Friendy Friday with Allegra Johnson

Greetings and Happy Friday! There's a lot to celebrate today. Today Typhoon Toby is ON SALE for 99 pennies! I'm cruising along on my NaNoWriMo project (Summer of Hush Book Two) And twenty days from today I'll be chillin' with Turkey and Birthday Cake! It's a great day to be alive. And it's also a great day to meet a new author.

Allegra Johnson and I met through the OSRBC...Old School Romance Book Club, which if you haven't checked out this amazing Facebook group, you totally should. Author Sarah MacLean created the group for romance lovers and my partner in crime Eva Moore is an admin. Well they have a little offshoot group that is for writers and I've met some of the best folks there! Allegra is one and she's a riot, a total life of the party and a damned good cheerleader, always encouraging others to get in trouble, I mean reach for their goals! Today she's giving good interview so get to know Allegra!

1. Clue us in to your "era" by sharing a few of your favorite songs.

Home Sweet Home, Motley Crue. She Aint Right, Lee Bryce. Crazy Train, Ozzy. Fat Bottom Girls, Queen. Round Here, Florida Georgia Line.

Excellent choices!

2. What’s one thing every reader should know about you?

I'm kinda clueless when it comes to this author thing. But, I'm learning...

You're awesome!

3. Which of these describes your writing process: charts, calendars and colorful post-its hung on the wall of a brightly lit tidy office space? Or a desk piled high with notes written on napkins and receipts, notebooks half-filled with scribbles and partial outlines you never finished because you're a pantser? Explain and attach memes or pics if they apply.

The desk piled high with notes... I have moved on from pantster to plantster since I now work with an outline that is complete-ish before I start the first draft doc.

4. Describe your most awkward author moment ever. Then describe your most rewarding experience as an author.

Awkward? There are so many.. Maybe recently when I was working at my son's house while our bathtub was being refinished. Anyway, son works from home so he's there working I'm there writing and he says "how's it going". I replied with "well, I just finished a 500 word blow-job scene". I'm pretty sure he wasn't expecting that answer. Most rewarding? I attended my very first book event thingy ever in August! (like ever, not even as a reader) At the event (Love & Devotion) I was an attending author and signed books for people that actually read my book! And if that wasn't enough, I met one of my favorite hist-rom authors and fangirled all over her!

I'm so excited for you and your son will heal.

5. What is the best reader response you’ve ever received?

I had a five-star review that included the words "I love that they could be real people" to me, which meant I connected with at least that one reader and made my characters feel real to them. And that's all I want, is for my readers to enjoy my stories and connect with my characters.

We're all reaching for that goal. Right on!

6. What is the most fascinating/creepy/disgusting thing you’ve discovered because of writing?

Hmm... Well, there's this pub/tavern in London, The Goat(something I forget) that was the place where the "Acid Bath Killer's" first victim was found. That was back in the 1800's, I needed a pub for MacKenzie & Ella to have supper at in Something Different, The Goat place worked.

I'm all for goats.

7. Name a book that inspired you, one you disliked that everyone loves, and one that made you cry. Or, if you never shed tears, made you uncomfortable in some way.

Inspired me: The Queen's Fool, Hannah goes through so much and still maintains her loving caring nature. Dislike: This will probably get me stoned, drawn, and quartered, but, Pride & Prejudice. I can not read that book. I've tried so many times and just can't. Tears: The Honor Price by Erin Yorke, I cried through the second half of that book so hard.

8. Music or silence when you write? if music, what's on your current playlist?

I can go either way, really. My current playlist is mostly country music, a bit of southern rock, and some classic rock.

9. Did a teacher in school ever encourage or discourage your desire to write? Care to share?

My high school English teacher, Mrs. Lynne, she said I have a "gift for storytelling" she was also the teacher to figure out that I have dyslexia and helped me with that throughout high school.

That's awesome. I'm so glad.

10. What's your favorite genre to write? And...what's a genre you haven't written but would LOVE to write?

Romance is my favorite to write simply because I love a good love story. I'm itching to write a historical romance and I'm working on making that happen.

Get on it!

11. Best and worst jobs you've ever had other than writing.

Best job: Supervisor for a marketing research company. We basically got opinions about new products, improved products, new movie releases... It was an interesting job even if it was the most stressful I really enjoyed it. Worst job: Assembling the timers for the streetlights. It was a manufacturing line, the quotas were insane, and most of my co-workers were jerks.

Well, we're all happy you're doing the authory gig now! Thanks for being here today!

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF SOMETHING REAL: Comment on this post your worst job ever! Can't wait to hear some of the horror stories! I'll choose a winner next week.

About Something Real:

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XYDP1YN

Never say never.

For Taylyn, life has been a series of disappointments and heartache. Every relationship she's had has ended in tears . . . and the occasional restraining order. Swearing to never get into another relationship, Taylyn is prepared to live the single life. So why is she drawn to the hometown hero who already hurt her once?

Wishful thinking.

Declan was destined for the NFL until a dirty hit took him out of the game for good. Before leaving for college, Declan shared one amazing kiss with the girl he always wanted but could never have. Now he's back in Silverton rebuilding his life without football, and she's single. This time he's going to get the girl. He just needs to convince her he's not like all the others.

Can Taylyn allow herself to believe in love again? Can Declan prove he's the one made to love her? Will they find a love that is Something Real?

**Something Real, Silverton Series 1, contains subject matter that may be uncomfortable for some readers. Those subjects include mental illness, suicide, alcoholism through self-medication, sexual assault, and emotional abuse. **

About Allegra Johnson:

After a lifetime of sharing headspace with an ever-growing cast of characters, Allegra threw caution to the wind and wrote a story. Since that day she’s been living her crazy author life writing love stories and happy endings. Originally from Massachusetts, Allegra now resides in Southern California. When Allegra is not busy at work in her writing cave she enjoys spending time with her family, connecting with her readers, procrastinating, and napping. You can usually find Allegra fluttering around Romancelandia trying to stay out of trouble while figuring out this author thing, one book at a time.