Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a high school English and Special Education teacher. Originally, I planned to follow the writing out of high school, but I talked myself out of it because I knew how hard that road could be. However, over the years the desire to publish a novel has been eating away at me, so here I am. The First is my debut novel, though I’ve been writing since I was very little. I began writing at a very young age and even considered a career in screenwriting or journalism. As a teacher, I enjoy educating high school students about writing. My favorite place to be (other than asleep in bed) is the beach. I also enjoy reading, cooking, traveling, hiking, and playing video games that girls aren’t supposed to like.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The First is a novel of mythic and paranormal fantasy with many elements of thriller and suspense contained within the pages. The inspiration came about slowly, then with a sudden rush as I realized the main crux of the story in one defining, yet random, moment. I’ve always been fascinated with mythology. Fantasy is my genre of choice for my own reading, so I tend to write what I read. Most of the elements in this story are shrouded in mystery. A young woman, determined not to fall prey to the consequences of inaction, must brave the nightmares beyond her known world in order to fight back against the nightmare within that is slowly killing her village and her people.
The First is available on 02.25.14.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a bit of a perfectionist, so I find it difficult not to correct myself as I type, even when the muse hits me. Other than that, I think I’m like most writers. I do tend to follow an outline, albeit a very shaky one. With my current book, I gave myself leeway to change anything along the way, but I needed to have an end in sight so that I could remain consistent with my character and plot development.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
C.S. Lewis, Ursula K. LeGuin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Douglas Adams, John Milton…and many more.
What are you working on now?
Marketing! Oh, you meant in terms of writing? Well, I’ve been keeping a notebook on what will be my next novel. I’m fairly certain this will be a series, with magical elements and some steampunk perhaps. I haven’t started writing a draft yet, but I plan to after the release of my book on Tuesday. I needed a little bit of a breather.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My website is http://lisamgreen.com. I have Facebook and Twitter, along with Goodreads and Google Plus, but word-of-mouth helps a lot. I have friends that help spread the word, and those people in turn help also. My Kickstarter project was a huge success! With a goal of $500, we ended up making $1400 to help fund the first print run. I have a good product with professionalism stamped all over it, so people were confident in supporting it. Forty-seven people to be exact! I am so thankful for their support.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Just start. Then keep going until you are done. Once you have a polished product, make sure all the elements are done with professionalism. It takes many, many hours of work. But if you are willing to do it, it can be very rewarding. But don’t put it off. I did for twenty years, and I regretted it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never, EVER, respond to reviews!
What are you reading now?
The Royal Wizard by Alianne Donnelly
What’s next for you as a writer?
These ideas for the new series are itching to be written. I hope to delve into that in the next few weeks.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
You think I’m going to choose my favorites, but I would want to bring some fresh material. Probably a complete series of books that had recently received good reviews at that time. And then I’d pray they were as good as expected!
Author Websites and Profiles
Lisa Green Website
Lisa Green Amazon Profile
Lisa Green Author Profile on Smashwords
Lisa Green’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account