I’d like to welcome Alison McBain back to the blog for #WriterWednesday.
Words that describe you: I’m loyal to a fault, but if my trust is broken in someone, I have a hard time ever getting over it.
Words that describe you, but you wish they didn’t: There’s a streak of stubbornness that runs through me. Well, maybe more than a streak, if I’m being honest. It can be great to be stubborn—I accomplish things that are hard to do. But it also sucks being, essentially, an immovable brick wall. Most people have a hard time climbing over a brick wall and seeing what’s on the other side.
Last best thing you ate: I love sweets of any sort. Cookies, cupcakes, ice cream, various candies—sign me up for all of them. So, the last best thing that I ate? A chocolate bar. Yum!
Last thing you regret eating: Well, here’s the rub. Sweets are definitely not great for you. So, while I almost never say no to a dessert, I definitely regret it after I’m done eating it. So, the last thing I regret is, unfortunately, also that chocolate bar.
The last thing you ordered online: I have three kids and they all like to get out and about during the summer—in Alberta, Canada, the warm seasons are shorter than some of the other places that I’ve lived. But given that my three kids are also all about the same size as me, they tend to “borrow” anything that I buy for myself. Permanently. The last 3 bicycles that I’ve purchased for myself ended up going to them, one at a time. So, after the last bike I bought was co-opted a few months ago by my middle daughter, I just bought another one for myself. We’ll see if I actually get to use it.
The last thing you regret buying: I bought a gift for my dad, which was a book from an author I had never read myself. While I sometimes get gems that way, this one was a bit of a dud. When I asked my dad if he liked the story, he shrugged and said it wasn’t for him. Oh, well.
Things you always put in your books: I don’t just write prose, I’m also an avid poet as well. So, I like to add a bit of poetry to my writing—not directly, but through very visual or musical language that can help bring a scene to life. There’s a rhythm and cadence to writing poetry, and I like to bring a bit of that to my novels as well.
Things you never put in your books: There’s very little that’s taboo for me when it comes to writing, but I’m a big proponent of diversity. I would have a hard time writing a protagonist who was racist, misogynistic, or anti-LGBTQ+. The villain? Sure. S/he can be all of those things and more. But the main character to me, despite having flaws, should feel basic decency for their fellow human beings.
Favorite books (or genre): I love a lot of genres. That being said, I have two go-tos when I need some comfort reading: fantasy and romance. I love fantasy because who doesn’t love a good adventure? Who doesn’t want a bit of magic in their lives? And romance—I’m a romantic at heart. I love a good love story.
Books you wouldn’t buy: While I have bought one or two in my life, I tend to veer away from political books and nonfiction/self-help books. I like to keep up with the news and what’s going on around the world, but a whole book of it? By a politician? No, thank you. And self-help books (at least those I’ve read) tend to take maybe one good idea and then repeat it over and over ad nauseum. Part of the adventure of life is making mistakes and learning from them. I’m not a fan of being lectured at.
The funniest thing to happen to you: Hindsight is 20/20, isn’t it? The funniest things we laugh about now usually started out as something completely terrible at the time. Such as all the crazy things that happen when you’re a new parent and have no idea what you’re doing. I have to ask: what other lifelong job can you do with no training, no entrance exam, no financial support, no emotional support, and expect to do it right the first time? I joke with my oldest kid that they were my “guinea pig,” and they tell me that’s a fair assessment. And then I apologize profusely to them, ha ha.
The most embarrassing thing to happen to you: I got stood up for a date once. It was a guy I’d met in college and he was adorable—Spanish, dark hair, smooth complexion, and a lovely accent. We made plans to grab a beer after my work day was done. However, he never showed up and I was too chicken to ask him afterward why not. Did he forget? Was he trying to let me down gently? Did he meet someone else and decide to blow me off? I’ll never know. But I told all my friends about my big date—and then had to say afterward that it never happened. I felt humiliated.
Besides writing, what’s the most creative thing you’ve done: I love doing a lot of creative things, including drawing, painting, baking, handcrafts, etc. My motto is “Do something creative every day.” A project that took me a long time was painting a picture of my oldest when they were a baby. I worked on it for days and days, and it turned out quite well in my opinion (it’s on my website: https://www.alisonmcbain.com/random-art.html), especially considering that I don’t consider myself a natural artist. But, boy did I slave over that thing.
A project that didn’t quite turn out the way you planned it: Not quite a project, but something that didn’t turn out how I planned was when I picked up and moved from the USA to Canada. I planned it out exactly, but… you know what they say about the best-laid plans. We took a road trip across the continent and ended up having a few adventures, such as closed roadways, failed GPS, and staying in towns that were terribly stinky from nearby factories. But our furniture and possessions that were being shipped to us ended up being 3 weeks late, so when we arrived in our new house, we did what I called “indoor camping”– sleeping bags on the floor in an empty house, plus one pot to cook with for about a month. There’s something to say for low-possession living. Much easier to clean the home, to be honest.
Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: This isn’t from my life, but my last novel was in the alternate history genre, and I had a fun time researching a real-life villain. Junipero Serra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jun%C3%ADpero_Serra) was a missionary in California who subjected the indigenous populations to what a lot of colonists did in the 1700s—namely, forced conversions, accusations of witchcraft against locals, torture and imprisonment. So, I made him the villain of my own book.
Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: I like to write characters from a lot of different perspectives, so I’m sure that readers sometimes think that I’ve undergone the experiences myself. For example, one novel that I’ve written (but that’s currently unpublished) is set in a location that resembles apartheid South Africa. The biggest compliment I got from a beta reader, who lived in South African for a number of years, was that he asked me how long I’d lived there myself. Truth be told, I’ve never even been. He was shocked when I revealed that because he said I created such a realistic world that he had a hard time believing I’d never gone.
The first 8-track, record, cassette, or CD you ever bought: 8-tracks were before my time, but cassettes were the best. And there were plenty of stores where you could get used ones, which was great for a kid’s allowance money. The first ones I bought were actually blank ones, so I could record music from the radio. Everyone did it and made mix tapes to give to their friends. Ah, good times.
A type of music that’s not your cup of tea: Country music is NOT my jam. While there might be one or two songs that aren’t too terrible, for the most part I switch the radio station if a country song comes up when I’m scrolling through.
My favorite book as a child: I had SO many, but one series I loved a lot was Narnia. There was just so magic and imagination in that book series. And who didn’t want to find a magical portal to another world, full of adventures, villains, and Turkish delight?
A book I’ve read more than once: There are a number of books that are my “comfort” books, and I’ll pick them up when I’m in a certain mood. Some favorites: A Heroine of the World by Tanith Lee, Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett, The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, Illusion by Paula Volsky… and the list goes on. I have several bookshelves stuffed with my favorite books that I’ll pick up and reread on occasion.
Your favorite movie as a child: That’s an easy one: my favorite childhood film was Beauty and the Beast, the Disney version. I can sing all the songs, although you probably wouldn’t want me to. LOL.
A TV show or movie that kept you awake at night as a kid (or as an adult): People might laugh at this, but ET was the bane of my childhood. I watched it WAY too young—I think I might have been three or four—and the scene where the alien dies and comes back to life… ugh. Gave me nightmares at the time, and I still can’t watch that movie now.
