1) Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
Writing is probably the only thing I’ve done my whole life. The first story I ever wrote (according to my parents) was when I was four and it was a horror story about the monster in the closet. And while I don’t think that original story will ever see the light of day, I haven’t stopped writing since then.
2) What inspired you to write your book?
My novel The New Empire is an alternate history, and it asks the question: What if the Chinese Empire sent ships to the Americas much earlier than the Europeans – how would it have reshaped the world? My inspiration actually came from an article I read many years ago that said there was some archeological evidence that this might have happened, and that Chinese ships, which were the most technologically advanced at the time, could have landed on the West Coast of South America. It sparked my imagination, and the story took off from there.
3) What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I feel that most books, no matter the genre, do have some commentary that is relevant to modern readers. So, while my book is set in the past, there are a lot of themes that are important to what’s happening in the world today. There’s the struggle between the haves and the have-nots, the many injustices of the power system, and the duality most of us feel in today’s global world. My main character happens to be trapped in between a number of worlds, and I think that’s something a lot of people today can identify with.
4) What drew you into this particular genre?
I’m a history buff – I studied African history and classical literature in university, but long before that, you could have found me in the depths of a library as a child with my nose in a book. What’s come before now is fascinating to me—how our present has been built, layer by layer, upon the events of the past. There’s the old adage, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Well, I feel that we will always be doomed in such a way when there are people in power who don’t take their lessons from human history. Since I’m not a politician, all I can do is open up the door to the past (and the imagined past) with my words.
5) If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
I think I would sit down with Onas, the slaveowner who’s at the center of so much that happens in my novel. But I don’t know if I would ask him any questions. I would wait and let him to reveal his wisdom to me, and he would probably do so through the stories and legends of the past from the Amah Mutsun and Onödowáʼga peoples.
6) What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’m on several social media platforms, but I have to say two of the most helpful have been Medium.com and Vocal.media. Both are blogging platforms where you can share your writing and interact directly with readers, and I enjoy getting that personalized feedback and talking to others who love to read.
7) What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
There’s so much advice out there, and some of it’s very specific and some of it’s very general. But the problem as a new writer is getting bogged down in advice and not actually doing any writing! So, what I like to say is: ignore all the advice. Just sit down and write the story you want to tell. After you write “The End” is when you should open up all the advice books and start editing and looking for a publisher or agent. The most important thing is getting the words on the page.
8) What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
Last year, I just finished a project called “Author Versus AI.” Essentially, I was setting out to write a book a week for a year, using NO AI at all – just to show a human author can write almost as fast as a computer, but hopefully much better. I didn’t quite reach my goal of 52 books, but ended up with 34. However, as you probably know, a first draft is not a final draft. Right now, I’m going through all the books and editing them, which will probably keep me occupied for the next year or more!
About the Author
Alison McBain’s novels are the recipients of over 13 awards, including the Foreword INDIES. Her latest novella Dual was longlisted for the 3-Day Novel Contest. When not writing for herself, she’s a ghostwriter who has penned over two dozen books for clients, as well as an award-winning editor who has worked with both celebrity and NY Times-bestselling authors. She’s currently pursuing a project called “Author Versus AI,” where she’s writing a book a week over the course of a year, using NO AI at all (52 books total). When not writing, Ms. McBain is associate editor for the magazine ScribesMICRO and draws all over the walls of her house with the enthusiastic help of her kids. She lives in Alberta, Canada.
