Allison Brook on Surviving as a Writer Over the Long Haul

LUCY BURDETTE: I love stories about persistence in publishing. Because most of us don't become overnight sensations. We slog in the trenches and have some happy moments along the way. So I wanted you Reds to meet Allison Brook aka Marilyn Levinson, who has a new book out from Crooked Lane Books called DEATH OVERDUE. Welcome Allison!

Like many of us, it seems that you've been on the roller coaster of publishing. First you sold a young adult book to Holt, and then you self published several mysteries, and now you have a brand-new series beginning under a new name with Crooked Lane Books. We'd love to hear about the journey!

ALLISON BROOK: I started writing many, many years ago when publishing was a very different kind of business. When my two sons were small, I began writing short stories. This was the time of the typewriter and snail mail. I’d taken a few writing courses, but didn’t have the immediate support and camaraderie new writers have by joining the Guppies chapter of Sisters in Crime. I took a course with an author named Roberta Gellis. Roberta became my mentor and dear friend. She helped me birth my first few novels. I acquired an agent and sold the third book I’d written –AND DON’T BRING JEREMY. This juvenile novel was a nominee for six state awards.

I thought this meant that I’d arrived and I’d have no trouble selling my books. Only this didn’t happen. I sold a few more novels for kids. RUFUS AND MAGIC RUN AMOK—about a boy that discovers he’s a witch that I wrote before Harry Potter came out—was a Children’s Choice. I decided to change genres and to try my hand at writing romantic suspense and mysteries. I began selling to small presses, many of which publish ebooks. I had both good and bad experiences, and found it necessary to self-publish a few of my books. Most recently, my new agent shopped around DEATH OVERDUE, the first in my new series, and Crooked Lane Books gave me a two-book deal.

LUCY: Your main character in this new cozy mystery series is a librarian. Have you worked as a librarian in a past life? If not tell us how you came up with her.

ALLISON: I’ve never been a librarian, but I spend a good deal of time in my library, attending programs and checking out books and movies. I’ve gotten to know many of the people who work in my library. I’m familiar with their specific job requirements, which was most helpful when I started writing DEATH OVERDUE, the first book in my Haunted Library mystery series.

 A few summers ago, I was attending a one-man drumming program in our library’s beautiful park. Lauren, our Head of Community Services, had introduced him. As I listened to the drummer, it occurred to me that having a sleuth in charge of programs and events would give her many opportunities to meet people in different walks of life. The library itself is like a small village within a village.

LUCY: How do you like working with a small press that features mysteries?

ALLISON: I love it! I have the best editor, someone I knew before, and absolutely love the cover of DEATH OVERDUE. More important, readers love it! Because of the wonderful exposure CLB has given my book, Blackstone has make an audio of the book; I’ve received a starred review and Pick of the Month from Library Journal; received a nice review from Publishers Weekly; have had my book with Net Galley, which led to many wonderful reviews on Goodreads, resulting in the book being #111 of the 200 most popular books published in October, 2017, and DEATH OVERDUE being a Mystery/Literary Guild book club selection. I could never have gotten this exposure on my own.

LUCY: Will you share some tips for writers who are hoping to get published in these times?

ALLISON: There are many, many books being published these days, and you want to make your book stand out as best you can. First of all, learn the elements that go into a good novel. This takes time. Join writing groups like Sisters in Crime. Take classes, either in person or online. Join a critique group that’s familiar with the type of book you write. You want to belong to a group that provides support and helpful criticism. Read in your genre. Keep on writing. Writing is a process. It can’t be rushed. Be aware of marketing, what is wanted in your genre, while nurturing your own style and voice. So much of this sounds contradictory, but this, too, is part of the process: to believe in yourself while keeping an open mind to those critiquing your work. 

If you were planning to write a cozy mystery series, which occupation would you select for your amateur sleuth? Any other questions for Allison?

A former Spanish teacher, Allison Brook aka Marilyn Levinson, writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for young readers. She loves traveling, reading, knitting, doing Sudoku, and visiting with her grandchildren, Olivia and Jack, on FaceTime. She lives on Long Island with Sammy, her feisty red cat. This is her first Haunted Library mystery. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and her website.

ABOUT DEATH OVERDUE: Carrie Singleton, forgoes her purple hair and Goth attire to become Head of Programs and Events at the Clover Ridge Library. She finds herself embroiled in solving a cold case and a new murder with the occasional help of the library’s sixty-something ghost amid family squabbles, romance and discovering her place in life.