It’s up to a trio of adorable rescue huskies to make two lonely hearts in a coastal Alaskan town realise that true love is worth too much to turn tail and run.
We chat with author Alanna Martin about her new release Paws and Prejudice, as well as writing, book recommendations, and more.
Hi, Alanna! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! I am a refugee from academia. I have a doctorate in psychology, and by day, I do evaluation research, primarily in education. When I’m not working, my favorite place to be is hiking in the mountains.
With half of 2021 now behind us, how’s the year been for you so far?
Busy! The first two books in my series released, I had to do edits on the third, and I work full time at the day job. Other than that, it’s not been too bad, considering everything going on in the world right now.
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
First book I remember reading – can we go with “reading?” I had this beautifully illustrated copy of T’was the Night Before Christmas that I loved, and I basically memorized the entire thing when I three years old. But I thought I was reading it.
Made me want to become an author – hard call. Maybe Pride and Prejudice? It’s the first book I remember reading in school that made me think about books differently. I never thought “writer” was something a person could actually just do until then.
One I can’t stop thinking about – just one? Most recently At Summer’s End by Courtney Ellis. It’s an historical with a romance subplot, and it was so transportive that I’d forget I wasn’t actually on a post -WWI English estate while reading it. My head sometimes still drifts back to being (not) there.
When did you first discover your love for writing?
My junior year of high school. That was the first time I had an English teacher (Hi, Mr. Baker!) encourage my writing and encourage writing, in general, to get creative. I probably would never have written my first short story if it wasn’t for him.
Your latest novel, Paws and Prejudice, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Can I cheat and use five phrases?
- Enemies to lovers
- Grumpy heroine
- Hero with a fear of dogs
- Alaskan brewery
- Three huskies
What can readers expect?
Lots of snark! As I said, it’s an enemies to lovers story between a heroine who prefers dogs to people, and a new guy in town (with a fear of dogs) who’s trying to get a brewery going. There’s a family feud in the background that makes everything challenging, and a bit of steam too. Don’t let the cute cover fool you!
Where did the inspiration for Paws and Prejudice come from?
Paws and Prejudice really developed around the story’s heroine, Kelsey. Kelsey is a supporting character in the first book in the series, Heart on a Leash, and she came across so strongly in my head and on the page. From there, it was a matter of trying to think of a good foil for her, someone who wouldn’t be phased by her sharp tongue and who represented the opposite of everything she holds dear.
Can you tell us about any challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?
Surprisingly, Paws and Prejudice didn’t provide a lot of challenges! Some books are super difficult, but maybe because my characters had such strong personalities, that wasn’t the case with this one. There was the usual challenge of – how do I keep two people who dislike each other together long enough to make them kiss? – but figuring that out is part of the fun.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Kelsey was always really fun to write, just because I find it’s always fun when a character has such strong opinions about everything. Also enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, so all those initial scenes when I got to bring her and Ian together and develop that hate you/want you dynamic was a blast.
What’s the best and the worst writing advice you have received?
Best – read widely in the genre you want to write. The better you know it, the better you’ll do it.
Worst – anything that’s a list of Do Nots, such as do not use adverbs or do not write prologues. This advice gets pushed on people without nuance, and it can be stifling.
What’s next for you?
The third book in my series, Love and Let Bark, comes out in November. It’s a second chance romance with a firefighter hero, getting snowed in at a cozy cabin, and two husky puppies.
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
The only hard part is narrowing down my list! I already mentioned At Summer’s End, so keeping this focused on romance… For contemporary, Lauren Accardo’s Wild Love is a swoony romance set in the Adirondacks between a city girl and a gruff mountain man. Or if you prefer historical romance, Elizabeth Everett’s A Lady’s Formula for Love is a Victorian-set romance with secret lady scientists, and India Holton’s The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels is a hilarious historical fantasy romance with pirates and flying houses.
You can find Alanna on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, along with at her website.
