Alyanna Poe
Author Interview - Alyanna Poe
Author of Adam's Murder
Adam's Murder is the transcribed audio diary of Abigail Drummer, Adam's sister. When Adam is brutally murdered, Abby wonders if his addiction and dangerous lifestyle played a part, and when police don't do anything to solve his murder, twenty year old Abby must take things into her own hands. She records an audio diary as she discovers just how dark Adam's life was and meets the people closest to him, some of which she didn't know existed. Along the way, she finds herself under the microscope of those she suspects most. Grief, fear, and anger fuel her through this investigation.
This book will also be read on my podcast Indicted Fiction. Each season is a book itself, and I wanted to provide an audiobook-like experience for free for my readers. It will be airing later this summer and ending the date the book is published.
Author Interview - Alyanna Poe
Author I draw inspiration from: Stephen King has always been very influential in my work. When I was thirteen I started reading The Stand by Stephen King, and it was my first experience with adult horror. I never looked back. I was fourteen when I started writing my first novel that I published when I was eighteen, Eaten, and it was heavily inspired by The Stand, including apocalyptic and gory elements. He's an author that I never get tired of.
Author Interview - Alyanna Poe | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: Being from California, I love to sit in the sun and read. Just lay out a towel on a nice day and read for hours. I've spent many summers doing that or floating in the pool and reading. I've been doing that since I was a kid, so there's just something so calming about it.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Nick from The Stand by Stephen King. I don't know a lot of sign language, but I would definitely love to conversate with Nick. He was my favorite character while reading the book and even while watching the newer TV series as an adult. I think I just felt for him since he's an outcast and the world seems pitted against him, yet he still fights for good.
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I didn't really have an aha! moment. I was fourteen, still a freshman in high school, when I started writing a full length novel. I've always written short stories and poetry, but this was my first long term project. I was sixteen when I graduated high school and was diagnosed with Graves' disease. Later that year I joined the local sheriff's cadet program. I left the program after a few months as my parents thought it was too dangerous for a kid my age, and I also didn't feel like I was part of the team or learning anything. My health also played a huge part as I had to hide the fact that I have a life altering disease in fear I would be kicked from the program. After that, I was still writing my novel, and I guess after figuring that a regular job would be almost impossible having this disease, I decided that writing could be a huge opportunity for me. It's been a few years, and I don't make an actual income with my writing, but I'm thankful to have supportive parents who believe in me. It's my dream, my passion, and even if I had to get into another career for financial reasons, I would never stop writing.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: I LOVE mass market paperbacks. There's something about 70s-90s cover art that I love. Not to mention the books are so easy to carry around and read.
The last book I read: I'm currently in the middle of like twenty books, because why not? But the last book I read in full was Christine by Stephen King. I was part of a group chat book club and it was so fun! I really loved how it was written, only wishing it was a bit more gory.
Author Interview - Alyanna Poe | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: Computer! Or phone! I used to do pen and paper, but because I like writing quickly, I've learned a few hacks. Using pen and paper, you're essentially writing everything twice and I don't have time for that. I keep all my manuscripts in Google Docs in the drafting stage, so I can easily bounce from desktop to laptop to phone. I used to carry around a USB but that's such a pain. Nice thing about my phone is I can use speech to text. Makes writing a breeze if I'm really into a scene.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: As I read a lot of horror, this is a difficult choice, but I'd have to say Vlad from The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer. I read the series multiple times as a kid and just loved it. I was the quiet "goth" in school as well, so I think we would have gotten along perfectly.
Author Interview - Alyanna Poe | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: My passion as a kid was forensic science. In middle school we did career day, and I spent the entire day talking to the FBI agent that was there. I had big dreams of solving crimes, but sadly my health complicated a lot. I think if I really tried, I could still pursue it, but my real passion is and always has been writing. I hope to do what I can to help charities with my writing by donating proceeds to foundations that match the books. I'm currently querying agents for a title that I'd like to use to donate to The National Foundation for Missing and Exploited Children. If I can't be the one actually solving the crimes, the least I could do is help out.
Favorite decade in fashion history: Probably the 90s. I love seeing grunge and alt clothes, and being a goth kid myself, it just makes me so happy. I love that it's all coming back right now, too. I think my mom was a huge influence in my fashion sense, especially because if she didn't want a shirt anymore I would ask for it. I ended up with a lot of Echo Red and Ed Hardy clothes since that was the era I grew up in.
Place I’d most like to travel: I love the desert, so anywhere that involves sage brush and cactus. I'm lucky enough to have some property in the desert of Nevada that my parents and I plan on moving out to when my dad retires. It's so quiet and calm. You can never take a bad photo out there because it's simply so beautiful.
My signature drink: Coffee. Iced. Hot. Lukewarm. Been drinking it since I was like ten and can fully admit I am addicted. I don't have one of those "Don't talk to me before I have my coffee" mugs, but, being the type of person I am, I probably should. I recently tried to stop cold turkey to see how I would feel without it and got extremely sick. Didn't know that could happen with coffee, but yeah, I'm stuck on it.
Favorite artist: Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. Growing up going to car shows, you'll see one character a lot, and that's Rat Fink. Big Daddy was an amazing artist that created creepy characters driving hot rods and trucks and it was huge in the car show scene even after his death. As an artist myself, I aspire to be as influential as he is. You can spot on of his characters from a mile away because he's got such a unique style.
Number one on my bucket list: I don't know that I have a bucket list. It's more so a list of goals, like learning to play violin or becoming a traditionally published author. I'd like to go skydiving one day, but if I died before doing so, I don't think I would be too upset.
Anything else you'd like to add: In case you're wondering, because I know you are, Poe is my real last name. I'm a born Poe, have the birth certificate, school IDs, and driver's license to prove it. Recently learned through these awesome genealogy websites that I am in fact related to Edgar Allan Poe. We are first cousins six times removed. So, had I been born in the 1800s I would have been his first cousin *wink wink*. That relation means that his grandpa is also my grandpa, just way back in my lineage. I don't compare my writing style to his at all because there simply is no doing so, but I do seem to get a lot of judgements for having the last name. I think many people assume it's a pen name and think it's disrespectful. I've had people berate me for using his name even though it's as much mine as it is his. He's obviously been a huge influence on me my entire life, but again I don't compare myself to him.
Find more from the author:
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Author Bio: Author Alyanna Poe: an author from Northern California with a knack for horror. Poe has been writing since a young age and self-published her first horror novel at eighteen years old. Many ask what her real name is, only to be surprised that she is a born Poe with relations to the great Edgar Allan Poe. She frequently posts interviews with small businesses and authors like herself, short fiction, and articles about writing and marketing to her website authoralyannapoe.com
