Author Interview with Alison Bliss

Boy, do I have a treat for you today!! I started reading Alison Bliss books right before her first book hit the shelves and I've been a massive fan ever since. She has a way with characters that I've not experienced with other authors. Honestly, that is saying a lot because I've read I don't even know how many books at this point ... hundreds upon hundreds. Her characters just take hold of you and won't let go - they're hilarious and sweet and completely realistic. It also doesn't hurt that the leading men are ruggedly handsome and everything your dream guy wants to be. 

I was lucky enough to stumble upon Alison's release week blitz and I just couldn't miss an opportunity to ask her a few questions. It was difficult narrowing down what I thought inquiring minds would want to know and I ended up with a weirdly awesome combo of questions that Alison was gracious enough to answer.

Make sure you grab Size Matters and the books in the Tangled in Texas series (it's amazing, btw) then grab a cup of cocoa and sit down in your favorite reading spot because you're not going to want to put any of those books down any time soon!

QUESTION ONE

Little Miss Bookmark: What inspired you to write Size Matters?

Alison Bliss: There were so many things that inspired the idea for this book, but two stand out above the rest. Not only did I love the idea of writing about a heroine with body issues—one who I feel many women can relate to—but I also wanted to show that women aren’t the only ones who worry about their “size.”

QUESTION TWO

Little Miss Bookmark: You’ve got some steamy scenes in your books and your new book, Size Matters, is no exception … how do you feel about the people you know reading those naughty scenes?

Alison Bliss: I think it’s great! I wrote the words for people to read so it doesn’t matter to me whether the person reading it knows me or not. My mom and dad always read my work, including the sexy stuff, and if that doesn’t embarrass me, then I figure nothing ever will. But ask me this question again when my sons are old enough to read adult romance. My opinion might change by then.

QUESTION THREE

Little Miss Bookmark: If Size Matters could have a theme song, what would it be?

Alison Bliss: Jana Kramer’s “Love” would be a perfect theme song for Size Matters. The lyrics talk about all the things a person might believe in, all of which has to do with love.

QUESTION FOUR

Little Miss Bookmark: As a reader, I can become very attached or connected to characters, does the same happen to you as you're creating them?

Alison Bliss: It’s so hard to say goodbye to characters that we all love so much, no matter which side of the book you’re on. My characters live and breathe inside of me. I’ve been in their heads. I’ve been in their hearts. They belong to me in a way that they will never belong to anyone else. I know things about them that no one else knows. And to say goodbye to them breaks my heart each time. It’s like saying goodbye to an old friend. Luckily, there are always new characters around the corner waiting to console me.

QUESTION FIVE

Little Miss Bookmark: I saved the most important question for last: what would your perfect day of writing consist of? Get down to the nitty-gritty … are we talking bunny slippers, hot chocolate and some 80’s hair band music blaring in the background?

Alison Bliss: I wish I was one of those authors who are able to write while listening to music, but unfortunately, it’s too much of a distraction for me. I always end up singing off-key and dancing wildly in my chair. So I spend most of my writing days holed up in a quiet room, still in my pajamas or something equally comfortable, while sipping on a glass of ice cold sweet tea. On occasion, I may have a glass of wine while I’m writing, but I’m a lightweight so that usually ends up creating some interesting reading material.

 As the youngest of five girls, Alison Bliss has never turned down a challenge...or been called by the right name. Her writing career may have started out as a dare by one of her sisters, but Alison hasn't put her pen down since.

She grew up on a small island off the Texas Gulf Coast, where most of her childhood vacations consisted of camping or hunting trips to the deer lease. Although she'll always be a Texan at heart, Alison currently resides in the Midwest with her Iowa farm-boy husband and their two sons. With so much testosterone in her home, it's no wonder she writes "girl books."

She's an animal lover, a closet video game enthusiast, and believes the best way to know if someone is your soul mate is by canoeing with them because if you both make it back alive, it's obviously meant to be. Alison's an avid romance reader who enjoys penning the type of books she loves to read most: fun, steamy love stories with heart, heat, laughter, and usually a cowboy or two. As she calls it, "Romance...with a sense of humor."