, you have to go through that pain to get something you can really be proud of.


Andrea @ Reading Lark: What are a few songs that inspired the most recent book?


Allison: So glad you asked that question! I’m a music nerd, and it definitely plays a big role in my writing. These are just a few that inspired me for Demon Revelation: 


Summer – Buffalo Tom: I love how this song feels. It captures the death of Summer so perfectly, and fits into when the book begins.
Circles and Squares – We Were Promised Jetpacks: Terry loves this band. He told me so. (I’m not crazy – I swear.)
Watching You Without Me – Kate Bush: Another song for Terry. It’s mentioned in the book. I like how disconnected and lost it sounds.
Turning into Stone – Phantogram: This song has a great atmosphere.
The Killing Moon – Echo and the Bunnymen: I love the Bunnymen, and this song definitely helped inspire some parts of the book. It’s so dramatic, and it paints such a clear image of death.
At Last – Neko Case: A beautiful song. I love the line, "I own every bell that tolls me." I think it’s about facing darkness with courage, and it fits into the end of the book really well.


Sorry – I went overboard on that question! I just couldn’t help myself.


Andrea @ Reading Lark:  Why did you choose to write paranormal YA?


Allison: I started writing paranormal YA because it was a genre I felt like I could relate to. Growing up, I always loved anything horror/paranormal related. I used to read non-fiction books about real hauntings, and I even wanted to be a paranormal investigator when I was a kid. I think writing in the YA paranormal genre was a natural step considering my interest in the supernatural.


It’s a genre that offers a lot of freedom for the writer to do what they want, and it also really challenges the writer to continually be creative and come up with new ideas. Plus, you have the opportunity to create a completely unique world and to become entrenched it in, which is kind of an amazing thing.


And, the bottom line is that YA paranormal is fun to write. And fun to read. It whisks us away to a different world, and hopefully, adds a little magic to our every day lives. I think everybody could use a little more magic – especially in this busy 9-5 stressed-out world we live in. There’s a freedom that comes with the genre that can be really addicting.

Andrea @ Reading Lark: What is your favorite bird?

Allison: A Mourning Dove. They’re kind of plain-looking, gray/brownish-colored birds that sometimes sit on my deck railing. Where I live, you start hearing the doves when the weather starts to warm up. I love hearing their soulful calls. I feel like there’s a sadness in their voices, yet a kind of hopefulness, too. Call me sappy ;)

Thanks so much for having me on Reading Lark!