These are the most common questions submitted to me by readers. If you’d like to ask me something, feel free to write me here.
How did you get started writing?
I have had several careers over the years and they all incorporated non-fiction writing of some kind, but it wasn’t until my mom had to be moved into a nursing home with a dementia related illness, that I had an “aha” moment. I’d entered college wanting to major in creative fiction and English but for a lot of practical reasons ended up majoring in journalism. News journalism and creative writing are two very different animals. I wasn’t built for the first although I had some pretty impressive jobs (by the hair on my chinny, chin chin:). The truth was I’d always wanted to be a fiction writer but I’d put it off to work “real” jobs, to get married, to raise my children and all of the other excuses I could come up with. It wasn’t until my mom’s illness took a turn for the worst that I realized that time is seriously precious. All her big plans for retirement were not going to happen for her and I didn’t want that to be my reality. She wouldn’t have wanted that for me either. So in 2015, I took a manuscript I’d been working on for two years (Masterson), finished it, sent it to an editor and the pressed publish. I haven’t looked back since!
Do you have a day job?
Writing fiction is my day job and literally a dream come true. Jobs I’ve had before include: working as a psychotherapist in a private practice, business writing coach, singing group manager, and a journalist.
What do you like to read?
I am a HUGE consumer of anything romance. So I enjoy contemporary, suspenseful, YA, paranormal and new adult romance. I also enjoy watching historical romance (so basically anything on Masterpiece Theatre) and Bridgertons of course! I like the sweet stuff (Hallmark) and I love the sexy stuff (mine!). My favorite romance of all time though is the classic, Pride & Prejudice.
Which book of yours is your favorite?
I can’t possibly have favorites. I love all of my alphas equally but don’t tell Roman!
Where can I buy your books in paperback?
You can purchase my books from most online retailers who offer paperbacks such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can also purchase autographed copies of all my books directly from me at various times of the year. I let readers know about these opportunities via my VIP newsletter which you can sign up for here.
Are your characters based on people from real life?
My characters are totally fictitious but I definitely draw from real life when writing descriptions for a scene or when I’m creating dialogue for a particular scene. For example, if I’m writing and I happen to be drinking coffee or eating a cheeseburger, often those things make it into a chapter (lol!) Because I do different things or have different conversations with people on any given day, it helps keep my writing fresh and not monotonous.
Will you write more Masterson books?
Roman Masterson is one of my most popular characters and it’s hard to let him go, but I also didn’t want to string readers along. That doesn’t mean that he won’t have a bunch of little Romans who are just as alpha possessive as he was. Masterson Next Generation maybe? Stay tuned!
Will you write more King Brothers books?
There are no plans to write more books in that series as of this writing.
Is football your favorite sport?
I wrote my first football romance (Saint) when I was having a “block” writing another series. It was totally an ode to my husband who loves football. But as I’ve learned the rules and the strategy of the game over the years, I have fallen in love with the sport too. So, yes, it’s my favorite professional sport. I also like to watch tennis, gymnastics, extreme sports and swimming.
What kind of music do you listen to?
I have really eclectic taste in music (at least I like to think so). I grew up on so many genres including: classic rock (Led Zeppelin is my favorite band of all time), R&B (Stevie Wonder is my favorite singer of all time), Hip-Hop (too many favorites to pick one), classical, reggae and dance (house) music. Having said that, I tend not to write listening to any sort of soundtrack. I prefer silence to write.
Do you have advice for beginning writers?
Getting good at writing is like honing any other sort of skill. You need to do it repeatedly and you need to always be learning. Read books on craft. Take courses. Join Facebook groups. Get a critique partner. Meet other authors (I have a new author newsletter I plan to send out when I have any news or tips to share). Keep at it. Don’t assume that your first book is going to sell a million copies (it won’t) but also don’t assume that it will fail (it will probably do way better than you imagined). I truly believe that there is a reader for every book….lots of readers. You just have to find them.
Can I send you one of my books to read?
Unfortunately, no. It’s a miracle that I have the time to write my own. I recommend that you find a critique partner, join a local writer’s group, or hire an editor to take a look at your work and give you feedback.
I’m having trouble downloading one of your bonus epilogues.
I use the company, Bookfunnel, to deliver all of my bonus materials which you can find here. Please email them with any service related issues and they will be more than happy to help you. Their customer service is top notch! Email Bookfunnel: support@BookFunnel.com
Fun Facts About Lisa
- I love houseplants. I have WAY too many in my house but I love them dearly. If there isn’t a plant in the room, I feel as if the energy is off. Friends give me their plants to resuscitate. lol! My favorite houseplant is the Fiddle Leaf Fig.
- I am a handbag snob. I am a teenager of the 1980’s which included MTV, supermodels, Dynasty, crack and American consumerism. So it’s really no surprise that somewhere along the way, I fell in love with designer bags, right? I spend an obscene amount of money on one at least once a year, BUT that’s why I buy most of my clothes from Target and live in shoes I’ve had for well over ten years:) See the trade off? lol! My favorite designers are Louis Vuitton and YSL.
- Great destinations I’ve been blessed to travel to are: Morocco, Mexico, England, France, Spain, Japan, Bermuda, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Puerto Rico.
- Places I’d love to visit are: Bali, Australia, Greece, Italy, Egypt and India.
- My husband is a music producer and because of his job I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of celebrities over the years (or hear great stories about them). Maybe one day I’ll write a rock romance!
- I have been an autism awareness advocate for over 18 years. One of my daughters is on the autism spectrum and thriving (by the way!), but it’s important that the general public understand this developmental disorder because it is so easy for the lay person to misunderstand a person on the spectrum’s intentions, meaning, body language and intellect.