We were lucky to catch up with Allison Paige recently and have shared our conversation below.

Allison , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

From a young age, I had a passion for storytelling. It started with taking photos and then quickly transferred into writing. I was obsessed with the idea of another world full of magic, dragons, and infinite possibilities. I had nightmares and dreams about even wilder places that both terrified and captured me. I would wake up in the middle of the night and write as quickly as I could in hopes I’d never forget what I saw.

I was very shy and had few friends. I was often picked on for my quietness and being a “nerd”. People pegged me as strange, so I kept to myself. Family and personal matters made things more difficult the older I got. Writing, and reading, about fantasy worlds was a way for me to disappear for a little bit.

My parents weren’t thrilled with the idea of me writing full time, so to appease them I withdrew from my English and Journalism majors in college and switched to Business. Despite being told not to pursue writing, I continued to keep my notebooks full of ideas. It wasn’t enough. I became so unbearably unhappy with my switch in classes that I withdrew from college entirely and went to work full time. I felt I was wasting time switching back and forth, all the while not moving forward. I also had this constant voice in my ear telling me writing was a dead end. That it would never make me money and it would never keep me happy.

Try as I might to forget, I could not get these stories out of my head. My dreams and nightmares become more insistent, often terrifying and urgent. I picked up photography as a way to release my creative flow and actually became successful in creative portraits. I loved it, and enjoy shooting from time to time to this day, but something was still missing.

I still had notebooks stacked with stories and sketchbooks full of dragons. After being coerced by one of my friends, I decided to share my writing to see what sort of quality it was. I thought my stories were unique, but were they really? And would anyone like my ideas?

In 2018, I posted my first manuscript online. The feedback was so overwhelming that I remember sitting in front of the computer, gaping. People loved it! It was the motivation I needed. Finally, I had validation for this burning desire that had been eating away at me my whole life. I knew then nothing was ever going to keep me from writing and I would do whatever I had to get my work in front of readers.

A year and much editing later, I published my first book, After the Bees.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Born and raised on the outskirts of Charleston, SC I always had a desire for story telling. I love writing because I can create anything and make it unique. I know, that is so cliché! Every writer, and creative, feels their work is unique. But let’s be honest, a lot of times we have either seen or produced the same work before. Familiar work. I pride myself that my stories bring something new to the dark fantasy genre and the world of books in general.

I write the darker side of what it takes to make a hero. In most fiction stories we see a boy finds out he has super powers, a girl is stolen by a beast to find out later he is a prince, or someone from nothing gets a happily ever after. But what about everyone else? What about the people that are forgotten? Those that are dealt a bad hand? Bad things happen to good people every day. I write about those that never got a story, but deserve one as much as the chosen ones.

Readers have often told me they can see everything play by play as if it is a movie running through their head. That’s a massive compliment. It’s exciting that readers can see everything I envision in my head so easily. It is a joy to keep them on their toes and know they’re flipping those pages as quickly as they can because they’re hungry for more.

I take a lot of pride that I was able to overcome my fears and share my work with the world. It took a while, but I am proof that it is never too late to chase your dreams and desires. The happiness I feel now because of what I do, is worth it.

Is there a mission driving your creative journey?

I want to see my books turned into a TV show or a video game. Those are pretty big goals, I know! But the world I’ve developed is massive; the characters are complex and realistic, and the story is unique. Due to its subject matter, a producer could make spin-offs for decades. And for all of its dark and gritty nature, it would make a really fun video game.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

I hate to say it, but TikTok. I am very much an introvert and the idea of being presented to people and having to make cringey videos makes me uncomfortable. That aside, I have made more connections with readers and made more sales on that platform than any other outlet. I have readers all over the country, and as far as Africa and Australia. Word of mouth has been my second best source. I have wonderful friends and readers that talk about my work more than I probably do. I am very thankful for them and their enthusiasm.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.authorallisonpaige.com
• Instagram: shewriteswithknives
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorAllisonPaige
• Twitter: MizAllisonPaige
• Other: TikTok: shewriteswithknives

Image Credits
Shot by Kelvin Aiken of Kelvin Captures