Lisette was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. She spent ten years in New York City, and now resides in Los Angeles.

She’s a multigenre author of eleven novels and one short story collection: Crooked Moon (General/Literary Fiction); Squalor, New Mexico (Coming-of-Age/Literary Fiction); Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! (Women’s Fiction/romantic comedy), The Desert Series: Mystical High; Desert Star; and Drawn Apart (YA paranormal/magical realism), Barrie Hill Reunion (Literary Fiction); Hotel Obscure: A Collection of Short Stories (Literary Fiction), Love, Look Away (Women’s Fiction/romantic comedy), The Sum of our Sorrows (Contemporary Fiction/Coming-of-Age), The Waiting House: A Novel in Stories (Literary Fiction), and All That Was Taken (Contemporary Fiction.)

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What motivates you to write and how did you get started?

First, thank you for inviting me to your blog, Sandy. It’s an honor to be here.

I never made a decision to write. It was something I started doing from the time I learned how: at age five or six. What did take me a while, however, once I grew up, was to decide that writing novels was by far what most suited me. For years, I tried my hand at writing plays and screenplays, but I have no real interest in that now.

For one, having worked at two Hollywood studios many years ago (not as a writer), I saw how many “cooks” jump in to “spoil the broth.” I didn’t want to write material that wouldn’t really be mine if and when I was lucky enough to sell it. That was the first thing that turned me off. Second, as I’ve never been a hard-sell kind of person or a fan of cold-calling, finding ways to pitch to producers would be impossible for me.

What motivates me to write every day is probably the desire to immerse myself into another world, to challenge myself, and to see what adventures I might have. Writing is also an escape from the stress of reality.

What’s most rewarding about writing?

Every book I write is a different kind of challenge for me. With each book, I try to do something different from what I’ve done before. When I wrote Hotel Obscure, which is a collection of themed short stories all set in a rundown urban hotel, I’d not only never done anything like this prior, but I never thought that I would or could. In the end, I was pleased with the finished product.

A few books later, I decided to write The Waiting House: A Novel in Stories. While these stories are all set in the same location as well, the seemingly disparate stories all come together to form one novel. I honestly didn’t know if I could do it, but again, I raised the bar for myself. I struggled, especially in the beginning, but I got there.

So, to answer your question, what’s most rewarding is having a concept and working hard to realize it. I don’t especially enjoy the stress of getting there, or the days I’m sure I can’t get there, but all of that does contribute to the completion of a book being joyful.

What’s your favorite genre and why?

I don’t have a favorite genre per se. I like character-driven books that are emotional, suspenseful, psychological, and some that are just funny and offer a break from real life. Most of all, I like well-written books that absorb me in another world.

Where do your characters come from?

Everywhere. That said, I’ve never written a book with a character who is supposed to actually be someone I know in the real world. I’ve written characters very similar (on the surface), but there are also major differences. I think that with most writers, even if we set out to mold our character to be X person, the process of writing will turn that character into Y person.

Characters are inspired by people I pass on the streets, people I know, traits I see in people that I like or dislike, but mostly, by those who hold the stories I most wish to tell.

Who is an author who inspires you and why?

The first author to inspire me, style wise, was F. Scott Fitzgerald, many moons ago. I thought his writing was beautiful, and it was how I thought great writing should be. Right now, reading so many indie authors (and some traditionally published ones), I don’t want to name them because the list would be so long and I couldn’t include everyone.

But among classic authors, I’ve enjoyed Charles Dickens, Thomas Wolfe, M. Somerset Maugham, Wilkie Collins, and many more. And I love the writing of Dylan Thomas.

What do you look for in other people’s books?

I love stories with tension (and there are MANY kinds) with characters who make me feel something, whether good or bad. I like to keep an open mind and not have too many specific expectations. I love good surprises.

What are you writing now?

My current WIP (just finished the 3rd draft) is the closest I’ve written in the thriller/suspense genre. It has pretty much nonstop action and is set in New York City. My most recently published book, All That Was Taken, is a contemporary novel with a great deal of suspense. For the immediate future, I think I’ll be staying in this general area. We shall see.

What kind of book would you like to be known for?

Good writing and characters that readers care about. And yes, for humor. No matter what I write, no matter how serious, I’ve never written anything without some humor woven in.

What has writing taught you about yourself?

That there are more unleashed beasts inside of me than I ever imagined, and that I’ve stored much that my conscious brain isn’t even aware exists.

How has your life experience influenced your writing?

I’ve always known and worked with all kinds of people, especially having spent many years of my life in New York and Los Angeles. I’ve always had an eclectic group of friends from my late teens until now. While different people have influenced me, so have their stories. I’ve also learned (time and time again) that true life is stranger than fiction. I know so many true stories that readers would find over-the-top or simply implausible if I wrote them as fiction. But as for what I choose to write, I don’t sift through my life’s files, I just let the stories come to me that beg to be told.

What encouraging advice can you offer new writers?

Keep a notebook with your ideas. You never know what may turn into something, even years later.

Don’t try to be or compete with other writers. Write the story that you feel passionate to tell in a voice that is uniquely yours.

Don’t underestimate the importance of editing. And definitely, don’t let your enthusiasm for being published rush you to put something out before its ready.

Read/pay attention to what others say and learn the craft. But writing is not an exact science, and in the end, you have to make the final decisions.

Remember that there is not one book, poem, song, artist, place, movie, etc. etc., no matter how brilliant, that everyone will like. So, even though it can hurt when people don’t care for your work, don’t forget that taste is subjective. Just write your authentic best.

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You can visit Lisette on her website, Twitter, Facebook Author Page and Instagram.