Get to Know Alison
I’ve been writing in my free moments for many, many years. My love for writing started at a young age. One of my first books was about a frightened mermaid and I even illustrated it with marker! Other books included, “I’m Gonna Get You, Mike,” a riveting story of revenge against my oldest brother, and “How the Giraffe Got Its Long Neck,” also illustrated with my medium of choice, marker.
In Fourth grade I won a district writing contest. It was a proud moment for me! The work was a non-fiction piece about my favorite president, Abraham Lincoln.
I’ve always had a passion for creating. Growing up, I played piano and flute, holding countless concerts right in the living room. I played through high school and still plunk around on my untuned piano from time to time.
Always an adventurer, I left my small town to attend college in Chicago at DePaul University. I hold a degree in Political Science and loved the excitement of city living. While in school, I studied abroad in Budapest and traveled all around Europe the following summer. I love exploring different cultures and meeting new people.
In adulthood I settled back in Wisconsin, to my small-town roots, surrounded by family and friends. As an Account Manager in the chemical industry, I live with my sons (one is in college now!), and an oversized cat named, Felix. I’m a member of SCBWI and The Wisconsin Writer’s Association. I’m committed to both my craft and community of fellow writers. When I’m not scribbling my next story, you'll find me wandering through bookstores and libraries. I also love great food, traveling, and exploring the outdoors with my fiancé.
Inspiration Behind Writing
What inspires your writing?
It’s hard to nail down the exact inspiration behind every manuscript, but there is a common thread. All of my stories start with a character in mind and an emotional pull. Most of my characters are based on real life family members, and boy do we have some good material to pull from! I look at what’s unique about that character and the emotions that come from that uniqueness.
Right now I’m rotating between five manuscripts. DOGBALL is based on my old dog Sassy, and the backyard baseball games my boys and I had with her. TEDDY’S FUR was started just before my oldest sibling came out as transgender. It’s a story about self-acceptance, where a bear feels uncomfortable in his own skin. I believe my subconscious brought me this story because of what was going on with my sibling. The subconscious is a powerful tool, and maybe I’ll write more about that another time. The other three works are also character based, and each is filled with heart.
I want my writing to have heart. I want the reader to connect with the characters and feel something. The story should be an emotional journey. By pulling from characters and emotions, I hope to create books people want to read and stories that stick with them.
