Author interview and book giveaway: Alison Pace

Today we've got the lovely and talented Alison Pace here to answer some of our deepest darkest questions. Now you all know that I absolutely loved her latest, CITY DOG, and now, Alison is being kind enough to give a copy away to one lucky reader! To enter, just leave a comment below!

And now, on to the grilling!



Tell us about your most recent novel in 25 words or less.

City Dog is the story of Amy, an author in New York City who writes children's picture books about her dog. When her dog becomes much more famous than she is and one of her fictional characters begins to take on a life of his own, Amy's world takes a turn toward the surreal.

And I think that was more than twenty-five words.


When did you first begin writing?

I've always been writing. The first big project I remember was second grade, a short-story about how God created the world with a rubber band and bathtub faucet. Some weighty stuff.


Where do you find inspiration for your work?

Luckily for me, I find inspiration everywhere: my dog, Central Park, New York City, music (definitely music) conversations I have with friends, people who annoy me...for starters.


What are you working on right now?

I'm working on a collection of essays about life in New York with and without dogs. The tentative title is Write Your Own Happy Ending, but I'm not sure that's going to stick, even though I'm quite fond of it.


What are you reading right now?

I'm back and forth between Laurie Colwyn's Happy All the Time and David Ebershoff's The 19th Wife.


How do you fight writer’s block?

Writing is my job. I sit down and write. Granted, some days are going to be much, much better than others, but I still try my absolute best to stay the course.

If your book were to become a movie, who would you cast?

For City Dog, I'd cast Carlie as herself, obvs. For Amy, I think someone quirky, but cool, who could work with a little bit of darkness. Zooey Deschanel would be perfect. And Jason Bateman as Robert Maguire, no question.

[Editor’s note: Jason Bateman! Yum!]


What is your favorite part of writing? Least favorite?

My favorite part of writing is when I'm reading something over that I'm just thrilled to have written. It doesn't happen very frequently, but when it does, it's fantastic.

I think my least favorite, even though it shouldn't be, is when anonymous people write these downright awful reviews of my work on Amazon, etc. I know it shouldn't but those reviews completely ruin my day when I come across them. To that end, I'm a fan of positive reader reviews all the same.


What tips would you offer to aspiring writers?

Stick with it, stay the course. Believe in yourself.


Thanks so much to Alison for stopping by today! Want to win a free signed copy of Alison's book? Just leave a comment below and you're entered! Want extra entries? That can be arranged.... Blog about it for another entry. Become of follower of this blog for another entry, too.

The winner will be announced on March 31st.