Escape
Alison Bellringer
Austin Macauley Publishers (2024)
ISBN: 978-1035873708
Alison Bellringer has been writing short stories to share with friends and family for many years and always enjoys exploring her creativity when putting pen to paper, so she is excited to have the opportunity to share her love of writing with others through the art of publishing.
Alison loves spending time with her pet dog, a Labrador x Huntaway called Smoky, teaching her tricks and taking her for walks. She lives in a small town in New Zealand near many beautiful parks and beaches.
Alison has been playing trombone since about 2010, euphonium from mid-2019, and always likes getting together with a few friends to ‘make a joyful noise’ sharing music. She also enjoys a bit of freelance photography when she gets the chance, especially if it involves taking pictures of sunsets.
One of her books, The Bronson Escapades, is a Silver Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards® honorary seal of excellence, and The Wolf Cub is a 2nd Place winner of the Royal Dragonfly Book Award Competition of 2024 in both the ‘Education’ and ‘Coffee Table & Gift Books’ categories, in addition to obtaining Honorary Mention in several others: Best Cover Design, Children’s Chapter Books, Middle Grade Fiction, and Animals/Pets (a complete list of results can be found on the Story Monsters Book Awards website).
Hi Alison. Welcome to Reader Views! Your trilogy begins with Whisper and follows Britney’s journey through hardship and transformation. What inspired you to write this story?
I wanted to challenge myself in writing about something quite different to what was contained within any of my earlier works, in the process tackling several reasonably serious or thought-provoking themes which are concerningly becoming far too common a problem in the real world, all while keeping its use of language, and descriptive tone regarding quite sensitive subjects, aptly suitable for a younger aged audience.
Did you always plan for Whisper to be the start of a trilogy, or did the later books develop organically as you wrote?
Actually, Whisper was originally written as a stand-alone story which a friend of mine read, and who then suggested could definitely be turned into a very compelling series. After that, I explored different ways to develop a few of the side characters in the two subsequent installments, Lucas and Escape, filling out more of the backstory for each individual to create a well-rounded trilogy.
Each book focuses on a different central character—Britney in Whisper, Lucas in Lucas, and Kaylee in Escape. How did you approach shifting perspectives while maintaining a cohesive narrative?
I admit that some of the overlapping scenes did get a little confusing at first, when attempting to describe them from different angles. But I tried to depict each rendition as simply a way to provide more clarity about certain situations, rather than it being a contradiction of anything that had already been established. In this regard all the key facts remained the same throughout, while also enabling greater insights to be separately deduced about each character, especially as to how they felt in particular settings or exactly what they were thinking in response to specific events.
Family plays a huge role in these books, whether it’s the bonds we’re born into or those we build. What drew you to explore these relationships?
I always enjoy writing about issues such as friendship, and these books are all about how unique individuals relate to those around them, whether they’re connected by blood or circumstantially joined together through the kindness of strangers. This series wonderfully illustrates the love that can flourish between different kinds of people, young and old, when their differences are clearly put aside, and only willing acceptance and open acts of kindness are freely offered in its place.
Abuse, survival, and redemption are key themes in the trilogy. What was the most challenging part of writing about these topics for a younger audience?
The most difficult part about this trilogy was keeping it appropriate and writing at a level where these younger children would understand the broader issues being addressed, while simultaneously not including too much vivid detail relating to the more sensitive nature these particular topics represent. Whisper, Lucas, and Escape are useful tools in which I wrote with the deliberate intention of helping to validate the unfortunate eye-opening reality that people all over the world are encountering similar such problems on an all-too-regular basis.
Animals play an important role in the books, from Whisper to Bandit to Old Tangle. What significance do these canine protectors hold in the story?
I absolutely love dogs, so I’m always looking to explore new ways to portray these incredible animals. The age-old theme of ‘Man’s Best Friend’ is certainly one of my favorite subjects to touch on, and a very familiar theme detected throughout my writing, and this trilogy proves to be no exception to that rule. Whisper, Bandit, and Old Tangle are as different as the people who love them, but they all selflessly offer companionship, protection, and their unquestioning devotion when the human characters would otherwise have been left alone to navigate ofttimes confusing, or even life-threatening, circumstances along each individual’s journey. The parts these three dogs play in the trilogy is varied, but equally significant to those who knew them – Whisper, a lost puppy, extends friendship to a similarly lonely little girl, instantly bonding with her like no other and becoming practically inseparable. Bandit readily adopts Lucas as one of the family, his sense of duty unsurprisingly causing the dog to follow the boy when the devastated orphan hastily leaves home, the depth of his self-imposed loyalty stopping nothing short of giving his own life to protect his young charge. Old Tangle’s appearance is much shorter, but no less meaningful, helping Britney’s ma regain courage during one of the most troubling instances of her life.
