An interview with Alistair Cross, author of The Angel Alejandro.
Hi! Welcome to Zigzag Timeline. Can you tell us about your background as an author?
I started writing stories when I was about eight years old. I got serious about writing novels in my twenties, and began submitting manuscripts in my thirties. At 34, I first got published, and when I was 35, I met my long time literary hero, Tamara Thorne, with whom I began collaborating. In 2014, we also began Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, a weekly radio talk show dedicated to horror where we interview authors, crime buffs, paranormal investigators, forensics experts, and anyone else with experience in the field.
What got you into writing?
An early love of books. I realized at a young age that books were more inspiring and meaningful than television to my imagination because they allowed me to not only engage but to become part of the story. It was because of this that I wanted to write my own stories.
What was the first idea you had for your book, and how did the story grow from there?
The basic idea for The Angel Alejandro was based in my own curiosity about angels, demons, amnesia, and questions I have about life and death and good and evil. The character and storyline of Gremory Jones, aka, “the Dream Reaper,” came later, and was inspired by a mysterious man I saw in passing, walking down the street near my home.
Among your characters, who's your favorite? Could you please describe him/her?
Gremory Jones! He’s a door-to-door salesman of an unusual caliber. He wears a suit, top hat, dark sunglasses and shoes, his hair is slicked back into a low ponytail, and he continually smokes imported cigarettes from an ebony cigarette holder. Everything about him, from his hat to the black briefcase he carries, is more than it seems. About halfway through this book I became so intrigued by him that I decided he needed another book so I could learn more about him. I’m working on that book now.
What's your favorite scene from your novel? Could you please describe it?
The scene I had the most fun with was when pet store owner, Bart Aberdeen, and town matriarch, Rosemary Hess, go head to head on Rosemary’s porch. Both have recently done business with Gremory Jones and this scene shows the corrosive effects of that unholy exchange.
What's your favorite part of writing? Plotting? Describing scenes? Dialogue?
I probably enjoy dialogue more than anything else.
How long does it take you to write a book? Do you have a writing process, or do you wing it?
Four to seven months to write, three to four months to edit. I do a basic outline, which serves as a kind of roadmap that takes me to the destination but also allows me to take side roads along the way.
What is it about the genre you chose that appeals to you?
While the Angel Alejandro fits more into the urban fantasy genre, I am a horror writer at heart, and Alejandro has strong elements of that genre. What I love about horror (I’m not talking about slasher, gore, or torture porn) is that it allows you to address questions of morality better than any other genre. You just can’t dig into theories about life and death, God and religion, and good and evil in many other genres like you can in horror.
Are there any books or writers that have had particular influence on you?
My collaborator, Tamara Thorne, whose book I discovered many years before I’d even become serious about writing. She was - and still is - as awesome as I dreamed she’d be, and meeting her (and being able to write with her!) is a dream come true.
Did you ever surprise yourself when you were writing your book? Characters who took on lives of their own? Plot elements that took unexpected turns?
Absolutely. That’s where the real magic comes from, in my opinion. I love the surprises along the way.
Thanks for stopping by!
About
the Author
Alistair Cross' debut novel, The Crimson Corset,
a vampiric tale of terror and seduction, was an immediate bestseller earning
praise from veteran vampire-lit author, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and New York
Times bestseller, Jay Bonansinga, author of The Walking Dead series. In 2012,
Alistair joined forces with international bestseller, Tamara Thorne, and as
Thorne & Cross, they write - among other things - the successful Gothic
series, The Ravencrest Saga. Their debut
collaboration, The Cliffhouse Haunting, reached
the bestseller’s list in its first week of release. They
are currently at work on their next solo novels and a new collaborative
project.
In 2014, Alistair and Tamara began the radio
show, Thorne & Cross: Haunted Nights LIVE!, which has featured such guests
as Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire Mysteries and basis of the HBO
series True Blood, Jeff Lindsay, author of the Dexter novels, Jay Bonansinga of
The Walking Dead series, Laurell K. Hamilton of the Anita Blake novels, Peter
Atkins, screenwriter of HELLRAISER 2, 3, and 4, worldwide bestseller V.C.
Andrews, and New York Times best sellers Preston & Child, Christopher Rice,
and Christopher Moore.
Visit Alistair at: http://www.alistaircross.com
The Angel Alejandro
From bestselling author Alistair Cross comes a forbidden tale of love
and redemption, of good and evil, and those who dare to stand up to Hell
itself.
Angel or Demon?
Naive and heart-stoppingly handsome, he calls himself Alejandro, and
Madison O’Riley has no clue what to do with him. As they set out to recover his
lost identity, Madison realizes the mysterious man who saved her life harbors
deep, otherworldly secrets that will put her in grave danger.
The Devil is in the Details
Gremory Jones has something for everyone, and for a price, he’s willing
to make a deal. Walking the streets in top hat and trench coat, he tempts the
citizens with mysterious wares from his shiny black briefcase. But buyer
beware: All sales are final - and fatal.
A Scorching New Terror Has Come to Town
The townspeople are changing in appalling ways and it's up to Madison -
with the help of a psychic, a local priest, and the new chief of police - to
help Alejandro unlock his forgotten powers before an unspeakable evil tears
apart the fabric of existence ... and costs them their very souls …
Book info:
Author Info:
★ Author’s social media links:
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Alistair-Cross/e/B00N446AZS/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crossalistair
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrossAlistair
