Allison Cosgrove
Interesting facts...
Tell us a Little about yourself.
I am a married mother of three. I work full time. I write, sew, crochet and knit in my spare time. I also spend as much time outdoors as I can swing. Usually in the spring/summer/fall I am no where to be found on the weekends (unless you go visit the boonies and find the right trail that I decided to use that day.)
What inspired you to write your first book?
My best friend and I were out for coffee one night (about ten years ago) and she asked me what was one thing that I had wanted to accomplish when I was younger. I answered I wanted to write a novel. From that point on she refused to let the thought go and well Sacrifice of Innocence was born out of it. The rest just sort of flowed from there.
Have you ever finished reading a book (OR...been intrigued by a synopsis) and wished you could get to know one of the characters a little better? Well, you’re in luck. Get to know Stan Brookshire, the main character in Allison Cosgrove’s Stan Brookshire Series...
Stan Brookshire tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? Is there anything you would like your fans to know about you that maybe wasn’t revealed in your story?
I grew up in a tough area of Lake City and my mom wasn't around much growing up. The amount of drugs and crime I saw every day was something that I didn't want the next generation to grow up having to see. So I became a cop. A good one. I worked in Vice for years and was quite good at it.
Tell me about your reputation and how it has impact your life and your relationship?
I was an alcoholic at one point in time. If it hadn't been for my partner Jane I would have drank myself into oblivion. As It was I already had a long way to get back to normal when she started in on me to fix my issues. To this day, the damage I did to others around me because of drinking still crops up to haunt me. As much as I haven't touched a drop in years I still feel the stares and the judgments from others.
Do you have any regrets? Is there anything you wished you had done differently?
It has taken me a long time to come to terms with the loss of my partner from vice. We spent almost every waking moment with each other. He was my best friend in every aspect of my life. I trusted him with my life and he with his. The day he died in a drug bust gone wrong was I looked back on frequently and often wondered if there was something I could have done differently. I blamed myself for years. Even after I recovered from the physical injuries I punished myself for letting him die. It cost me my marriage and almost cost me my job.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Doing the same dammed thing I have been for the last twenty. I have always wanted to be a cop since the day I was old enough to think about what I wanted to be. I can't honestly see myself doing anything else.
If you could have anyone locked in a room so that you could torment them for a day, whom would you choose and how would you torment them?
Do you want the short list? Or a comprehensive one? Honestly, any asshole that touches a child deserves to go a few rounds with me in a locked room. I am not so sure that the justice system would appreciate that however.
Would you rather be ugly and live forever or attractive and die in a year?
I am already not the best looking guy on the planet so I guess that means I am living forever.
Who would you like to be stuck in an elevator with?
I am already stuck in elevators every day with Jane... that is bad enough. Have you met the woman? She almost never stops nattering. And she is going to kick my ass when she reads this... any chance that we can just not show her this?
Want to know more about Allison Cosgrove? Continue reading her in-depth interview...
How much of the book is realistic?
As close to reality as I can muster. I do a LOT of research on both criminals, the justice system and forensics. My aim is to leave thoughts lingering in the back of my readers minds, make them wonder about the things that go bump in the night?
What books have most influenced your life most? Do you have a mentor?
Stephen King and his journey as a writer has been the biggest influence on me and my writing. He (unknowingly) was the one who kept me going even when I felt like I wasnt enough. His story about how long he took to finally be published made me realize that I had nothing to fear about my writing but rather all I need do is keep on writing and the rest would eventually fall into place. And it did.
What are your current projects?
I have a few books that I am working on:
Once Burned - should be out in August and will be the start of a new romantic suspense series based around hot men and hot cars and the ladies who love them.
Dark Horse I: Ruin - should be out in October and will be the start of a spin-off trilogy from the original Stan Brookshire series. It will be a little darker than what I usually write but I am looking forward to some fun there.
Virus - should be out in December and it is the third book in the romantic suspense Den of Thieves series. This time, our beloved computer guru Rudy gets his shot at love.
Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members?
My fellow Indie Authors. I never would have found the courage to break out on my own unless I had their love support and advice to guide and hold me up.
Who designed the covers?
I am lucky as I have two wonderful designers! Miranda Stork does all of the Stan Brookshire covers and the lovely Mina Carter does all the Den of Thieves novels.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Never give up. Keep writing even in the darkest hours. Find your brothers and sisters in the author community. Look to them for guidance. And take to heart the knowledge that your work will not be for everyone, that low star reviews are part of the deal but in turn read them and try to learn from them in some way.
What do you want written on your headstone and why?
"Someone didn't give her coffee."
Just kidding... although most of my readers will totally be able to see that. All joking aside;
"She gave it her all."
Coming Soon...
'Only the Willing' (Stan Brookshire Novel 6) Available July 3rd
Stan Brookshire Series
New to the Series? Start at the beginning with Sacrifice of Innocence (Novel 1)