Lucas undergoes a major journey from runaway to protector. What aspects of his character were most important for you to develop in Lucas?
With Lucas, I really appreciated having the opportunity to give readers another chance to better get to know the man who eagerly took the vulnerable Britney under his wing. Understanding more about Lucas’ background lends credence to the idea that his own childhood years had also been extremely difficult for him to overcome, which is likely a huge part of the reason why he didn’t like seeing another distraught child being caught in a similar position and quickly jumped at the prospect of taking responsibility over her care. Despite being orphaned at a young age, Lucas finds his place with a caring older couple who model compassion and kindness every day of the week, which in turn consistently serves to teach him to always treat others with the same amount of endless love and unbridled respect that they do.
In Escape, we see Kaylee’s story unfold—how did writing her perspective add new layers to the overall trilogy?
Once again, this next book in the series also strives to inform readers about the background of a particular character and how things really came to be as a tangible result of all the choices they made. In Escape, Kaylee’s extended separation from her beloved daughter takes on an even deeper meaning when readers discover just why the inexperienced mother forces the child to run away as a desperate last attempt to protect the severely malnourished young girl from being beaten. Kaylee does everything she can to shield Britney from harm, but she is so afraid of what might happen that she instinctively knows that even though giving up her daughter would be something incredibly hard for both of them to face, she believes it to be the safest option for Britney’s sake. Kaylee’s marriage to Carlos is filled with life-changing decisions, and her unyielding commitment towards her abusive husband, missing child, and estranged parents is something to be admired as the innocent woman tirelessly seeks to reconnect with her loved ones and gain a more complete understanding of why Carlos changed so much after their hasty wedding, as well as to make some sort of sense out of all the appalling things that followed in the wake of his most unexpected behavior.
Carlos is a complex character, particularly in Escape. His redemption is left somewhat open-ended. Did you ever consider writing more from his perspective?
Not really. I merely wanted to give readers a basic understanding as to how this character’s behavior underwent drastic changes as Carlos reacted to different situations around him, and I believe the trilogy achieves this aspect of the story. It’s really all about him wanting to fit in with those around him, as well as trying to live up to others’ misguided expectations. And while this character does make some poor choices, which also affect the lives of certain others, it does take something rather extreme to happen, such as abruptly believing he’d lost his wife and child, before Carlos is finally able to see the whole truth and decide to turn down the new path of seeking forgiveness and second chances instead.
Transformation is a major theme, especially with Britney’s father in Whisper. What was your approach in crafting his character arc, and did you wrestle with how to portray his change convincingly?
Making the character of Carlos intriguing and mysterious, while still remaining somewhat realistic and genuinely believable as a person, was certainly challenging, and this was one part of the story that I kept going back to throughout the entire series. Carlos’ actions play an integral role in the trilogy, especially towards his daughter, and I wanted this general sense of character to help showcase how different people process various ideas and then uniquely respond to a range of individual factors in their lives. A fitting example of this is the contrast between the different people, or groups of people, which Carlos is exposed to during particular stages of each book: while working at the docks, he was surrounded by uncouth, foul-mouthed men who thought nothing of having a brawl or using their fists to make a point.
Later, Carlos works alongside the much younger Lucas, who patiently shows him that there is another and more fulfilling way to live in harmony, primarily through his evident kindness and thoughtful consideration of others. Carlos allows his outward behavior to be influenced in both instances when he began mimicking that of those around him rather than doing what he already knew and believed to be the right thing. So, when Carlos eventually does grasp the error of his ways, the character is filled with intense remorse, and his grief is deeply felt until such time as he is able to ease some of the guilt and find peace with everything he’d done.
Were any characters or storylines inspired by real-life experiences or people?
While I am familiar with the general concept of abuse and other forms of bullying and have observed some of the shocking results of it taking place, none of these characters or situations were truly inspired by any personal experience or first-hand knowledge.
The books move at a fast pace, which keeps readers engaged. Did you ever struggle with balancing action and emotional depth?
Because my stories are all on the shorter end of the normal range, it’s essential to keep everything moving along reasonably quickly without also losing out on certain other key aspects of the writing process, such as applying suitable character development or skimming too lightly over important details connecting to the plot. This precarious balancing act can shift fairly easily and is certainly an area to be keenly aware of, but for me, most of it seems to flow quite naturally. Over time, I have also consistently found it simpler to achieve this kind of result the more often I am able to write, and therefore practice, my overall skills.
