Spunky Senior Author Allison Knight's Life Change

Allison Knight entered this world seventy-eight years ago, on a cold and blustery Christmas night, to the delight of her mother who claimed the baby was all she wanted for Christmas.

As Allison grew up, she discovered she loved to read even if it meant reading late at night under the blankets. She started her writing career in grade school, writing poetry, essays, one of which earned her a monetary reward, then in college as a gossip columnist for the college newspaper.

When she started teaching high school Home Economics, she continued to read and write, even beginning a cookbook. Her husband claims it's a miracle that book was never finished because some of her recipes... (Enough said!) Instead of food, she turned to her love of history and the need to always have a happy ending into writing romantic fiction, and began her career as a romance novelist, selling the first three books she wrote to a NY publisher.

Her only claim to fame is being mentioned by Paul Harvey on his noon radio show, when he explained that a teacher in Michigan taught 'Family Living' during the day and wrote romance novels at night.

Her greatest writing achievement was accidentally exposing one of her male students to the joy of reading. He told her privately that he'd never read a whole book, but loved her story so much he read the book cover to cover. He had discovered the joy of reading novels. A year after he graduated from high school, she ran into him one evening in a local book store. With his arm full of books, he grinned, explaining he ought to blame her because now he spent all his extra money on the newest novel available. If her writing does nothing else, at least she opened the world of literature for one young man.

She is still writing romance novels and with the help of her husband who is quick to offer suggestions, edit each book before it's submitted, and do the promotional work at her request, she waits for the release of book number twenty in May of 2013 with another on her publisher's desk awaiting a decision. 

Allison Knight shares with us Her Late Change of Life - 

How to Change Your Life As You Near Eighty Years Young

The call came at ten o'clock at night. That's always worrisome. Especially with children, even if they are grown. But, at the other end of the phone was a timid, weak, little voice asking if she could please talk to Grandpa. It was one of our granddaughters. And with a poignant plea!

Could we please take her cat? The cat bite her dad and he said the cat had to go. She didn't want to take it to a shelter so if the cat could come live with us, she'd help take care of it. They lived close enough, only a few miles away, so she could come play with him and bathe him, feed him, take care of him, if Grandpa would say he'd take one orange tomcat. Her idea, not ours.

Of course, Grandpa agreed. I mean, who can deny the pleading of one of your grandchildren.

So, after many years of no pets, (the last pet passed away soon after the kids left the nest), and a great retirement, which meant time to travel and explore our country, we were suddenly the new owners of a big, mean, orange cat. Yes, he did bite and we immediately had to change his name. I'll only use the initials, and let you figure out the rest, because that cat was an animal with a mind of his own. He did his own thing in his own time, often going for an arm or leg with his mouth open. So his name became L.S. because that's what we called him when he was being obstinate or mean, which was most of the time.

However, somehow, over the next six years, that big orange ball of fluff grew into a loving cat, constantly needing a reassuring touch, a rub or a pat morning, noon and night.

He even started talking to us when he wanted attention. Of course we couldn't understand a sound he made because we didn't speak 'cat'.

When one of our sons called to say his crew found a tiny black kitten under the shelves in a big box store, I looked at our big guy and said, "Why not?" L.S. probably needed the company. So the kitten came to live with us. Wally, a black tuxedo, wasn't much of a companion for L.S., though. Too much age difference, I guess.

We took a trip to our vet in search of a kitten, one who could be a playmate for Wally, and brought home cat number three, a three year old, part Siamese, with an attitude. At the vet's, Celine jumped into my husband's lap and stayed there. We really had no choice.

Since then, three years ago, we've  discovered those cats are our entertainment, provide company, give us a lot to talk about and definitely lower our blood pressure. All three want attention, even when I'm engrossed on working on my latest novel, or my husband is involved in working on some of my promotional material.

L.S. is particularly fond of settling in on the hard copy of the latest manuscript my husband is editing for me. Celine is especially pleased when I decide to work at my desk, because she takes a giant leap, landing in the middle of my notes, then stretching out, scattering papers all over the floor, so I have room to scratch her back. All three love to jump on chairs, tables, desks, computers, even printers and sing loud and clear. "Time for us!"

And, yes, we do take time out and play with them. Okay, we admit it. It's good for them and good for us. That was one late night phone call we'll never regret taking.

                                       About Allison's Novel, Windsong:

Alwyn ab Brynn Ffrydd wants revenge against a powerful Baron without losing his king's support. What better way to exact revenge than to kidnap the Baron's long time mistress. But she is not what he thinks she is.

Shy, unworldly Milisent Mortimore has been confined for nine years by a brother who now demands she agree to wed a cruel, heartless man. Thanks to her father's will, she has the right to chose her mate or her spouse will lose her inheritance.

When Alwyn kidnaps her desires flares and together they must struggle against the treachery of Alwyn's current mistress, her brother and the man he wants her to marry.

In defying all three, Alwyn places his life at risk. Milisent saves him from certain death and together they celebrate their life of love. 

Buy Link for WINDSONG is:     http://www.amazon.com/Windsong-ebook/dp/B0064XIPIG/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1364241476&sr=8-14&keywords=allison+Knight

Or the tiny URL is:                        http://tinyurl.com/cksavku

My publisher, CBG, www.ChampagneBooks.com  is planning to release BETRAYED BRIDE, a contemporary Romance, May 6, 2013.  

My web page:                www.AllisonKnight.com.  (There are buy links for each of my books, plus reviews and excerpts for each book on the web  page.)

My blog:                        www.AllisonKnight.blogspot.com

My twitter account:         www.twitter.com/HistoricalAllie

PLEASE WELCOME ALLISON KNIGHT BY LEAVING A COMMENT BELOW.