Welcome back, friend! Elle Marr is a #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of six thrillers and I am honored to be on tour for her latest book, The Alone Time. Fans of Colleen Hoover and Karin Slaughter enjoy Elle’s psychological suspense. Let’s learn the inside story behind this thriller from Elle. 🙂
The Alone Time
For two sisters, confronting the past could come at a terrible price in a riveting novel about a family tragedy—and family secrets—by the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Elle Marr.
Fiona and Violet Seng were just children when their family’s Cessna crash-landed in the Washington wilderness, claiming the lives of their parents. For twelve harrowing weeks, the girls fended for themselves before being rescued.
Twenty-five years later, they’re still trying to move on from the trauma. Fiona repurposes it into controversial works of art. Violet has battled addiction and failed relationships to finally progress toward normalcy as a writer. The estranged sisters never speak about what they call their Alone Time in the wild. They wouldn’t dare—until they become the subject of a documentary that renews public fascination with the “girl survivors” and questions their version of the events.
When disturbing details about the Seng family are exposed, a strange woman claims to know the crash was deliberate. Fiona and Violet must come together to face the horrifying truth of what happened out there and what they learned about their parents and themselves. Before any other secrets emerge from the woods.
Get to know the author:Â Elle Marr
Hi Elle! It is a pleasure to have you on Armed with A Book. Please tell me and my readers a bit about yourself.
Photo credit: Jana Foo Photography
Thank you for having me! I’m a thriller author with five published books under my belt since I debuted in 2020. It’s been a busy few years — made busier by my small kiddos! Although a native Californian, I moved abroad to France for three years (where I ate my weight in croissants and cheese), then eventually re-located to the Pacific Northwest in Oregon where I now live with my family.Â
What inspired you to write The Alone Time?
Honestly, I have been wanting to write this story for a while now, but was waiting until the moment felt right — until I had the brain space to really process my own experiences. The Alone Time is inspired by a plane crash I was in when I was a child. Obviously, it was traumatic in lasting ways, but I’m also very fortunate in that no one was injured. The same cannot be said for Fiona and Violet, my main characters in The Alone Time, and I wanted to explore how survivors of a crash (much worse than mine) would handle that legacy into adulthood. Especially if neither of them is exactly sure of what transpired in the woods.
The Alone Time delves into the idea of public fascination with survivor stories and the consequences of being thrust into the spotlight. Why did you explore this theme?Â
Over the years, I can’t help but note when the public consciousness becomes enthralled with these stories, both to the detriment of said survivors and sometimes to their advantage. Ultimately, I am fascinated by the effects of trauma—specifically, when we ignore it–and that theme will often show up in my writing. Â
What is something you would like the readers of this book to take away or ponder?
The truth always comes out—although not necessarily in the ways that we expect or desire.
Do you have a favourite quote or scene in The Alone Time that you find yourself going back to?
I love something that Fiona says toward the beginning of the book: I hope to meet a man one day who doesn’t think loving someone means having ownership over all her thoughts. This quote encapsulates her mindset up to this point — of fighting against society’s expectations of her as a woman and as a reluctantly public figure whose experiences have been commodified.Â
How has your education and international experiences influenced your writing?
Significantly. In my writing, I frequently draw on tidbits that I learned while in college and experiences that I had while living in France, then later while studying in a Masters program based in Paris. I tend to retain interesting facts for years on end, and the breadth of unusual encounters that I’ve had often influences my characters’ viewpoints today. I find myself plumbing those moments, leaning on them as I create new scenarios while drawing on universal emotions.Â
How is this similar and different from your previously published books?Â
This book continues to explore dynamic and dysfunctional family relationships, as all my books do, but it focuses on the lengths we will go to survive — not only the initial trauma, but the years that follow. The Alone Time is unique in that it examines whether and how the truth (or the omission of the truth) shapes our identity.
Can you share any insights into your writing process?
I start with a hook. An idea or premise that sinks its claws into me and doesn’t let go for weeks on end. If I’ve stopped thinking about it, I know that readers will also lose interest—and I never want that.
For readers who enjoyed your book, what should they pick up next? Can you share 1-3 recommendations?
I would recommend Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez; She Left by Stacie Grey; and my next adult thriller that is coming July 30 from Disney & Hyperion Avenue called Your Dark Secrets.
Click the cover to learn more about the book:
Are you currently working on any new projects or ideas?
Yes! I’m writing a new thriller for publication in 2025, but I can’t talk about it just yet. Hoping to share more details soon!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I love connecting with readers across social media, and I’m so grateful whenever someone tags me in a post. Thank you for sharing about The Alone Time, Kriti!
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me and share with my readers.
Thanks for joining us! Connect with Elle on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok and Goodreads.
I hope you will check out The Alone Time on Goodreads. You will find my review on my blog sometime in the future. 🙂
Many thanks to Over the River PR for giving me a chance to highlight this book on my blog in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for reading my thoughts. 🙂
Check out other reviewers on the tour:
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