Alecia Westmorland
Author Interview - Alecia Westmorland
Author of “Her Fantasy, Her Terror, Her Trap”
With only an elite few selected to become parents through the grueling and mysterious tests of The Scrutiny, Mary Theranaz has sculpted her life to gain a child she believes will erase the dark traumas of her past.
Her meticulously laid plans are derailed when she becomes the reluctant host of a wanted woman on the run—Helen Martin, who was forced to abandon her own child to save him from violent criminals. They forge an unlikely alliance, combining their savviness and courage to pursue the impossible: conquering The Scrutiny while recovering Helen’s missing son. Meanwhile, dauntless police detective Ona Rowds closes in on their secrets, unearthing a dangerous truth that could destroy her noble way of life. Pushed to their limits, these three women set out to shatter the powerful forces controlling their lives.
Author Interview - Alecia Westmorland
Author I draw inspiration from:
Lauren Roberts, who authored the “Powerless” trilogy. Her imagery dazzles me. Whether she’s painting the sun journeying across the sky or a sword plowing through someone’s chest, her lyrical descriptions send goosebumps splattering down my arms.
She also crafts character arcs with such satisfying completion. The main character Paedyn Gray gets pummeled by so many life events she’s eventually reshaped entirely, emotionally hewed into a stronger and more self-aware protagonist. I also appreciate Roberts’ devotion to crafting unflinchingly bold female characters. I’m pretty sure Paedyn Gray could put Katniss Everdeen in a headlock.
I devoured all three of the “Powerless” trilogy—“Powerless,” “Reckless” and “Fearless”—and I’m trying to pencil time into my reading schedule for the companion novellas “Powerful” and “Fearful.” I heartily admire how Roberts continues to expand the literary footprint of this addictive fantasy universe, letting superfans dive into deliciously flawed characters and their dark secrets with shameless abandon.
Author Interview - Alecia Westmorland | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
When the weather is warm—or preferably scorching—my porch serves as my favorite reading habitat. Living in the Las Vegas area, the climate meets that criterion most of the year. Otherwise, I curl up to read in my husband’s video gaming chair in our room. That might sound a little strange, but that model of furniture is designed to accommodate a sitting body for endless hours and offers superlative lumbar support. I highly recommend it to fellow bookworms.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
Can I give two very different answers, with two starkly different outcomes in mind? My first choice would be Vianne from “Chocolat” by Joanne Harris (and the newly released prequel “Vianne”).
My second choice would be Jack Blank, the main character of the mind-blowingly engrossing middle-grade Jack Blank Adventure fantasy trilogy by Matt Myklusch, which I cherished reading aloud to my son (the trilogy spans “The Accidental Hero,” “The Secret War” and “The End of Infinity”).
With Vianne, she would serendipitously have a bag crammed with elegantly handcrafted confections. We would split the savory masterpieces while she would teach me her supernatural ability to detect strangers’ favorites. When a janitor finally would wrench the doors open, we'd emerge with a sparkling plan to open a shop together, peddling magical morsels to ease our customers’ spiritual burdens.
With Jack, he possesses the expertly honed superpower to manipulate machines. So as soon as the elevator got stuck, he would overpower it with his mind and free us in seconds. That choice is more about convenience, really.
Author Interview - Alecia Westmorland | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
I can’t dredge up a hard date on this, because I’ve found joy in writing for as long as I can remember. My parents can attest that even as a sugar-fueled little girl, I constantly scribbled down stories. I remember inflating with pride when my first-grade teacher lauded my custom version of an Indiana Jones plot.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
Somehow this feels elitist, but I prefer hardbacks. Paperbacks come in a close second. Audiobooks third, and ebooks a very distant last.
With hardbacks, I relish the steadying weight, the trusty durability, the tactile sensation of satiny paper between my fingers. It makes reading a more grounding experience. Paperbacks have their advantages, too, especially being easy to stuff into a purse for reading on the go.
