May has always been one of my favorite months, because by now, winter is really and truly over and everyone can look forward to the fun and relaxation of summer. Sitting under an umbrella at the beach or poolside with an icy drink and a good book -- can anything be better? But hey, should the summer heat become a little too much for you, you can always escape into the cool corridors and chilly mists of my debut paranormal historical, DARK OBSESSION, book one in my Blackheath Moor series.

Although I grew up in the Northeast, I've become a Florida girl through and through. I love the heat, wearing flip flops and shorts year round, and never having to deal with ice and snow. I love the palm trees and our turquoise ocean and the endless flat miles of Everglades between our two coasts. And yes, I like my unlimited choices of stores and restaurants, all within minutes of home. Yet oddly enough, when I write, I head straight for England of centuries ago. Talk about opposites. Strange, huh? I admit I was bitten by the Anglophile bug a long time ago, and I guess there's just this part of me that needs to indulge in that as much as I can.

Writing books gives me the perfect excuse, and no one can accuse me of wasting time daydreaming! I love the process of creating characters and settings and building worlds that readers can get lost in. In DARK OBSESSION, the setting of Blackheath Moor is like another character. It's a very eerie and unpredictable place, and takes on a life of its own as the emotions and mysteries in the story deepen.

As a reader, I'm also drawn to stories set in New Orleans, New York City, and pretty much anywhere in Europe. So here's a question for readers: what are some of your favorite settings, and how much importance do you place on where books are set? OK, that's two questions!

By the way, my editor recently told me she loves spending time in the world of Blackheath Moor. I hope you will too!

Allison 

www.allisonchase.com