Paranormal Wastelands is proud to present a famous author amongst us.
Please help us in welcoming Lisa Darling author of "Heart of War".
Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?
Lisa: It's something I've always done, ever since early on in elementary school, I showed an aptitude for writing and knew it was what I was going to do.
Greta: I had an aptitude for Valentine’s Day cards.
Darkfallen: Really?
Greta: Oh yeah! I was a freaking prodigy at them.
Darkfallen: How so?
Greta: They always came off pretty stalkery.
Darkfallen: Stalkery? Is that even a word?
Greta: You know it!
Darkfallen: What does this have to do with anything?
Greta: Not much. Just showing off my mad writing skills.
Darkfallen: Damn it! Today is NOT about you. It’s about Lisa.
Greta: Who?
Darkfallen: The author we are interviewing.
Greta: There’s another person here with us?
Darkfallen: Are you blind?
Greta: Ummm…… If I say ‘yes’, will you give me some cool Ray Charles sun glasses?
Darkfallen: ZOMG! Excuse me Lisa… Let me take care of her.
*Awesome Batman kapow noises
Darkfallen: Ok…Let’s continue
What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?
Lisa: Conflict creates Drama, for me those two are always first. The Romance isn't 'second', I wouldn't like to say that, but the romance doesn't bubble and come to fruition if it's never tested. It just sort of lays flat on the page.
Greta: I personally like to kill my main characters off. That’s most fun.
Darkfallen: AHH!! I thought I just beat you up.
Greta: No… you were making cool Batman noises that were most awesome but you actually have to hit me to knock me out.
*Darkfallen stalks over to Greta as she goes EEP and rethinks her views about conflict.
Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?
Lisa: I'm one of those lucky writers who lives her life with a Muse (day in and day out). We have a mutually beneficial partnership. He throws out orders, I tear them apart, we bounce ideas off each other, constantly try to one-up each other, and in the middle of all of that chaos the 'magick' happens.
Ares is the character I have lived and worked with the longest—16 years now—so he's my favorite and the most challenging because of his nature. I tend to be the peace lover and he's the butt-kicker. Together we balance each other out although it's quite maddening at times.
Greta: In my life Darkfallen is my butt-kicker. I mean, look at the size of her feet!! They’re freaking huge!
Darkfallen: What the hell? Now you’ve gone too far.
Greta: Really? That’s too far? I can be a lot worse muhahahahahhas.
*EEP!
Have you ever found that you didn’t like your Hero or your Heroine? If so, what did you do to change that?
Lisa: When we first meet Ares he's a pretty unlikeable guy, he's very grumpy, he's arrogant, he's a bit spoiled. Then again, he's a god so…what do you expect? LOL
He grows and evolves throughout the story, he learns about himself as he learns about his love-interest, Alena and realizes that being a god is awesome but it's good to have a heart too.
If you were to start again, with the knowledge you have now, what would be the first thing you do?
Lisa: Again, I'm one of those lucky people, I wouldn't change a thing or do anything differently.
Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?
Lisa: This series will continue with the second novel "Child of War" on December 31, 2011. Ares and Alena will bring their son, Raven, into the world and he's going to upset the status quo on Olympus.
Darkfallen: That sounds like one ornery newborn.
Greta: I don’t think that’s what she meant.
Darkfallen: I don’t know man, think of it… when newborns attack!! This time it’s for real.
Greta: Wait… that does sound pretty terrifying. We should protect the house.
Darkfallen: How do you want to do that?
Greta: Throw some of those lead paint toys out in the yard. That should keep the infestation to a minimum.
Darkfallen: Good thinking!
Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?
Lisa: I've always wanted to write a vampire story but I think I'll stick with the Olympians for now.
Greta: OH OH OH!! Olympic vampire gods who win the Olympics!! That would rock!
Darkfallen: What? And what event do they win?
Greta: Duh… The even where they show off their abs and sparkle.
Darkfallen: That’s an event?
Greta: Yeah! I saw it a couple years ago. They were all glistening and abdominally sculpted in these tiny under-roos.
Darkfallen: Dude… that’s swimming. That’s not a ab competition.
Greta: They were swimming? No, I'm pretty sure they were glistening vampires.
If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?
Lisa: Stephen King, John Lennon, Kevin T. Smith, Janis Joplin, and Jacqueline Susann. I want to talk writing with Stephen and Jacqueline, philosophy with John and Janis, and Kevin…well, he gets to stay until long after the party's over. ;-)
Greta: Kevin Smith? Isn’t that Silent Bob!?!! Hahahs! You want to make out with Silent Bob?!!
Darkfallen: Dude! That's not who it is.
Greta: HAHAHAS!! Lisa like the strong silent type.
Darkfallen: Oh shush up! YOu have a weird crush on Michael Moore!
Greta: AHHH!! Don’t tell everyone!!
Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?
Lisa: Music is a huge influence on my life, I'm always listening to my iTunes…or Pandora, I really like Pandora. I also have the strange habit of listening to my local radio station while I write. I think the songs help on many levels, and yes, often they provide much needed inspiration. I just chalk those times up to the Muse making his opinion known.
Darkfallen: This has been a plug for Pandora! Please give Lisa free stuff now ;)
Greta: And us too!
What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?
Lisa: They're the best! I often find myself chomping at the bit to get one when I know it's coming up. Love scenes are the scenes where the Muse and I are freest to do anything and everything we want. We often get quite lost in them.
Darkfallen: Don’t you dare say ANYTHING!
Greta: Come on!
Darkfallen: NO!
Greta: NEIGH!!
Darkfallen: GRETA!
What are some of your favorite things or hobbies to do?
Lisa: I like to cook, nothing fancy, just good old American Yankee cooking. I try to garden, I love to grow things, we have a lot of deer and other critters which makes it difficult. I also take photographs of the sea and old abandoned buildings.
Who are some of your favorite authors, and if we were to visit your home, what books would we find on your bookshelf, end table, floor or e-reader?
Lisa: I have a 5 shelf glass and wood book case that holds nothing but Stephen King, just about every single hard cover he's ever written and some rare paperbacks. A few of them are even signed.
If you could be any character of any book or movie, who would you be?
Lisa: This is going to sound so horribly cliché and romantic but….'Vivian' in "Pretty Woman".
Greta: Thank you Lisa for dropping by the Wastelands! We look forward to your Olympic Vampire book while you strive to become a fictional hooker.
Darkfallen: GRETA!
Greta: What?
Darkfallen: Is not writing a Olymic Vampire book nor does she want to be a hooker.
Greta: Oh, I appoligize... the more politically correct word is Call Girl
Darkfallen: Oh my gawd... I can't take you anywhere.
Greta: What are you talking about? This is our house.
Darkfallen: Moving on... Kids! Check out Lisa Darling and her most awesome books. Here's where you can find out more about her --
FaceBook: http://facebook.com/lisabeth1
Blog: http://lbdarling.wordpress.com/
Website: http://www.moonsmusings.com/lbdarling
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