I am thrilled to have interviewed author Allison A, who shared with us details of her writing life, her book ‘The Noise‘, which was released on 2nd November 2023, and answered a few fun questions. This post contains affiliate links.

Allison A grew up in rural Jackson, New Jersey, in a house she and her family believed to be haunted. After seeing her first full-bodied apparition at the age of ten, she realized monsters are in fact very real and worth writing about. She received her undergraduate degree in English, and her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. The Noise is Allison A’s first book.

My dad passed shortly after I turned 18. He was just 47. He and I have always been close, and his passing was the most traumatic experience of my life. In fact, chapter 18 of The Noise, where Angela describes the day her dad passed, is my own story. Similarly, Angela’s feelings concerning how others handled her father’s passing mirror my own.

Like Angela, I struggled with how easy it seemed for others to move on and stop talking about my dad. I witnessed his memory fading more and more each day, and I decided I wouldn’t let that happen. So, I set out to write a book wherein he is a main character. My original goal was simply for others to know him. Over time, though, the story evolved, and I discovered there is a message I am supposed to share with the world, which is not only to remember, but to hold on, to our loved ones. If you’ve read the book, then you know what I mean.

I always begin with an idea, a main message I want to convey. From there, I map out very basic plot points—who is the main character? What do they want? What stands in their way? What are the stakes? Then I progress to a roughly five-page synopsis. The synopsis isn’t very detailed, but it gives me the gist of the story, such as the twists and the ending. Then, I move on to an in-depth chapter-by-chapter outline, which usually ends up being over one hundred pages. This isn’t for everyone, but I find it works for me because it allows me to get a bird’s-eye view of pacing and consistency.

When I finally sit down to write the actual manuscript, I’m simply embellishing the outlined chapters, which makes the process so much easier, and actually quite fun. Again, this isn’t for everyone, but years upon years of writing my way out of box has taught me a trick or two.

The original title was White Roses for the Living. I liked it, but it wasn’t “the one.” The Noise came to me out of nowhere one day as I was writing, and I changed the title right there on the spot. It just felt right. After all, the noise is what it’s all about, literally and figuratively.

I love this question! Angela originated from two places, actually. I never got to meet my grandmother, Angelina, but her memory lives on in my family so strongly that she’s always felt alive to me, and I look up to her. She and I are alike in so many ways, including her desire to become a writer, and so the name Angela seemed like the right way to honor her, to carry on her legacy. Angela is also the title of a song by The Lumineers, a song which Tom, my partner, has told me reminds him of me. Tom has always made me feel seen, but that song spoke to me so deeply, and I guess it stuck.

As for Jack—that was one of the names Tom’s parents were going to choose, before they landed on Thomas, and since Jack’s character is inspired by him, I wanted the name to be inspired by him also. I gave my dad’s character the name Joseph because that is my dad’s middle name, plain and simple. And last, but certainly not least, I worked with a man named Charlie, years ago. He was elderly, and so very sweet. He volunteered at the hospital simply because he enjoyed being there and interacting with patients and brightening their days. I thought he should be remembered for that.

There wasn’t much research that needed to be done for The Noise. I wrote Angela’s disability from my own experience, so I was already all too familiar with the disease, the medications, and the potential complications. The same is true for Angela’s sleep paralysis episodes. Unfortunately, no research needed to be done on that subject either. In fact, many of her episodes are based off of my own experiences.

Oh boy…I would say I didn’t choose this genre, but rather (cliché coming) it chose me. I’ve been interested in horror and the paranormal since I was young. The second book I ever read was a paranormal ghost story, and when I couldn’t bring myself to part with what it introduced me to, I (regrettably but not so regrettably) stole it from my middle school library.

My first crush was The Little Vampire, my second crush was (not joking) the Michael Myers mask, and I cleaned my local library out of Goosebumps books on a weekly basis. Horror is just something that has always been a part of my DNA, and becoming a horror writer has always seemed inevitable.

Less than one year. The first book I ever wrote is one that still has not seen the light of day, and that one took me eleven years to complete simply because I didn’t understand how to plot a story (that whole writing my way out of a box thing). When it came to The Noise, I took all the lessons I’d learned from my first book to heart, and that’s where I came up with my system of outlines. I credit that system for my being able to finish The Noise so quickly.

Grief. Love. Memory.

My first instinct was to say writing is the hardest part of being a writer, because, at least for me, I don’t always want to do it, but I always feel compelled to do it, and that juxtaposition can feel like torture at times. It’s like having to eat when you’re on the verge of throwing up. It can be painful. But, truth be told, that isn’t the hardest part.

The hardest part is that a writer’s brain is always working. With most other jobs, you get to take time off. You don’t get that as a writer. You’re always watching the world around you and analyzing it, wondering what everything means, or what you can make it mean. It’s beautiful, and exhausting.

If you’ve ever “lost” someone, you should read The Noise. Too often, we’re told how to feel about a loved one passing, where they are, and what they would want for us, but I don’t think that advice comes from a helpful place. I think it comes from a selfish place, and a place of fear. That advice doesn’t help the person who is grieving, and it certainly doesn’t help the person who lost their life. The Noise presents a new way of remembering our loved ones, of carrying on, and carrying them with us, rather than moving on. In the least, it’ll give you a good scare.

I wouldn’t say I have a writing buddy, but one of my animals always seems to be nearby. My two dogs, Buddy and Ginger, passed six and seven years ago. They would always sit beside me when I wrote, and I like to think they still are. We rescued a mischievous little cat last year, who we named Billy, and he definitely keeps a watchful eye on me.

I used to do my best writing in the early morning hours, between 5 and 6, when the house was completely silent, as I sipped from a big mug of tea. Since I was diagnosed with MS, however, I have a hard time waking up that early. Now, I find it easiest to write whenever I have free time and energy. Also, whenever it’s quiet. I definitely need quiet. If someone approaches me while I’m writing, it’s likely I’ll bite.

Always at my desk.

In The Noise, Angela has a favorite mug, that is actually my favorite mug. I would love to be in the background of some scene, sipping from it, wondering if anyone will notice.

“Are you okay?”

A big thank you to Allison A for sharing her writing life with us and for a wonderful interview.