Allison Winn Scotch - The One That I Want

UPDATE: I just received THE ONE THAT I WANT in the mail (from Amazon via the amazing and generous Daisy Whitney) and read Chapter One. I am totally hooked. You must go out, post haste, and buy it NOW!!!

Today, my blog is once again graced with the lovely and talented Allison Winn Scotch. Her latest book, THE ONE THAT I WANT has recently hit bookstores, and she was kind enough to drop by and share a bit about it. Hope you enjoy!

DLS: So, Allison, for the readers who may not have had the pleasure of being introduced to you in their bookstores or on Twitter yet, tell us a little about yourself.

AWS: I’m a freelance magazine writer turned novelist. THE ONE THAT I WANT is my third book after TIME OF MY LIFE and THE DEPARTMENT OF LOST AND FOUND. I live in New York City with my husband, our son, daughter and dog.

DLS: I read Time Of My Life last summer on the beach and loved it (the beach and the book.) I'm really excited about The One That I Want! Can you tell us a little about it?

AWS: Thank you! The One That I Want is sort of the bookend to TOML: it takes a woman who is perfectly content with her existence and shatters her world completely. Tilly Farmer is a guidance counselor at her old high school in her small town, married to her high school sweetheart. She’s given the unwelcome ability to see into the future and discovers that the perfect life she thinks she’s carved out for herself is anything but. Taking the whole “seeing into the future” thing out of the equation, it’s really a story about how we find happiness and how we sometimes have to take the blinders off to really see what’s meant to be seen.

DLS: OMG, I can SO relate to the whole "perfect life is anything but" scenario right now. Before I start crying on my laptop, let's change gears. What do you love most about your mc's?

AWS: Well, I’ll be honest, I found Tilly hard to relate to in the beginning, but by the end, I was and am absolutely smitten with her. She is a woman who hasn’t been dealt the best hand in life but who has made the best of what’s she’s gotten...and yet, whether or not she realizes it, this actually isn’t the BEST that she can do. I loved watching her eyes open to this idea and especially love the ownership she takes of her life by the end. It’s triumphant, and I really rooted for her. I also really enjoyed the character of Eli – I liked him personally and I liked writing him. He comes in from out of town and infuses a new energy into the town, and, to be honest, into the book. He’s a bit of a wanderer, and I could relate to that.

DLS: I'm sold, as I am with everything you write. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

AWS: I know that a lot of aspiring writers read your blog, so I only wanted to add that this book was a real labor of love for me – it went through about seven drafts, and at no point was it an easy road. I think writers out there should know that sometimes, it just comes down to rolling up your sleeves and diving in. That’s the only way to get it done. Writing can be and often is very hard work, and while it would be wonderful if every day were a creative joyride, the truth is that every day is not. :) So roll up your sleeves and get ‘er done!

DLS: Don't I know it (she said, diving back into Draft #5...!)

So, there you have it, my friends. Allison's books are fabulous and, in my opinion, seriously great summer reads. Make sure you pick up all of her books the first chance you get.

Happy new week to all!