Alison Dasho – Carina Press
Our guest of honor is Alison Dasho. It’s so nice to have you here! Hope you’re ready to party!
Boo! Trick or Treat?
Treat, please!
What costume are you wearing?
Funshine Bear
What age did you Trick-or-Treat to and what candy was it that motivated you?
I Trick-or-Treated from about age 4 to around 14, I think. My favorite candy of all time is Spree (not the chewy kind, gross), and I also love Sour Patch Kids, too.
How do you feel about “fun-sized?”
I’ll take all sizes, thank you!
Wait! You can’t come in yet! Tell us about who you represent/edit?
I’m lucky to have really outstanding authors with Carina Press: J.L. Hilton, Veronica Scott, R.L. Naquin, Michelle Garren Flye, Annie Nicholas, Diane Dooley, Darcy Daniel, Marie Force, Shawna Thomas (who I got to borrow from her regular editor for one book), and I have two authors who will have series with Carina in the next year, Lorenda Christensen and Jael Wye.
My authors write everything from sci fi to sci fi romance to romantic suspense to contemporary small town set romance all the way to epic fantasy, urban fantasy, and paranormal historical Egyptian romance.
What is your favorite Holiday and why? Have you edited any books about that Holiday?
Thanksgiving, probably, because I get to hang out with my sisters and eat all day long! We have a very rigid set of food traditions for Thanksgiving, starting with a spread that must include Swedish meatballs during the Macy’s parade and ending with delicious pumpkin pie after dinner. For most of the day, we can’t stop laughing (I have two of the funniest sisters on the planet), and we start dinner off by talking about what we’re thankful for. We end dinner with a discussion about what the year’s Christmas tree theme will be—Mom has so many ornaments that we have to stick to a theme so the tree doesn’t get overloaded. We’ve done silver & gold, rainbow, toys, movies (complete with film strip garland), fruits & nuts, birds, etc, etc, etc. The Thanksgiving vote can be contentious, complete with lobbying and attempted vote rigging. It’s a blast.
And now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever edited a Thanksgiving-set book. Authors, that’s a hole in my list!
How much do you read/edit at night? Do you have any creepy rituals?
I actually try hard to not edit too late at night—if I’m on a deadline and I’m behind, I’ll edit as long as it takes, but I prefer to edit while the sun is up. So my typical day is coffee/RSS feed reading in the morning, sending out emails, editing (either dev or line, depending on the project), editing, and more editing. Once dinnertime rolls around, I like to put headphones in and listen to submissions while I’m cooking. I know if a story can hold my attention while I’m chopping onions, it’s worth a closer look.
I also make it a point to read for fun just before bed—it can feel really indulgent, and I sometimes feel guilty about reading for fun on weekends, but there are so many books I want to read and I can’t work all the time. Lately I’ve been relaxing with a thriller just before bed (The Trinity Game by Sean Chercover), and before that I finally read Life of Pi.
What is your favorite “monster” and do you like monsters to be heroes or villains?
Hm, favorite monster. Grendel, I think. Though I have a very special place in my heart for Maurice, the closet monster from R.L. Naquin’s series. He’s such a caring guy, and I would love it if I could try one of his amazing muffins some day.
Alright, I guess you can come in.
What do you like doing besides editing? Is it dangerous?
Knitting! And learning to cook. And watching episodes of ST:TNG (and DS9 and Voyager and even Enterprise) with my husband. None of those seem particularly dangerous—though knitting needles are pointy. And I used to play roller derby, that could be a bit bruising. ( www.madrollindolls.com )
How would you describe your editing style?
Questions—I ask lots and lots of questions. I come from a theater background (that was my major), and so character motivation is a huge factor for me. If I don’t understand why a heroine does something, I’ll ask why. So I guess authors might think my editing style is a lot like life with a four-year-old. “Why?”
I also love making story maps—scene-by-scene breakdowns of the main actions, revelations, obstacles, and tactics. And I sometimes nerdily color-code them.
I’m also a firm believer in the editing process being collaborative. So I may suggest some ways to answer the questions I pose. (“Why did the heroine leave the house without her keys?” Maybe she got interrupted while she was packing by a phone call, and so her normal routine was derailed…) But I never expect that authors will take my suggestions and run with them—I see my developmental edit letter as the start of a conversation, where I say “This isn’t working, here are some ways to maybe address that,” and the author says, “Okay, I hear that it’s not working, how about this solution instead?” and we go back and forth like that until the book is even more amazing than it already was!
What is one thing about you that most people don’t know?
Growing up, I had a huge, huge crush on Matthew Broderick—and I still do. And I got to meet him! ( http://heydeadguy.typepad.com/heydeadguy/2010/02/the-truth-is-out-there.html )
Tell us about one of your favorite characters from your author’s books.
Belloc: A sensitive, kind, devoted man who is a talented musician and who loves to play Mysteria, a MMORPG run on the Asteria servers. Also he’s an alien—and he’s a deep, gorgeous, sapphire blue. Oh, and he’s royalty. 
http://www.stellarnetrebel.com/
How much do you edit in a day? Day or Night? Everyday?
