If you haven’t met Alaina (or read debut) yet, then you really need to fix that! I don’t think she knows it yet, we’re great friends now and she’s stuck with me till she gets tired of me. Alaina is known for her fun memes and I am constantly in awe of how she finds the perfect ones for every mood and even ones for her own book! Speaking of her debut…like a lot of us first time authors, Alaina dreamt up her book and put it all together into a story that I absolutely enjoyed.
Even though Alaina wrote her first story in the 3rd grade, she took a little more time to write a full-length novel and published it in April. Having read Relative Fiction, I can assure you that it’s an amazing debut and one that I need more people to pick up as soon as they can. But more than this, Alaina has also dabbled in adult fantasy and can we all please encourage her to finish those stories and publish them.
Alaina’s debut, Relative Fiction is out now and available in Kindle Unlimited. So please do yourself a favor and read this awesome book. And while you're at it, make sure you preorder Happy Accidents, the second in her debut series!
1. BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve loved books for a long time. I can’t even remember what inspired me to first write–I wrote my first short story in third grade–but I decided to pursue publication after reading so many amazing romance books in the last couple of years. One of which is Strictly Professional by Kathryn Nolan.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
This is a trick question because the answer is the same for both: being my own boss! I love having complete control of all of the decisions for my books, but the long to-do lists can be really daunting some days.
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
I only have one tip, really, and that is to write the damn book! So often that first hurdle is the hardest part. But if there are no words on the page, no tips or bits of advice can help ya!
2. ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
As I said above, I’ve read some amazing romance books over the last couple of years. I’m endlessly inspired by the way romance authors blend tried-and-true tropes to make something new! And when my own idea for a romance novel showed up (literally in a dream!), I ran with it.
If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?
I’ve written/sometimes dabble in young adult fantasy/speculative and maybe one day I’ll publish in that arena.
If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?
I love the way sex can be a vehicle for deeper emotions, and that’s primarily why I write them, but also because I love reading sex scenes. They are just fun! I like to let my characters lead the way in those scenes to inspire what happens in their intimate moments.
3. YOUR BOOKS
Can you briefly tell me about your books?
Relative Fiction, my debut novel, is an ex-best-friends to writing partners to lovers and is set in Starling Hills, a fictional small town in Michigan. All of my planned books are set in Starling Hills and revolve around the Callaghan siblings and their friend group.
Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?
I have a big soft spot for Julia Ward, the female main character in my debut novel!
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
There are a couple of themes that come up consistently in my writing. One major one is processing grief, so far surrounding the passing of a loved one, but in future planned books, there will deal with the aftermath of different kinds of painful experiences. I like to write stories where the main characters are reckoning with what life's all about. In the romance genre, the answer to that question is love. But I hope that my books can showcase that romantic love is not the only way to find happiness and meaning in life. I realize this sounds a bit bleak, but I’m starting to understand it’s all just a part of my brand haha!
4. AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks—I’ve become more and more of an ebook reader as time has gone on! And I loooove my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Single or Dual POV—I write dual POV because I love to show how both lovers are silly, lovesick idiots.
Standalones, series or standalones in a series—interconnected standalones that slowly introduce the reader to every person in the gang!
Plotter, pantser or plantser—I usually have most of the first act, the midpoint, and the third act conflict figured out before I start writing. But, as much as I’ve tried to fully outline, it just doesn’t work for me!
Follow Alaina on Instagram for all her bookish updates and awesome memes. And sign up for her newsletter while you’re at it!