Alesha Dykema Author Interview: Ideas, Writing, Porcelain Dolls, Survivor, Mom Life and More

Meet Alesha Dykema, a thriller author and self-proclaimed anti-social Midwesterner who balances writing twisty, dark stories with mom life, fitness obsessions, and collecting porcelain dolls. She dreams of off-grid woodland solitude, but for now, she’s writing wherever and whenever she can – early mornings, nap times, and late nights. In this interview, Alesha talks creepy inspiration, Survivor marathons, and why thrillers are her go-to genre…

What’s a typical weekend like for you when you’re not writing?

Usually the weekends are time with family and friends. Depending on the season we might have my son’s t-ball games or riding along in the cart while my husband and son golf.

What book has stayed with you the longest and why?

Ooh good question! It’s hard to narrow it down to one. You by Caroline Kepnes is definitely one. She executed such a unique and memorable character voice in Joe that he just sticks with you.

What’s a favorite or comfort TV show or film you always go back to?

Survivor is a big one. My husband makes fun of me because I rewatch them constantly even though I know what’s going to happen.

Do you collect anything / have any collections?

Yes! I collect porcelain dolls much to my husband’s dismay. I started getting them as gifts when I was young and I’ve held onto them over the years. My husband thinks they’re creepy but I think they’re wonderful lol

How long have you been writing, and what attracts you to the thriller genre?

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I stopped in my late teens and early twenties but started writing seriously with the intention to publish around 2018. I fumbled for a while before finding my niche in the thriller genre. I read a little bit of everything but I heavily gravitate to thrillers for the love of a good twist. Something about a scary situation happening to an average person and watching how they handle it is super interesting. And for many reasons, I think you should write what you love to read.

Where do you get your ideas from?

Everywhere. TV, books, conversations, people-watching. I take it all in and my imagination does the rest.

What does a typical writing day look like for you?

I’m a full-time mom, so it often looks like fitting it in where I can. Early mornings before the kids wake up, nap times, late nights. Sometimes my husband gets done with work early so I can go to a coffee shop to work.

Are you a planner or a ‘see where it goes’ kind of writer?

I always go into a book with a plan but so far, no book has followed the initial plan. So the plan is always changing.

If one of your novels were adapted into a TV series or film, who would you cast as the leads?

Ahhhh I don’t know! That’s a tough question. Let’s use He’s Found Me. For Scarlett, I think I’d pick Keira Knightley and Millie Bobby Brown as the younger version of her. Oliver Jackson-Cohen would be Evan. For Dan, maybe Alexander Skarsgård. And lastly, Marin would be Kate Bosworth. Whew! That took a lot of Googling!

Do you ever struggle with creative blocks? How do you push through them?

Oh, all the time. Firstly, I take the advice I read from another author, Tarryn Fisher. She said you have to increase your input. Watch good movies, read good books, go look at art, have conversations with people. A lot of times, your creative well has run empty and you need to fill it back up. So go consume art and talk to people. Let it inspire you. Another way I get out of a block is I change my working environment. I write in a different area of my house or go to a different coffee shop or park to write. Switching up the scenery usually helps me.

Which book of yours do you think readers should start with?

If She’s Found. They’re all standalone stories so they can be read in any order, but I like to put little Easter eggs from the previous book in the next book and you might not catch them if you read them out of order.

What writing project are you currently working on?

I’m working on my fourth book right now. Another standalone psychological thriller that involves some pretty messy family drama and a new friend! 

You can delve into Alesha’s fiction here: Alesha Dykema on Amazon