I get very restless listening to audiobooks, and oddly feel a little powerless. I want to be the one reading, just like I want to be in the driver’s seat on family errands. And for inexplicable reasons, ebooks just don’t hold my attention. My mind meanders. My eyes lose focus. I just dislike reading a screen.
Also: you don’t have to charge a book, and no one will ask you to turn it off on an airplane.
The last book I read:
“Little Movements” by Lauren Morrow, following a choreographer developing a new work as she grapples with personal and professional catastrophes. This is a hackneyed phrase, but I mean it: I just couldn’t put it down. I’m an ardent fan of live dance performances, and reading about the protagonist’s artistic process was like sneaking a peek behind the scenes.
As an added bonus, the prose was as fluid and commanding as the movements described. The book also served up a compelling blend of humor and heartbreak. Just enough of the first to temper the second. I realize it’s fiction, but I closed the book hoping all the best for the main character’s future.
Author Interview - Alecia Westmorland | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I predominantly write on my computer, because CIA analysts couldn’t crack my handwriting. I do keep pads and pens scattered around the house to quickly scrawl ideas that suddenly hit me, though. I also sometimes type up emails I send to myself on my phone, if ideas ferment in my brain when I’m away from the house.
I’m also often jotting down ideas for books. When one really ignites excitement in me, I type up an outline. That follows with mapping out the chief characters’ characteristics and goals. From there, I just need time to quilt it all together.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
Delphie Bookham from “Love of My Afterlife” by Kirsty Greenwood. She’s unapologetically quirky, she can spout side-splitting witticisms ad nauseam and she adores art. I can envision us globetrotting on girls’ weekends, exploring the world’s most vaunted galleries and not taking a single second too seriously.
Author Interview - Alecia Westmorland | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
I currently wield my pen professionally as a public relations specialist and for fun crafting novels. I do have an additional dream career! Once in my prior years as a newspaper reporter, I worked on a story that involved riding on a helicopter, and the experience left me breathless with exhilaration. I’ve occasionally flirted with the idea of becoming a helicopter pilot. I do struggle with a paralyzing fear of heights, though, so that might prove a sizable obstacle.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
No one has ever accused me of being a sophisticated dresser, but I harbor a strong appreciation for ‘60s stylings. I think it’s the kooky space-age experimentation, the color-splashed hippy attire, and the emergence of the gamine style with pixie cuts and boyish flair.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I would happily return to any of the international destinations I’ve visited with my hunky husband—probably Italy above all. After hopscotching across Italian cities, fragments of my heart are eternally embedded in the rust-red rooftops of Florence, the craggy cliffs of Cinque Terre, the monolithic ruins of Rome and the lollipop-colored buildings of Positano. Not to mention, Italy is bursting with music, sculptures and paintings that I can’t explore enough of.
My signature drink:
It’s a tie between coffee and tea. I savor the mellow warmth coating my throat. It heats my stomach, heart and soul all at once.
Favorite artist:
Cliché as this answer is, I’d probably say Vincent van Gogh. No matter how many times I view his works, I’m captivated by the vivid colors, the furred textures, the swirling brushstrokes, the prick of pain in his self-portraits’ eyes.
Number one on my bucket list:
I’m not really one for bucket lists. Life throws a lot of curveballs, so I don’t want to squander too much time and energy plotting out future desires. I just want to be as present as I can be every day and enjoy what life offers in each moment.
Find more from the author:
https://www.facebook.com/alecia.warren.71
https://x.com/AleciaPress
About Alecia Westmorland:
Alecia Westmorland
Alecia Westmorland relishes crafting propulsive, character-driven fiction centered on empowered women. Her debut women’s fiction novel, “Her Fantasy, Her Terror, Her Trap,” weaves a thrilling narrative about women pushed to their limits who forge unlikely alliances to shatter the forces controlling their lives. With a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, Alecia hails from over 20 years of award-winning experience as a reporter, freelance writer and public relations professional.
When she puts down her pen, Alecia is busy navigating piano lessons, Costco runs and additional adventures of family life with her husband and young son in the Las Vegas area. She finds tremendous joy in visiting art galleries, seeing musicals, playing the violin, reading and writing.
