Alyson Root

It was totally cliché of me to move to France. A real U-Haul moment. Angelique and I had been together for just under six months when I took the plunge. But the heart wants what it wants. We tried the long distance thing for several months, but it was exhausting and expensive.

Leaving the UK was both terrifying and exciting. I’d never done something so bold before, but Angelique gave me that confidence. She is the reason I write. It wasn’t so much the move that influenced me, but being around her.

Paris was a hard place to live. We decided after a year of living together we were ready to find something that suited us better. I’d started my first book by then, but the city didn’t help me creatively. I need space and quiet. We moved to the west of France and into an old farmhouse. My priority at the time was to get my business up and running. Writing still had to take a back seat. However, with all the greenery, space, and silence, I quickly felt my creative juices flowing again.

I wrote my first book in roughly three months. Angelique, as always, cheered me on and supported me. Moving to France, changed my life.

Daily life for me is very peaceful. I literally spend my day with my dogs either reading or writing. The calm allows me time to think. It's less that my daily life finds its way into my writing, rather allows me the space to explore my past, which inevitably influences my writing.

My holiday home and campsite are part-time and seasonal. The business affords me plenty of time to write, but offers me a break when needed. I get to interact with so many new people, which helps fuel my imagination and creativity.

I'm a romantic at heart, and when I found my first lesbian romance novel, I was elated. It's rare that I read any other genre nowadays. There is such a wealth of talent in the sapphic writing community. Every book I read inspires my writing. There is always something to learn.

Scuba diving is magical. That's where the parallel is. Just like being whisked off to an imaginary, magical place in a book. Scuba diving does the same. My second book Diving Into Here, was heavily inspired by my love of scuba diving. I wanted to share with my readers the wonders of the underwater world. Scuba diving gives me such clarity of mind I can easily come up with a new book idea after a dive.

The first lesbian romance author I discovered was Georgia Beers. I binged her entire collection after that. Since then, I have read and enjoyed hundreds of books by traditionally published and Indie Authors. My favourite books always have humour in them. I love sarcasm and kooky side characters.

So far challenges, as far as living in France and being an English author are few. At the moment, I'm writing and building my readership. I can foresee more challenges in the future when I want to attend events. So far my books are only in English, which isn't great for competing in the French market. I hope to have each book translated, which will give me the opportunity to explore events in France.

My mind runs at a million miles an hour. I have to be strict with myself when writing. I aim for one chapter a day. I will often write two books simultaneously to stave off writer’s block. I never write a book in one document. Each chapter is written independently and then merged at the end. I don't know why I do that, but it's a ritual I adopted from the very beginning of my career.

Each story must have a working title before I can write the body of the story. All of my titles have a deeper meaning within the book and so I need that to know what I want from the story overall.

Absolutely. I have just released a Christmas novella which is entirely about my oldest dog. I love adding animal side kicks into my stories. They are so full of character, they can often make a book.

They are completely separate. I began the campsite before I started writing.

It was a means to an end, really. Finding a job in France when you can't speak the language is tough, so I created something for myself. The campsite and holiday home are a job. Writing is my passion.

Just go for it! I spent way too long over thinking and worrying about whether I would be good enough. Eventually I came to understand that as long as what I did made me happy, that's all that matters. I strive to create immersive and original sapphic stories. Sometimes they are well received, sometimes not. And that's okay, because I love what I do. So of there are authors out there wondering if they can do it. My answer is yes. Jump in and give it your best.

Moving and living abroad had most certainly broadened my horizons. I can tap into different cultures throughout my writing. I understand the emotions linked to living away from your birthplace, and that helps when I need to tap into something deeper in my writing. Writing from experience is the best way for me to create.

I dived over a sunken WWII bomber and that was an experience I will never forget. I wrote about that in my second book. Seeing the wreckage was emotional, especially when the pilot’s seat was still intact. I could only imagine the emotions of those men as the plane came down. I had another similar dive over a WWII submarine. The periscope still had the glass attached, and it sent chills down my spine. I've tapped into those memories and emotions several times when writing.

I have a book due for release in February 2024. That is my first traditionally published novel. I have written several more books, which will be released throughout next year. Right now, I am writing a standalone novel that is very close to my heart. I think I'm more nervous about that one going public than any of my others.

There are two audiobooks in production as we speak. The Misadventures of Callie Compton and Love On A Checklist. I'm very excited about those.

Yes, absolutely. I'm sure I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the things available on AllAuthor, but I can't wait to learn.