Blog Tour & Interview: Alison Littman, Author of Radio Underground

Alison Littman lives in San Francisco where she’s a writer by day and standup comedian by night. A former journalist in New Mexico, she covered politics and education while also contributing articles on John F. Kennedy and The Beatles to various specialty magazines. Her feature stories focus on listening to rock 'n' roll behind the Iron Curtain and Cold War politics. Radio Underground is her first novel.

Website Address: https://www.readalisonlittman.com/

Twitter Address: https://twitter.com/AliMcShpiel

Facebook Address: https://www.facebook.com/readalisonlittman/

About the Book:

Title: RADIO UNDERGROUND
Author: Alison Littman
Publisher: Last Syllable Books
Pages: 354
Genre: Historical Fiction

BOOK BLURB:

After years of suffering under the communist regime in Cold War Hungary, Eszter Turján—fanatical underground journalist—would sacrifice anything, and anyone, to see the government fall. When she manipulates news broadcasts on Radio Free Europe, she ignites a vicious revolution, commits a calamitous murder, and is dragged away screaming to a secret underground prison.

Her daughter Dora, then a teenager, cowers in her bedroom as the secret police arrest her mother. Haunted and hurt, Dora vows to work against everything Eszter believes in. But, it’s not that simple.

After nine years, Dora meets a strapping young fan of Radio Free Europe and is unwittingly drawn back into Eszter’s circle. She finds her mother, driven mad by years of torture, is headed for death.

On the brink of losing Eszter again, Dora must decide if she should risk her life to save the mother who discarded her—or leave it to fate.

“A propulsive read and a timely reminder that maintaining our humanity requires courage as much as love.”- Kim van Alkemade, New York Times best-selling author of Orphan #8 and Bachelor Girl

“Littman’s debut novel is a delectable blend of history and heartstrings, sure to please the palates of literature lovers everywhere.”- Selene Castrovilla, award-winning author of Melt and Luna Rising

5 out of 5 star review from Readers’ Favorite

“Radio Underground reads like a movie…A revolutionary tale written with style.”- Readers’ Favorite

ORDER YOUR COPY:

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What’s inside the mind of a Historical Fiction author?

Today, I was thinking about the way a fur shawl would feel under the fingers of a woman in 1880s Ukraine who is known for being a fashionista. I keep thinking about her, and I think she may be part of a future novel.

What is so great about being an author?

Getting immersed in the worlds of characters to the point where they are leading you through life.

When do you hate it?

Probably when I have tried over and over to fix an issue with a word, paragraph, chapter, etc. and it’s still not working.

What is a regular writing day like for you?

I usually write in the morning a little, work out, do errands and day-job tasks, some stand up comedy at night, and then write when I get home until about 1 or 2 a.m.

How do you handle negative reviews?

I can’t say I’ve developed an effective strategy for that. A part of me wants to make comedy out of them, but the other part wants to crawl in bed and not come out.

How do you handle positive reviews?

Well, I feel great and post them all over.

What is the usual response when you tell a new acquaintance that you’re an author?

That’s so cool! Wow!

What do you do on those days you don’t feel like writing? Do you force it or take a break?

It depends. I usually force it but not for too long. I take breaks around the holidays or a weekend if I need to. I’d rather break for something fun rather than out of frustration.

Any writing quirks?

I love writing violently messy, chaotic first drafts.

What would you do if people around you didn’t take your writing seriously or see it as a hobby?

I’d write about it.

Some authors seem to have a love-hate relationship to writing. Can you relate?

Yes! Of course some days when you can’t produce the type of writing you want, it’s just so frustrating. Then, there are the times when you sit back and think, “My god, I just wrote a sentence I like, I mean I actually like,” and it’s those moments you keep writing for.

Do you think success as an author must be linked to money?

Not at all. Success is whether you have achieved the writing you want, for you yourself.

What has writing taught you?

To just keep pushing yourself to go on. Those characters will come find you, if you just keep looking.

Leave us with some words of wisdom.

If you want to write, just set a word count goal and get anything you can on paper. It doesn’t have to be good. In fact, if you’re like me, it will be an absolute jumble of words. But, once you see that word count going up and up, you’ll start to believe you can actually do it. Worry about revising later. That initial burst of creativity is only dampened by revision.