As a loyal reader here on N. N. Light’s Book Heaven, you already know how much we love authors and try our best to feature debut authors. We first met Joy Allyson a couple of weeks ago. She’s such a delightful woman who is featuring her debut novel today. Please give a warm welcome to Joy and join us for this interview session. Joy, take it away:
Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you?
M.M. Kaye, Georgette Heyer, Daisy Goodwin, & Candance Camp
If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?
Isabel May from 1883 for Chloe, Scott Eastwood for Pen, Morgan Freeman for Milo the distillery’s foreman, and Sam Elliott for the moonshiner
How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning?
Very important. One, if you are writing a historical novel – would the name fit within the time period? Two, I do like how the name sounds. Does it fit my character? Does it sound good up against the protagonist? At a writing conference I attended after I had written my first manuscript – the presenter said ‘don’t have all your character’s names start with the same letter of the alphabet’. A quick search by me showed all my main characters’ names but one started with A.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I see myself still writing, but would love to teach or at least organize workshops for young writers, pre-high school. The foundation for good storytelling is getting swept away by the demands on ‘critical thinking’ responses to everything.
What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Put pen to paper or hit the keyboard – don’t wait for the perfect time.
Is this your first book?
Whiskey Love is my debut novel.
What are you working on now? What is your next project?
I am currently writing a sequel to Whiskey Love. The time period is during the prohibition era. It’s about how all the owners of the distilleries deal with the complete shutdown of their livelihoods.
Do you drink?
A glass of wine or a Margarita was my drink of choice before I wrote Whiskey Love. But I visited seven different distilleries doing research for my book and developed an appreciation for a shot of fine whiskey or a nice cocktail in the evening. Great inspiration.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I’d like to visit the past. Not so much about famous times or people, but how ordinary people lived.
What literary character is most like you?
Perhaps ‘Frederica’ Merrivale from Georgette Heyer’s novel of the same name. She is so busy taking care of those around her that she doesn’t realize what’s happening to herself.
Where is one place you want to visit that you haven’t been before?
Scotland
If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
A tortoise – the older they get the more people marvel at it.
If you could have any name in the world, what would you choose?
I have it – Joy.
Thank you, Joy, for the intriguing interview. Readers, scroll down to read more about her debut novel.
Title – Whiskey Love
Author – Joy Allyson
Genre – Historical Romance
Publisher - The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb –
She’s a headstrong Bostonian.
When proud and beautiful, Chloe Tanner, inherits her family’s famous Tennessee distillery—she’s determined to save her legacy from looming disaster. Her troubles can be traced back to one man. The man whose very presence is more intoxicating to her than whiskey.
He’s a laid-back Tennessean.
No one disputes handsome Penland Kittrell’s expertise in all things whiskey. But Pen can’t make heads or tails of his new neighbor and business rival; an undeniable attraction tainted by her connections to powerful Eastern moguls and tycoons she moves among.
Passions ignite between Chloe and Pen in this deadly tangle against revenuers, moonshiners, and robber barons who all try and come between them and their whiskey where the real gold is amber nectar. Are they willing to lose their hearts to each other in this gilded age whiskey war both want to win?
Excerpt –
“Oh, Mother of Pearl,” Chloe swore out loud. She counted to twenty, then hoisted up her skirt and headed out the door. Not caring who she shocked on the sidewalk by revealing ten inches of petticoats and a pair of purple silk stockings, she flew to the courthouse. This time she raced up the front stairs, stopping on the second-floor ledge which gave her a full view of the giant elevated exchange boards and the small group observing workers scribble in the latest spirit prices. Pen Kittrell had commandeered a leather chair and laid his head back with his feet propped on a nearby ottoman watching the men chalk up the numbers while sipping whiskey from a cut-glass tumbler.
“Mr. Kittrell.”
Surprised in mid-sip, when he heard her voice, Pen spilled remnants of his drink down his chin and onto his shirt. He wiped his mouth as he rose to greet her. “Miss Tanner.”
“I need to speak to you privately.”
“Certainly.”
Calmly, he motioned for her to come toward his back office. She hoped he sensed her fury.
“You don’t need to shut the door,” she said.
“I think I better.” Detecting her anger, he turned and closed his door behind her. “What’s this? What’s upset you all of a sudden?” he asked in his smooth unhurried manner.
“Don’t act surprised. I doubt very seriously you didn’t know two revenuers from the tax office were waiting to confront me at my attorney’s office just now. You know their every movement.”
“No, I didn’t, believe you me, I would never call revenuers down here for any reason,” he said leaning into her.
“Have you been drinking my whiskey?” The irrational thought came to her head as soon as she detected the distinctive brown sugar and caramel scent with a touch of vanilla. Her scent, her signature scent all over him. She inched toward the door, but his powerful body blocked the way out.
He smiled. “And if I was, what of it?”
“If you were, that’s the closest you’ll ever get to me again.” He stood close, staring at her enraged face. He reached out his hand to draw hers into his. She wrenched back her hand. “I can’t prove you called them, but those men from Nashville are coming back next week. And I can’t prove you had anything to do with half destroying my distillery either, or burning my cornfields, but don’t think I don’t know you are checking my whiskey stock prices each week. I know that for certain. I’m leaving now,” she hissed. “But not before warning you to leave Tom Tanner Tennessee Whiskey alone. And don’t bother to follow me. I have a bodyguard now, who would beat you within an inch if I asked him to.”
With this last declaration, she was gone.
Pen returned back to his seat by the exchange boards and retrieved his tumbler lifting it in a salute to the direction Chloe had exited. I wish you were the whiskey. He downed what was left of the amber liquid, wrapping his tongue in the flavorful and delicious caramel. The finish a long and lingering one.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Giveaway:
I’m one of the authors participating in the Dog Days of Summer Book Giveaway and you can win a print copy of Whiskey Love by Joy Allyson (US only).
Runs August 1 - 31 and is open internationally for many prizes.
Winners will be drawn on September 1, 2022.
Author Biography:
As the daughter of a United States military officer, Joy Allyson grew up with a love of travel and a deep appreciation of history. A teacher by training, she always preferred reading historical romances to pedagogy. Her favorite characters – rebel heroines and salvageable scoundrels. Joy believes the best romances are the ones you want to read over and over again.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Music City Writers. She resides among the beautiful hills of Tennessee with her husband and near her two daughters and six grandchildren. Whiskey Love is her debut novel.
Social Media Links:
Website www.joyallyson.com
Twitter www.twitter.com/Joyallysonbooks
Instagram www.instagram.com/Joyallysonromance
Facebook www.facebook.com/Joyallysonauthor