This varies, depending on the project. Some days I’ll read a whole manuscript and take developmental notes, then spend four or five days wrestling those notes into a readable letter. Other days, if I’m line editing, I’ll only make it through 20-40 pages. Though if the line edits are light, I can get through 150-200 in a day. It’s all dependent upon what the manuscript needs!
Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers who want to submit?
Make sure the manuscript is as good as you can possibly make it before you submit. Remember that editors are people, too, and please resist the urge to be rude if we send you a rejection.
Also, read. Read everything, read often, and read both to analyze the work of others and to be entertained.
Last question: Where can our partygoers find you and your work?
Website: www.alisonedits.com (though a partial list of books I’ve edited can be found on goodreads, here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3141359-alison-dasho-janssen?utf8=%E2%9C%93&utf8=%E2%9C%93&shelf=edited&sort=date_added&order=d
Twitter: @alisonedits
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonEdits
Other: www.carinapress.com
Company Preferred Buylink: http://ebooks.carinapress.com/E622AF87-C98D-4A03-B546-07536E506024/10/134/en/Default.htm
Thank you so much for coming! (Please post giveaway and prize here if available.)
I’ll treat two commenters to a copy of J.L. Hilton’s new release, STELLARNET PRINCE, as well as a copy of the first book in the series, STELLARNET REBEL
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October 31st, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Ooh I love sci fi romance its always interesting to see how far an author can go in making the aliens different but still be sexy. A royal blue prince sounds hot.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Alison!
I want to see pictures of you doing rollerderby! That sounds so awesome! Maybe next year I’ll dress up in my disco pants and go roller disco-ing!! (I’d love to rollerderby, but I’m way too scared of pain!)
October 31st, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Please exclude me from the giveaway (I’ve got them both sitting here in my TBR pile).
Just had to say how nice it is to meet one of the editors working at a publisher I love!
Keep up the great editing Alison… especially making sure of the motivations, that’s a big reader peeve for me. I have to know why a character chooses the solutions or is attracted to certain aspects and whatnot.
October 31st, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Alison, speaking as one of your authors, we’re very lucky to have you, too! It was very interesting to read your point of view and how you work. Thanks!
October 31st, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Love the interview. I would love to win these books. I am a big fan of sci fi romance. Thanks for the chance to win.
reneebennett35 (at) yahoo (dot) com
October 31st, 2012 at 6:15 pm
I, too, would like to one day sample Maurice’s muffins. I’d like to know if he will travel to my closet someday.
P.S. You didn’t mention the best tree theme of all: things from places.
October 31st, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Great post.Have a fantastic week
flanagan@mebtel.net
October 31st, 2012 at 11:49 pm
I love sci fi & romance too so combining them is perfect. Those books sound great. I enjoy getting to know you. Its cool you got to meet your crush. I always liked him too! But I am sorry I have to laugh about Grendel – he reminds me of my freshman English teacher who made us compare Grendel to Alien the movie in an essay. So grendel makes me laugh.
October 31st, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Oh I love Care Bears…. so cute!
Happy Halloween!
November 1st, 2012 at 12:46 am
I enjoyed the interview. Nice covers.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
November 1st, 2012 at 8:05 am
Sci-fi Romance is something that is enjoyable
Thanks for sharing the interview
BeckeywhiteATgmailDOTcom
November 1st, 2012 at 1:49 pm
[...] 31, 2012 – Romance Author Hotspot Alison Dasho, editor of the Stellarnet Series, chooses Belloc as her favorite character out of all [...]
November 2nd, 2012 at 9:14 am
Great post and interview, hope you had a Happy Halloween.
skpetal at hotmail dot com
November 3rd, 2012 at 9:59 am
Funshine Bear! I loved that costume. I always wanted it, but never got it. You looked so cute.
Mel
bournmelissa at hotmail dot com
November 4th, 2012 at 8:14 pm
I love your Thanksgiving traditions and description. I’m so envious.
catherinelee100 at gmail dot com
November 4th, 2012 at 8:25 pm
I have to say that I loved reading about your Thanksgiving there. Do you have room for one more guest?
November 4th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
Ladyhawk is one ofmy favorite movies and Matthew Broderick was so young in it!
November 4th, 2012 at 11:54 pm
Knitting is a noble past time which I enjoy. I’ve been told that I look pretty dangerous knitting with four or five sock needles. It must be nice relief from editing once in awhile.
November 6th, 2012 at 7:19 pm
I like Thanksgiving too, I just can’t pass up all that great food. Turkey, pecan pie. yum! Very enjoyable post, thanks for sharing.
November 7th, 2012 at 10:34 pm
How can you not like Chewy Spree??!!??
November 7th, 2012 at 10:35 pm
Great looking books! Thanks for sharing! Hope you had a fantastic Halloween!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
November 8th, 2012 at 9:27 am
Thank you for all the delightful comments, you guys!
I picked winners for the sets of Stellarnet books this morning. Drum roll…….
Congratulations to Shadow and Beckey! I’ll be emailing you both shortly to get you your new books!