Doreen McGettigan

Articles

Meet Allison Wells

I met Allison through the Facebook group Moms Who Write. She’s fabulous, I hope you think so too!

About the Author

Allison Wells is a wife, mother, and sweet tea addict. She writes in two genres – Christian Women’s Fiction and Sweet Romance. “Gritty Christian fiction,” is what she calls books that show the hard truths of life but ultimately are stories of redemption in the end. Her sweet romances are clean and fun with a dose of laughter (the best medicine). She loves to bring words of hope to readers worldwide. Her motto is, “Life is short, eat the Oreos.”

Interview Questions

What was it like to hold your first and your latest published book in your hands? Where was the first place you put them and photographed them once you could put them down?

Holding my first book was surreal. I had written it something like 14 years prior to it being published, so it was a crazy feeling! My last book is in e-format only right now, so I haven’t held it at all! I think I photographed my first one in my hands with my mouth wide open! Ha!

If you could only choose one of your characters to have dinner with, who would you choose and why?

Bell from Bell of the Night. She’s my favorite character, a young woman who had been sold into prostitution as a child. Someone who thought she had given up all hope, but in reality, she still held onto a sliver of it, and it grew.

Which character would you scold for giving you a hard time?

Birdy from a book that hasn’t been published yet because I can’t figure out the end of her story!

From idea to finished manuscript, how long does it take you to write a book?

Anywhere from 2 months to 14 years apparently. If I was better disciplined, I could write a book every two to three months.

Do you have a ritual, something you do before you sit down to write? Your favorite space to write?

I really need no interruptions when I write. My amazing husband built me a Paperback Palace (she-shed) in our yard, so I have a quiet sanctuary in which to work.

If you could be a member of any fantasy race, which would you choose? What would be your superpower and your weapon of choice?

A centaur would be cool. Easier to get around, and faster. I’d be my own transportation. I think my superpower would be telekinesis and my weapon would be my words.

Where did you grow up? Did you grow up in a reading or writing family?

I grew up in rural Maryland as an only child, so books were my constant friend. My family isn’t big into reading or writing, but we are very artistic.

What is your guilty TV pleasure?

Okay, hear me out, I love to watch this sheep farmer on YouTube named Sandi Brock. Her channel is Sheepishly Me and I *adore* watching the baby lambs running around. She’s my hero!

What is your favorite neighborhood takeout and what are you ordering?

Japanese food – hibachi steak with broccoli and carrots.

What are you writing now?

The answers to these questions! I have two works in progress right now – a sweet rom-com novella that’s part of a multi-author project and a fun retro romance that features a genie!

What advice would you give yourself if you could go back to when you first sat down to write your latest book and what advice would you give to yet-unpublished writers who are writing their first book?

Trust the process. Hire a good editor. It’s okay to take a break as long as it’s not too long. And you can always go back and change things up until it’s published.