Many readers connect strongly with characters like Britney and Lucas. Have you received any feedback that particularly resonated with you?
I always try to craft each of my characters with a fresh voice, which readers are quickly able to understand and empathize with as they face various uncertainties in their lives and overcome particular challenges, as if pulling them directly into the story itself. I have also had several very encouraging reviews in regard to my trilogy, but the following few sentences from one of the most recent excerpts are probably the main sections which stood out to me the most: “Lucas is such a great book! I loved the first book in the series, Whisper, so I was super excited to read this one, and it did not disappoint… Sometimes the book is sad, sometimes it’s heartwarming, and sometimes it’s exciting. The writing is so good that I could picture everything in my head, from the little cottage to the cozy workshop… These stories are ones that stay with you even after you finish them, and I think other kids my age would really love them!” – Charlotte: City Book Review (Kids’ Book Buzz), 2025
If you had to pick one scene across the entire trilogy that you’re most proud of, which would it be and why?
I would probably choose the scene in the cottage when Britney finally begins to accept that Lucas is not like her pa and will not hurt her, immediately after being terrified by an optimistic thief. As if frozen in time, this is the exact moment in the story when the abused little girl (who knows of no other treatment from a grown man), really starts to heal from her past wounds and unconsciously recognizes that despite being strangers, the amount of compassion being shown to her by ‘Uncle Lucas’ and ‘Grandma Ruby’ symbolizes the same sense of security and comfort that she instinctively remembers receiving from her ma. Although Britney is still quite young at this point, and unable to fully comprehend everything that is happening, she does accurately manage to identify a deep sense of contentment when being treated as a valued individual, or even as a full-blooded member of the family.
Your titles—Whisper, Lucas, Escape—are simple yet powerful. How did you choose them?
At the moment, I am particularly liking the idea of matching distinct, one-word titles that directly relate to the accompanying storyline, as they can be quite short but still somehow manage to capture something quite special and attract vital attention to the book at the same time. Firstly, I chose Whisper with the expectation that it would resonate quickly with readers, as this is one of the few words that the main character is actually able to speak since it is also one that Britney’s ma often chooses to comfort her with after a fright (it is also what she starts calling the lost puppy which befriends her towards the beginning of the book).
Lucas is simply the title character of the second book, which seeks to delve deeper into the life of the orphan boy before growing up and then rescuing Britney from her world of abuse. And finally, Escape manages to tie everything together at the end, uncovering the more intimate details regarding Britney’s parents and why they decided to run away and start a life together in the first place, not seeming to realize just how swiftly everything around them could change. The entire series is connected as each of these characters search for their own place to belong and fully discover how their lives all weave together, often in very unexpected ways.
The books explore deep and sometimes heavy themes. What do you hope young readers take away from this series?
When reading the books in this trilogy, my hope is that children who find themselves in similar circumstances as any particular character, or know of someone who might be, will rediscover that they are not alone when facing such complex issues. The series is meant to be a beacon of hope, giving these children a burst of courage to find new, innovative ways to move past the problem or even just to take the first step in approaching someone else who may be willing and more able to offer the necessary assistance along the challenging road to recovery.
Did you ever consider writing a fourth book, perhaps from Carlos’s perspective or following Britney as she grows up?
Not particularly. I feel that the trilogy is a fairly satisfying set of three, and through the various knowledge readers are able to glean from each book or installment, they should easily be able to envision the future lives of certain characters. Also, I generally enjoy leaving plenty of room in my stories to really allow readers to imagine for themselves what might be going to happen next…
Throughout the trilogy, each book reveals new layers of past events from different perspectives. Were there any surprises for you as a writer when revisiting past moments through a new character’s eyes?
It was quite interesting to go back over some of the key scenes later on but always switching between characters to look at it from another viewpoint. While it took a bit of time to compare overlapping sections of the trilogy to clear up any inconsistencies found, I don’t actually recall being particularly surprised by how any of it turned out.
Now that the trilogy is complete, what do you feel was the most rewarding part of writing it?
I believe that the most rewarding part about this series was finally being able to see how each book in the trilogy could be read as separate entities, but more importantly, are all noteworthy pieces of the same puzzle. They each offer a quick supplementary glimpse into a much broader picture, intensifying the overall reading experience across the entire trilogy, and as an added result, enriching the general standpoint of any dedicated reader.
What’s next for you? Are you working on a new book or exploring different projects?
I have just approved the final proof of my next book, which is being released quite soon. This will be my eighth published work so far, which have all been achieved in an ongoing collaboration with Austin Macauley Publishers, and I have lots of other ideas to keep me busy in the meantime.
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