AUTHOR INTERVIEW BY LISA M. BASSON

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

My name is Lisa M. Basso. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California, where I am lucky enough to still live now.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?

That's a tricky question. I guess about five years ago when I decided writing wasn't just a passing fad for me, that it was what I wanted to do with my life.

What can we expect from you in the future? ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?

I have a serious love for speculative fiction (which is an umbrella term for sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, and the like) and couldn't imagine writing anything else, but I have learned from the past never to say never. At the moment I have several other young adult books in the works, plus two more books in the Angel Sight series on the way. One day I'd love to try my hand at adult and possibly even a YA contemporary. But for now, I write what my muse tells me to.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?

One word. Kade. He's funny, a smartass, and full of surprises. This Fallen angel is without a doubt the most fun character in the series to write. It helps that in my mind he's smoking hot too. :)

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?

I'm a bouncer. I move from place to place in my house depending on my mood, so Spartacus (my super fantastic laptop) is my only constant. Sometimes music works, sometimes it doesn't. Just give me a comfy seat and my padded gloves (which support my wrists and keep carpal tunnel at bay) and I'm good to go.  

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?

Research. I spent more time than I'd like to admit researching the names of the angels and Fallen in the series. Places are a little different. Most of A SHIMMER OF ANGELS is set in San Francisco, where I live. A good ninety percent of the locations in the book are accurate. Some I made up. What I couldn't go to in person, I looked up. I really do love the research.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?

Every story is different, so preparing for each story should be different. For the first time ever a few months ago, I had to hand in an outline for book two, A SLITHER OF HOPE. Hand in an outline before I write the book? I'd never done that before. I was nervous--scared--but I worked hard and did it.

It was a fun, but a really tough book to plot. Once I'd finished I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen. But surprise! When I started writing it, new and interesting things kept popping up. So, even though I tried to plan ahead, my muse had some something special up her sleeve for me. Oh, the unpredictable muse.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?

Writer's block is a very real affliction. A good way to get passed it is to take a day or two off, recharge your creative batteries, watch too much bad TV, lose yourself in a video game, maybe even start a new story. Sometimes thinking ahead or reworking part of your plot helps. Maybe playing with POVs can be just the thing to spank that block. The key is to try different things until something works. And above all, never give up.

Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?

I am a hugehugehuge fan of Australian writer Keri Arthur. Her Riley Jenson series inspired me to go back to writing and stick with it. If I ever got the chance to meet her, I would probably melt into a blubbering puddle of "I love your books" and "you're my favorite author".

What is your favourite book and Why? Have you read it more than once?

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. I was a teen the first time I read this book and it brought so much to life for me. It's an older book, I know, but there's something so real and honest about the scenes and the characters. This book will suck you in and keep you reading until the very last page (with a few tears in between). After the second read-through (and yes, I've read it so many times I'm probably due for another copy soon since mine is falling apart) I learned the author started writing it when she was fifteen years old. It didn't take long for me to start writing my own books.

Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them?

Shannon Duffy, author of Spectral and Gabriel Stone and the Divinity of Valta. I've read Unwrap Me, a novella co-written by Shannon and Rachel Harris that blew me away. I don't read a whole lot of MG, but Gabriel Stone is definitely on the top of my wishlist.

Heather L. Reid is the author of the upcoming, Pretty Dark Nothing. All it took to draw me in was reading the summary. Plus, have you seen the cover? Go check Goodreads, I'll wait...That's right. And this one is out in April.

Next wonderful writer to watch out for is Dorothy Dreyer, author of the upcoming YA, My Sister's Reaper. After reading the first chapter on Month9Book's blog, I was hooked. The best part, we only have to wait until May to read the rest!

Georgia McBride, founder of YALitChat and Month9Books has her own angel book, Praefatio, also coming in May. This is another book that I've had the pleasure of reading a snippet of. Plus she let a few very interesting tidbits slip about it during our first conversation. I can't wait for this one either. So many great books, so little time.

 (Wow thanks for the Authors names to watch out for, I have read Spectral by Shannon Duffy and really enjoyed it too)

Do you or would you ever use a pen name?

I might use a pen name in the future. I haven't yet because I really wanted to see my own name on the cover. Every time I look at the cover, I still can't believe it's my book I'm looking at.