Alisse Lee Goldenberg Weaves Magic, Mythology, And History Into Unforgettable Stories Across Genres
Creating Compelling Characters
Alisse Lee Goldenberg blends folklore, mythology, and vivid characters across genres, balancing her writing career with family life while offering insight into her creative process and storytelling journey.
Alisse Lee Goldenberg, an award-winning author, has mastered the art of blending folklore, mythology, and rich storytelling across multiple genres, from fantasy and young adult paranormal romance to horror and children’s literature. With acclaimed series like The Sitnalta Series, The Children of Colonodona, The Dybbuk Scrolls, and The Bath Salts Journals (co-authored with An Tran), Goldenberg has become a literary force known for creating immersive worlds and compelling characters.
Her background in Fine Arts and Education, combined with her lifelong love of folklore, fuels the depth and authenticity of her writing. In an exclusive interview with Reader’s House, Goldenberg shares her insights into the creative process, the inspiration behind her most beloved works, and how she balances her writing career with family life.
Alisse Lee Goldenberg masterfully blends folklore and mythology, creating captivating stories filled with rich characters and immersive worlds that resonate with readers.
Inspired by Folklore and Family
Goldenberg’s interest in fantasy and folklore dates back to her childhood, when she was captivated by the stories her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor from Poland, told her. “I had the good fortune of living with my bubbie while growing up, and she was a wonderful storyteller. She filled my head with tall tales from her homeland of Poland, so while other little girls grew up with Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella, I learned about the dybbuks and the shretelech of her childhood,” Goldenberg reflects.
Her studies in Fine Arts Cultural Studies further deepened her interest in folklore and storytelling, offering her the freedom to explore a wide range of genres, from children’s literature to apocalyptic science fiction. “People say to write what you know, and this is very much what my life is filled with,” Goldenberg notes, emphasizing how her experiences and interests influence her writing.
Crafting Compelling Protagonists
Goldenberg’s protagonists, such as Sitnalta from The Sitnalta Series, are defined by their complexity and authenticity. She believes the most compelling characters are those that feel real to readers. “Even before I begin writing the plot, I create my characters. I get to know them, where they come from, their entire biography,” she explains. With Sitnalta, Goldenberg worked to understand every detail of the character’s background and personality before setting her on her journey. “She had to have flaws, have heart, and feel like someone I could sit down and have a conversation with.”
Collaborating with An Tran
As co-author of The Bath Salts Journals, Goldenberg shares a smooth and rewarding writing partnership with An Tran. Their collaboration is effortless, partly due to their long-time friendship. “Writing with An Tran is almost ridiculously easy,” Goldenberg says. Their shared love for the zombie genre and their natural rapport made the writing process a seamless one. “We crafted a rough sketch of where the story was going, and then each went our separate ways sending each other pages and mock diary entries as they were done.”
Writing Across Genres
Goldenberg’s work spans multiple genres, but her writing style remains consistent. She believes that while the tone and language may vary depending on the target audience, the heart of her stories always centers around character development. “What I need to watch is the level of language I use. Certain words and phrases can be acceptable for a gory adult zombie story, but I need to be conscious about how they won’t fly in a middle-grade sports novel. But no matter what age range or genre I’m writing for, it’s always character first.”
The Influence of Mythology and Folklore
Much of Goldenberg’s writing draws from her Jewish heritage and the folklore shared by her grandmother. Specifically, the belief in dybbuks—spirits that possess the living—plays a central role in The Dybbuk Scrolls. Goldenberg reflects on how the themes of loss, grief, and survival, which her grandmother imparted to her, continue to inspire much of her work. “I look at how loss and grief can be transformative. I look at the folklore she was raised with and raised me on,” she says.
Theatre, Screenwriting, and Writing for the Stage
Beyond her literary work, Goldenberg has also written for the stage and screen. Although she loves the experience of seeing her words brought to life on stage, she admits that writing for the screen presents its own challenges. “Novels rely so much on description, and you get to write out what everyone is thinking. There is no limit to what you can put on the page in a novel compared to a stage or screenplay,” Goldenberg explains. While she appreciates the instant reactions from audiences, she prefers writing novels due to the creative freedom they allow.
Balancing Writing with Family Life
Goldenberg offers valuable advice to aspiring authors who are trying to balance writing with other responsibilities. “Don’t beat yourself up over what you can accomplish within the given hours of the day,” she advises. She emphasizes that family always comes first. Having started her writing career while raising triplets, Goldenberg’s experience taught her to prioritize her children’s needs while still carving out time to write. “My word documents will always wait for the kids to be asleep or at school. Kids are not so patient,” she quips.
Goldenberg jokes that she began writing in the early hours of the morning, before streaming services made it easy to binge-watch TV shows. “I would write between feeds and diapers,” she says, highlighting the balance she maintains between her personal and professional life.
Originally published in Reader’s House Magazine.
