We chat with author Alyssa Cole about One of Us Knows, which is a riveting thriller about the new caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer—and the ghosts of her past.
Hi, Alyssa! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I’m the author of around 20 novels and novellas of various genres: thrillers, historical romance, sci-fi romance, contemporary royal romance, fantasy romance. Next year, I’ll have a graphic novel out with illustrator ONeillJones. I’m a NYC/NJ native currently living in France with my husband and our pets.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
According to my mom, when I was around two years old I started demanding a crayon and notebook to write my “stories” down before bed (and no, I couldn’t read or write at the time). I think I was born loving stories, and very early on wanted to make my own, with characters that looked like my family, friends, and me.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: A book where a hippo ate a book instead of studying (possibly a Moomin book?)
- The one that made you want to become an author: I wanted to be an author before I could read lol.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh
Your latest novel, One of Us Knows, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Unique, twisty psychological thrill-ride.
What can readers expect?
Judging from what I’ve been hearing from readers, pretty much the only thing you should expect is to stay up past your bedtime trying to figure out what’s going on!
The book has multiple POVs; the main protagonist, Ken, is a member of a dissociative identity disorder system, called Bad Day System. It’s dual locked-room mystery, and while there’s a lot going on, one of the best compliments I had is that I made it seem effortlessly easy to read—it was definitely not easy to write!
Where did the inspiration for One of Us Knows come from?
So many different things inspired this book, one of which was seeing a castle out in the Hudson River years and years ago and thinking it would make a great setting for a book. It did! Kavanaugh island, where Ken and the Bad Day System have been hired as the winter caretaker, were inspired by Pollepell Island. There are also some paranormal elements drawn from other “Alyssa Childhood lore.” I also wanted to write a thriller with a dissociative identity disorder system that is the hero of their own story and not the surprise villain in someone else’s. I tried to use familiar tropes, but with twists specific to this story. I also wanted to address the cyclical natures of oppression and misogyny, and how so many of the horrible things we’re facing in the world are remnants of older evils that were never truly addressed, even as we’re told that they’re no longer an issue.
The main character is part of a dissociative identity disorder system. Can you tell us a bit about your approach in writing and crafting your character?
No matter how similar or different a character’s background is from my own, I do a ton of research and use it to inform and drill down to who the characters are and why their story is important to the reader. I tried my best to read, watch, listen, and otherwise absorb as many perspectives on DID as I could, and to let that inform the story that I wanted to write.
Like many writers, I’ve always been hyperobservant of people and their behaviors. I’m always thinking about the myriad ways in which people interact, for better and for worse, and try to find what kind of people and what kind of interactions best fit the story I want to tell. With this story, I had to do that multiple times over.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I definitely enjoyed writing the group dynamics that are inherent to a DID system in communication with one another. Figuring out how to present the characters’ personal inner dialogue as well as their inner conversations with their headmates in a clear way for the reader was a challenge, but these conversations were some of the most fun and interesting things to write!
What’s next for you?
I’m currently finishing the last book in my Runaway Royals contemporary romance series, as well as working on a couple of fun, cozy novellas!
Lastly, are there any book releases that you’re looking forward to picking up this year?
Just a couple off the top of my head: Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas and A Wolf Steps in Blood by Tamara Jerée, among many others!
