Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Lisa Vandiver


Today's interview is with Lisa Vandiver.  Lisa is a novelist who specializes in Romance/Mysteries, but she has also written a church play and published a collection of poems and short stories. 

I actually bought Lisa's novel - Where She Belongs - with the intention of giving it to my wife, but after I started reading it, I couldn't stop until I was finished.  I found that her characters had depths that felt very genuine.  And the drama was very intense because those characters felt so real.

Lisa's main website is HERE. 

But please also check out her BLOG and you can find out a little more about Lisa HERE.

TAS: Let's get the plug out of the way.  Tell us a little bit about the project you are currently promoting - who will be interested and why?

LV: I'm promoting the two novels the most. Where She Belongs is a wonderful story about a young woman who is the key to three family's struggles and survival. She is involved with a Mafia bad boy and meets a handsome attorney who challenges her heart and her mind. (For Men and Women who love drama and mystery) A lot of fighting and intense mysteries to unravel.

Josie's Thorn is about a young woman who returns to her family's ranch only to find danger to her as she fights against unknown enemies to save the ranch, and against her old boyfriend from stealing her heart away again.(Women who love a tender, passionate romance story)

 
TAS: What aspects of being an author do you most enjoy?

LV: I enjoy the looks from people that I get when I tell them I'm a writer, and an author of three books. I enjoy making up stories about all kinds of wonderful people and places I've created out of my own mind.

TAS: What aspects of being an author do you least enjoy?


LV: Formatting, marketing, I wish I could write and let someone else do the hard stuff. Writing the story is by far the easiest and funnest part of this whole process.
  
TAS: What moment as an author have you experienced that you are likely to remember 20 years from now (good or bad)?


LV: Book signings, I hate them, don't enjoy them, had a painful experience with my first one and it left a sour taste in my mouth.

TAS: What bad habits do you have when it comes to writing/promoting your books and/or what do you wish you could do better?


LV: Having too many coals on my fire at times to the point where I find myself overwhelmed!(laughing)

TAS: Pick a character from one of your books and tell us what actor or actress you would cast and why.

LV: Matthew Kingston from Where She Belongs - Gerard Butler because they're both hot and they know it, but they're completely lovable and kind.

TAS: Do you have clear 'heroes' and 'villains' in your stories or are the lines more blurred?  Why do you choose that route?

LV: In Where She Belongs, Matthew Kingston is clearly a playboy but he is the 'hero', Nick Cabara is clearly the Mafia bad boy and seen as the 'villain', but I think Nick is just misunderstood. :)

TAS: If you had to choose between selling 1 million books but only making $20,000 in royalties or selling 1000 books and (somehow) making $40,000, which would you choose and why?

LV: I'd choose selling 1 million books because I love my stories and I just really want them to be enjoyed by others although I do want to be able to make a living out of my novel writing.

TAS: Were you smarter than your writing/literature teachers in high-school and why do you answer the way you do?

LV: No way. I was a backwards, shy, and a plain Jane in school; never had the self esteem to even try to 'be smart'.

TAS: If you had a couple hours to kill in a strange city and you could either spend the time in their zoo, museum or library, which would you choose and why?

LV: Wow, hard decision, perhaps I'd divide my day into two parts; half a day at library, and the other half at the museum. I could learn so much from either one of these places, and be motivated to write, very relaxing.

TAS: If you had Superman's powers, what do you imagine you would actually do with them?

LV: I'd definitely fly all over the world just to look at all of the wonderful skyline lights of all the famous cities of the world, that would be so romantic! Oh and look at Gerard Butler with my super power eyes:)

TAS: If you were going to be locked in a room and watch one of three shows for 24 hours solid, which would you choose:  Gilligan's Island, Starsky and Hutch or the Love Boat?

LV: Definitely Starsky and Hutch because Gilligan is just plain boring. Love Boat if I could choose my love interest(Guess who'd it be; G.B.)lol

5 comments:

Alison DeLuca said...

Great interview, Gary and Lisa!

Anonymous said...

Now I find it interesting that Lisa dislikes book signings. I think that would be quite awkward also. Another great interview, Gary!

Denise K. Rago said...

I too agree that I would much rather sell 1 million books for less, just to have my novel in readers hands. Marketing also takes time away from writing which is what authors like to do best. I too would divide my time between a library and a museum! I can't wait to read your books Lisa. Great interview. Thank you both.

Johanna said...

Great interview Lisa! I hear you on the marketing piece. Writing is definitely the best part of the business.

Jennifer Ruth Jackson said...

I hear horrid things about first book signings with few exceptions.

Very nice interview.