Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft | Debut Friday
Hey everyone! Welcome to Debut Friday!
For today’s feature, I chatted with Allison Saft, the author of "Down Comes the Night", a standalone with a blend of YA Fantasy and Gothic romance that will be released on March 2, 2021.
Read ahead to see what Allison has to say about their publishing journey, their debut novel and their best advice for aspiring debut authors!
1. First off, congratulations on being published! How does it feel to be in the final steps of becoming a published author?
Allison: Thank you so much! It feels amazing and entirely surreal; at risk of being cliché, it’s a dream come true. I wrote the first draft of Down Comes the Night in late 2017, so it’s also been emotional to come to terms with the fact that the characters who’ve lived in my head for almost three years no longer belong to only me. Now that early copies have gone into the world, I’ve been able to connect with a few readers. That I get to share my work with others is an honor that will never get old.
2. From what I've heard, the publishing process was not an easy journey. What was the hardest part of the process for you and what did you learn from it?
Allison: It’s true that publishing can be brutal. At times, it can be filled with rejection and self-doubt. However, one of the hardest parts of the process for me is… right now! Letting go of Down Comes the Night is as exhilarating as it is terrifying; everything from here on out is totally out of my control. I also think I’ve had to shift my self-concept from “a person who writes books” to “an author.” I’m not writing purely for fun anymore--and I have to consider more than just my own tastes and whims when brainstorming and drafting new projects. I think this pre-publication period has taught me the value of my time and energy--that it’s ok to disconnect and take time for yourself. It’s also shown me that the absolute best thing for my well-being is to work on a new book!
3. Did you have any finished manuscripts before you started on "Down Comes the Night"?
Allison: Yes! Down Comes the Night was the third manuscript I finished! My first was an f/f contemporary YA that will never, ever see the light of day. The second was an f/f retelling of a legend in the Mythological Cycle that I may revisit someday. I finished both of those manuscripts and knew almost immediately that they weren’t viable, so I never revised them in earnest. They taught me so much about storytelling, though, so they’ll always have a special place in my heart!
4. What's the one thing you wished you knew about the publishing process?
Allison: I technically knew this, but I didn’t fully appreciate it until recently: authors do a lot more than write books. You’ll have days where 80% of your time is spent writing, and you’ll have days where 80% of your time is spent doing administrative work. Things like answering emails, writing newsletters, taking and editing photos, putting together graphics, maintaining a website, giving feedback on critique partners’ work, trying to stay on top of new releases… It’s all fun, but especially if you work a day job, it’s good to be mentally prepared for how much time the not-writing things can take.
5. Let’s talk about your debut novel! What was the main inspiration behind "Down Comes the Night"?
Allison: Down Comes the Night was something I wrote to remind myself why I loved writing. I wanted to capture the magic it used to have when I was a teenager. For me, that meant drawing on fanfiction tropes I loved--and pulling inspiration from a Naruto ship I desperately wanted to happen, even though the characters never… actually spoke to each other before one met his untimely end. Alas. After I finished the first draft, I realized I’d written in a lot of Gothic narrative elements without meaning to: entrapment, sickly men, moldering aristocracy, light mystery, weird science, Victorian aesthetics, big feelings, mysterious noblemen… In subsequent drafts, I leaned harder into those elements and wove in pieces of all my favorite Gothic and 19th-century media: namely, Crimson Peak, The Woman in White, Jane Eyre, Daniel Deronda, and Wuthering Heights. And so Down Comes the Night was born!
6. How did the title "Down Comes the Night" came along?
Allison: I’m a huge Fleetwood Mac fan; the title comes from the lyrics to The Chain. Funnily enough, I think I was just listening to Rumours on repeat while I was revising the first draft. I was preparing to apply for a mentorship program, Author Mentor Match, and needed to call the book something before I could submit the application. Songs always get lodged in my brain, and the lyrics “Listen to the wind blow, down comes the night / Running in the shadows, damn your love, damn your lies” would not let me go. The song is so moody and atmospheric--and it’s about relationships on the brink, about bonds that both unite and constrain us. It sets the stage for the book well, so I just went with it. It’s stuck ever since!
7. Describe "Down Comes the Night" in 5 words in one sentence.
Allison: Slowburn international and romantic tension.
8. Alongside your debut novel. what other 2021 YA debut novels you're most excited for?
Allison: I’ve already read Courtney Gould’s The Dead and the Dark and Jessica S. Olson’s Sing Me Forgotten and can say with confidence that they’re AMAZING. There are so many fantastic books coming out in 2021, but to list just a few I’m super excited for: June Tan’s Jade Fire Gold, Tori Bovalino’s The Devil Makes Three, Lauren Blackwood’s Within These Wicked Walls, Adrienne Tooley’s Sweet & Bitter Magic, and Louisa Onomé’s Like Home.
9. As a debut author, what is your best advice to those who wants to become a published author someday?
Allison: I think my best advice is to write the books only you could write. Fill them with your passions, your perspective, your incredibly specific interests. Down Comes the Night was the first book I wrote that I truly wanted to write, not the one I felt like I ought to write. Beyond that, I think you have to curate resilience--maybe even bullheaded optimism. You may find that the universe gives you every sign to quit. While sometimes you may have to evaluate whether you need to pivot or revise if you’re getting consistent feedback, you also have to know when rejections are subjective. Believe in the quality and value in your work. Stubbornly cling to the thought: “This will happen for me.”
10. And my last question! For the readers who are still hesitating to pick up "Down Comes the Night", why do you think they should give it a go?
Allison: If you like your fantasy genre-blending, romantic, and atmospheric, I think you’ll enjoy Down Comes the Night! It’s a mix of romance, dark fantasy, and Victorian Gothic. Moreover, it’s a book about legacy and emotions--and how challenging our prejudices and feeling deep compassion for others are among the strongest forces for good in the world.
Thank you so much for reading for reading today's feature!
A huge shout-out to Allison for being a part of Debut Friday!
You can follow her on her Instagram (@allisonhsaft).
And don't forget to add "Down Comes the Night" to your Goodreads!
You can click here to add it.