Author Interview: Alissa Callen

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This month one of our top book club reads is Snowy Mountains Daughter by bestselling author, Alissa Callen.

To celebrate the launch of her book, Alissa took some time out to chat with Beauty and Lace. Read on to learn more about her:

When did you know you wanted to become a writer?

Reading was my favourite thing to do as a child, and as an adult this segued into wanting to write.

I’d always dabbled but didn’t seriously put fingers to the keyboard until I was at home with four young children. I also always wanted to write feelgood stories as real life doesn’t always deliver happily-ever-afters. 

Can you remember the first book you ever read?

The Dr Seuss book Robert the Rose Horse would be one of my earliest memories along with Go Dog Go (I’m showing my age). 

What is your favourite part of publishing a book?

Typing “The End”. I am half-plotter and half-panster so I paint in broad strokes and then fill in the finer details as I go. With every book, there is always the worry that when I try to pull everything together the story won’t work.

Thanks to a busy non-writing life I’m also usually cutting it pretty close to my deadline so it’s always a relief when I get to those two words.   

Tell us about life in a bush community…

I love living in a rural area. From our neighbour racing up our driveway to tell us our front paddock was on fire, to another neighbour coming over in his tractor to pull out our tractor and two utes that the teenage (and not-so teenage) males in my family had bogged, to an anonymous lady who left a note on my car at the grocery store to say my back tyre was flat, I really appreciate living in a close-knit community.

How do you juggle parenthood and writing?

Not very well. I call myself a feast or famine writer – I either write a lot or very little depending on what is going on with my real life (and who has broken what bone) and there are times when I wish I had more of a balance. 

What comes first, the character or the plot?

It varies from book to book. In my latest series, it was the small mountain book town of Bundilla that appeared first and then the free-spirited kelpie called Bundy. 

What book are you currently reading?

As of this afternoon (when I press send on the latest book to my publisher), I will be dusting off all my Julia Quinn books. 

What is one fun fact we wouldn’t know about you?

My great-grandmother came up with the name Rexona. 

Do you use any social media platforms that our members can follow you on?

I can be found on Facebook and followed on BookBub and Amazon. I love hearing from readers.

What is next for Alissa Callen?

The book that I am sending off today is #2 in my Snowy Mountains series and it is Rowan’s story.  Snowy Mountains Cattleman will be out February 2022 and then Taite and Brenna’s books will follow. 

Thanks so much Beauty and Lace for having me!

3 thoughts on “Author Interview: Alissa Callen

  1. Thank you to Beauty and Lace and HarperCollins/Mira for my copy of Snowy Mountains Daughter which I really enjoyed.
    This was also my first Alissa Callen book and I like her style of writing. Her descriptions captures the beauty and ruggedness of the mountains and surrounding landscapes so I can easily visualise everything and want to be there.
    It took me a little while to warm up to the characters, but could soon feel the warmth and community spirit that country people have. The small town dynamics were present and it was pretty obvious who was running the town.
    This is a great book for lovers of flowers and animals. There’s a grumpy cat, dogs, horses and cattle. Bundy is kind of like Red Dog, except he stays in one area instead of roaming all over the state. He seems to have a sense of when people need his help when lonely, lost or heartbroken and when they are mended he moves on to another part of town or a neighbouring farm to help the next person.
    Art and mural painting play a big part in this book and I enjoyed reading about it.
    One character has dementia and the author describes it really accurately telling how sad and scary this condition is. There is a particular moment in the book featuring Heath and his dad that had me tearing up as it was quite emotional.
    There is love, sadness, hardships and a twist/family secret I never saw coming.

  2. I absolutely loved Snowy Mountains Daughter and I’m looking forward to Rowan’s story. We didn’t get much of a look at Rowan but it was evident how much he loved his sister. I loved Brenna and Taite too and what about Trent! I want all their stories!

  3. Thank you for this interview with Alissa Callen, who’s book I am currently reading. Very nice to read about the author behind this wonderful read.

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