Interview: Alicia Tonne

I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting the beautiful Alicia Tonne at University. We were both English Writing majors, and we had a few writing classes together. She is an Intern at Henery Press,  and a barista at Starbucks. Alicia's blog Writer Girl + Real World  is SO much fun to read, and really gives you a sense of her personality. 

How long have you been writing?

I've been writing since the beginning of junior high. In elementary anytime they actually let us write stories, I always had so much fun and loved reading them aloud to entertain the class. By the time I was in junior high, I started rewriting the ends of books I didn't like or changing key events in movies. From there I realized writing didn't have to be a classroom activity or "fanfiction" -- instead I could write whenever I felt like it and create my own characters/worlds. 

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

About the time I was twelve. I wrote everyday. And then I happened to go with my dad on a work trip to New York. He had work during the day and would come home in the evenings to do the usual New York-type things (broadway, touristing, etc). So for a week straight I holed up in the hotel and wrote all day and would have a break at night. I decided then and there that was the life I was going to live when I grew up.

What do you write? 

 The easiest way to say it is that I write fiction. For about a year now, I've been focused on horror though. I've been fascinated by Poe since I was a kid and near the beginning of college came up with the idea of reading all of Stephen King's works. From my love of horror, I decided "Why not try my hand at it?" Sometimes it's hard for me though because humor pops up A LOT while I'm writing. I love a witty, sassy main character that doesn't always get the somber mood quite right. Currently, I intern for a mystery publisher (Henery Press) and that is influencing me a lot. The result is more of a suspense-with-sass that's pretty fun to write.

What is your working WIP title?

Remy Harkin Mystery

What is your WIP about?  

Becoming a receptionist for a private investigator was not the plan Remy Harkin had in mind after graduating college, but at this point she'll take what she can get. Dealing with a roommate who hates her, trying to find a social life in a new city, and figuring out how to have at least one normal interaction with her boss, Liam -- Remy's pretty much at her limit. But when a spousal-cheating case turns into a murder investigation, Remy feels something has to be done. Especially since her good-for-nothing boss says it's up to the police. Isn't it a detective's job to make sure their client is a hundred percent satisfied? (Even though her client might already be dead.)

Who is your favorite character from your WIP and why? 

Of course, I'd have to say Remy. This is kind of the first thing I've ever written where it's been more about the character than specifically the plot. It was Remy in my head doing stuff totally unrelated to her book that had me itching to write. (Really, it was her snark-ing in my head, but that sounds more crazy.) 

How many other books have you written?

Two, but they are "unmentionables" -- haha! They were written while I was still figuring things out about writing and are more drafts than anything resembling a book.  

How do you hope you are published?

Because I've worked a bit in the publishing industry, I have heard way too many horror stories about self-publishing. Being an author is absolutely about the writing, but the market really has a lot more to do with it than what a "true artist" might want. Having a team behind me and my novel would hands-down be the way I'd want it.

What's your writing space like? 

A chair that doesn't make noise and I can sit crossed-legged in. And a clean room. If I feel cluttered at all (besides a contained notebook of scraps and outlines) it will drive me mad and nothing gets written. The chair and the cleanliness are really all I'm particular about. 

What/who are some books/authors that have influenced you the most in your writings? 

  Meg Cabot and Jane Austen influenced a lot of my early writing, kind of giving me my fundamentals, I guess you could say. Currently, I'm heavily influenced by Stephen King and Chuck Palahniuk. As you can see I have slolwy gone from witty romance to a darker thriller, but I still find myself split between those two sides. I guess it's the Gemini in me -- haha!

Blog: http://www.artonne.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/atonne