Chatting with Allyson Roy~Alice and Roy

Alice and Roy, Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us at Manic Readers today.

First I wanted to let y’all know that I adore Saylor and Benita but especially Saylor. I never made it to five feet either and between my size and names, I know exactly how she felt. Madcap noir fits this series beautifully and I admit to laughing out loud in my dentist’s waiting room. Fortunately they know me and expect these kinds of things.

Thanks, Ivy. We love to hear from readers who say they couldn’t help laughing out loud. That was definitely our goal in creating two bungling, lovable characters who get themselves in over their heads — thriller content that keeps you turning the page combined with comedy that stops you in your tracks for a good laugh. Plus a bit of sexy fun.

How did y’all meet?

Roy was studying art and taking a class in life drawing. Alice was a hungry dancer who modeled in art schools and for professional artists to earn money. He liked what he saw.

Out of all the neighborhoods y’all have lived in, was there a favorite?

Roy: Manhattan’s East and West Village.
Alice: I don’t have a favorite. They all had things I loved and things that drove me nuts.

I understand that Saylor was created in response to a funk Roy fell in while writing about a boxer suffering from pugilistic dementia. How did Roy’s creation translate to Allyson Roy? Had y’all written together before Aphrodisiac?

Our editor insisted we use a female pseudonym because the book was to be marketed originally under Romantic Suspense. She was concerned a male author might put off female readers. Roy came up with the name Allyson Roy as in Alice n’ Roy. As it turned out we discovered that female readers were actually very receptive to a male and female writing team. Maybe we’ll use our real names at some point.

How many happy dances did y’all do when you found out you’d won the Daphne du Maurier award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense? That had to have been really thrilling.

Yes, it was thrilling! And very rewarding to actually have our debut novel win an award.

Morning person, night owl, when do you find you’re most productive? Do you do better when you have time to wiggle & tweak things or when it’s crunch time? Alice? Roy?

Roy: I’m a night owl and like working between 1 a.m and 7 a.m. I dread crunch time, but ironically, I do some of my best work when I have to move fast and am slightly delirious.

Alice: Roy is a high-energy person who works in short bursts. He can stay up round the clock or work out a plot problem in the grocery store. I need my sleep, prefer working in the day and need to have several hours in front of me when I sit down to write.

So y’all compliment each other beautifully then…

Stress relievers?

Alice: A juicy book that’s unlike whatever I’m working on at the time. A corny, old movie. Listening to B.B King, Alicia Keyes or Puccini.

Roy: Punching inanimate objects. They can’t sue me.

Vice(s)?

Roy: Do you really think I’m going to flip you an honest answer on that one?

Well yeah, kinda hoping…everybody has at least one.  If there’s more than one, the lesser of the evils.

Alice: Reading endlessly and telling myself it’s research when it’s actually avoidance.

Alice, favorite book as a child? Teen? Adult? Roy, likewise?

Alice: There were so many! I remember getting chills in the library trying to decide what to bring home. I loved fairy tales, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Tolkien, Dickens, Mary Renault, Bronte and Judy Blume. I also remember going through a phase where I read everything I could find about Cleopatra and Egypt. As an adult I’m a compulsive reader with eclectic tastes. Paranormals, Suspense, Literary, Regencies, SF&F, RomCom and books on ancient history.

We have a lot in common as far as reading tastes Alice.  I’m all over the place too.

Roy: As a child, Playboy, ur, uh, I mean, The Little Engine That Could. Later, Davis Grubb’s The Night Of The Hunter.

Everyone has a nickname. I read where Alice’s was Jocko because she was so athletic. In the interest of reciprocal disclosure I’ll fess up a couple that are particularly embarrassing Roy if you’ll fess up yours?

Roy: Since I already fessed up to you via email the embarrassing nickname my dad gave me at age six, I’ll go public with another one from my later years — Rapid Roy.

Yeppers and my lips are sealed, wild horses, water torture etc..couldn’t get it outta me….

Currently reading?

Roy: My latest unfinished manuscript

Alice: Maggie Steifvater, Nicole Jordan, Y.S. Lee

Care to give us any hints on what’s up next for my favorite intrepid duo?

The revenge of the alien psychos from hell. Or, maybe not.

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see then…..
Alice and Roy, I’ve had a large time and look forward to reading more of Saylor and Benita’s adventures. Thank y’all again for taking the time to be with us today.

Thanks, Ivy. It’s been fun.