Interview with Lisa Lowell

Author of Life Giver

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

Originally, I come from rural southern Oregon, out in the forests. Now I live a bit closer to the big city in the Willamette Valley, but I still consider it rural, as I go for walks at Silver Falls any time I want.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I loved my family, but I applied for university anywhere outside of Oregon. I never wanted the temptation to go back home on weekends. I landed in Idaho, then Utah and then even Washington DC. I spent some time in Europe as well, just to know that Oregon is the most beautiful place in the world. Then I came back home. Where I live now is conveniently halfway between my husband’s parents and my parents. We had babysitters, but not close enough to interfere with our new lives. Both of us like small towns, but we also are close enough to the city to take a class at a university (we take turns doing so) or a fancy night on the town.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I grew up in a very creative family, and writing simple became my muse because drawing, painting, sculpture, piano and singing were already taken. I started my first active novels in my teens. Although none of them were good enough to publish, I developed the instincts and passion then. Teenage angst drove me to write reflections of what I read. One of those books, Gryphon’s Eyrie by Andre Norton had a gorgeous castle in one of the drawings inside. I often wondered what it would take to become someone brave, bold and confident enough to live in such a grand palace. Mousy and shy little me could never do that. So instead, I created Tiamat, who went from a repressed little person. I gave her magic and launched her into adventures and experiences that would turn her into that brave and bold queen. That novel became Sea Queen, my first completed novel.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My novels are clean adult fantasy. That sounds like an oxymoron, but if you take the smut and gratuitous sex out of an adult novel, you are left with that. They are appropriate enough for kids, but the characters are adult, undergoing adult problems. For example, one of my protagonists takes on magic when he is a father of two. It freezes him in time, but his wife and children keep aging. The good in him wants to be faithful to his wife, fifty years later when the story starts. How does he remain supportive of his lady when the magic now prompts him to go seek the next enchanter, with whom he will fall in love?

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

I feel most people who read my books want to escape the mundane just a bit and recognize that small changes in their life will uplift them. They need to struggle and persevere and hopefully my books will encourage them to do so. We all have problems, but we also cannot give up in the middle of the fight. Neither can my characters.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

Writing is cathartic to me. I love crafting the stories and the inspiration that guides me. I often know where my characters will end up, but I have no idea how they will get there, changed and improved. That revelation is as much for them as it is for me. On the other hand, publishing strips all joy from the effort and takes a completely different skill set; one I have yet to develop.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Write more. You can write, even when the kids are young. You never should have stopped during that time, or you would have come through less battered.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I would like to reach as many readers as I can, but without giving up my values and priorities which don’t always include everyone in the world.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Getting published now, in the 21st Century is like asking readers to drink from a firehose. There is just so much to choose from, no one can see the small little stream I have contributed. How do I make my books stand out when 800 books a day are being published? Are my books good enough to be worthy of notice?

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

In writing, my best strength is this is my God-given talent and I must serve it. There’s no such thing as writer’s block if I follow the inspiration that comes. In publishing, I have a great company on my side, working at it, and we are getting better the longer we connect. In marketing, I come with very few skills. However, as a teacher, at least I know how to think on my feet and I’m not afraid to talk to people, as long as they are under the age of 20 and there are only a few at a time.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

In writing, I have a problem being a teacher. Teachers tend to say the same thing three times in three different ways, and as a result my books get littered with repetitive ideas and they sound a bit pedantic. I have to remove much of that or readers will tune out. In publishing my weakness is also teaching related. I’ve seen 20 years of poor grammar and spelling. It has ruined me as an editor, and yet I feel the right to argue with my editor about my choices. In marketing, my biggest weakness is the technology involved. While I do social media, I cannot abide it. Passwords and usernames never stick. Cellphones go poof! My computer tech husband thinks I’m cursed. I struggle to understand how to market with any system, and the instructions only make it worse. Right now, I’ve got two twitter feeds and neither one has garnered a single follower because I’ve yet to figure out how to respond to anyone else, let alone have the will to do so.

When do you think you will write your next book?

At the moment, I am in the midst of doing the revision of book #4 of the Wise One series, about to start a children’s book for the Halcyon acrobatic troupe and am hoping to start revision work on my sci-fi/dystopian Dual so I have a good frame to set the sequel. The Wise Ones series has five more books and I’m hoping to do one a year. In other words, I never stopped writing and never intend to do so.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I consider myself as working with a hybrid publisher. If I attempted to self-publish, nothing would go beyond Amazon. Next Chapter, my publisher is very supportive and willing to let me do what little things I can to get more for them. For example, my sister is my cover artist and she does one of a kind paintings for me.