INTERVIEW: Alexandra Sokoloff

Flurries Unlimited (FU) was lucky enough to sit down with suspense and supernatural fiction writer Alexandra Sokoloff (AS) for a one on one chat.  This is what we talked about:

FU:  There are so many different genres to choose from, what inspired you to write crime fiction, supernatural thrillers and non-fiction?

AS: The easy answer is that crime and horror are my favorite things to read. I've always loved the dark and spooky stuff. But the real answer is that my main theme as an author, and as a person, is "What can good people do about the evil in the world?" Supernatural fiction was a good way to learn how to depict evil, the feeling and outrage of it, and crime fiction is the absolute best way to explore moral questions of justice and how best to live.

But - you can't be preachy about these moral questions, so thrillers are a good way to hook readers into a story, get them addicted - and then you can start exploring the tough stuff.

I write non-fiction because people are always asking me to teach film writing and story structure and I thought the best way to do that would be to put it all into one big book, once and for all. But also I have my Screenwriting Tricks for Authors blog, so I can write about movies and TV and story structure there, whenever I feel like analyzing something I particularly like.

 

FU: Those three genres are quite diverse.  How do you manage it?

AS: Who says I'm managing it? :) Actually, I think I've hit on a perfect blend of crime thrillers with an undercurrent of an eerie, supernatural possibility.

And writing non-fiction, well, hopefully I have the definitive textbook out there now, my STEALING HOLLYWOOD

workbook, so that frees up some time. Right? I hope so….

FU: Of all of your books, which is your favourite and why?

AS: The HUNTRESS MOON series, for sure. It's a great story world and complicated characters that allow me to explore everything that most interests me in the arena of these gripping, linked thrillers.

FU:  They say that every character has some of the author in him/her.  Which of your characters is most like you?  In what way?

AS: Everyone thinks I must be like the Huntress. Or she's like me. Certainly she came out of my rage at certain evils. I understand where she's coming from.

FU: So what is on the horizon?  What are your new projects? When is your next new release?

AS: Book four of the Huntress thrillers, BITTER MOON is out in October, and I'm working on the TV pilot for the series. It's all about the Huntress right now!

FU:  Thank you so much for chatting with us.