Allison juggles field trips, homework, carpool, Star Wars and all the other demands that come with a large family.  She draws the line at one thing: cleaning house.  Each weekday she parks herself at a coffee shop and tries to write for six hours.

"Your writing time needs to be sacred. I know sometimes it's hard to put aside set hours to write because the muse doesn't always conform to routine.  Believe me, I know. I wake up at odd hours because of that damn muse. but you need to have sacred writing time and only your number one priority can interrupt it."

Outsiders might think her transition from politics to publishing was seamless, but like the rest of us debut authors she suffered her own bout of newbie neurosis.  Ballantine bought THE PREY in a two-book deal, but as the months passed her contract was overdue, her copy edits were delayed and she became convinced her publisher had dumped her and her agent was too gutless to tell her the bad news.

To a thriller writer, that scenario seemed plausible, even probable, because in plots like ours, the heroine's worst fears usually are founded.  But not in Allison's case.  The hold up?  Ballantine now wanted a three book deal so they could launch her work as a back to back trilogy.  And when THE PREY, THE HUNT and THE KILL rolled off store shelves, Allison Brennan's writing career was assured. 

What was it like when she got The Call that her first book sold?  Let's let her tell you.

"I was driving to work at the California State Capitol when my agent called and said Ballantine had a pre-emptive offer for two books. She told me what they offered then said something like, "But if they want a pre-empt they're going to have to do better than that." I wanted to scream, "What in the world are you doing? Take it!" But of course, that's why we have agents. Writers are sometimes amazed that a publisher wants to actually pay us to write. I remember sitting in the parking lot and having people stream past me, waving, and me just staring at them (they probably thought I was hung over or something). I was in shock. When we finally settled the deal two days later (Sleep? Did I sleep for those two days? I don't think so . . . ) I was drinking a Capitol Mocha (a specialty drink at the La Bou walking distance from the building) and standing on the corner. My agent called at 1:37 Pacific time. Funny how we remember those useless facts." 

Funny how reassuring that she was once where we are now.

Allison Brennan's next trilogy begins January 29, 2008 with KILLING FEAR. Discover more on her website!