Spencer Hill Press Summer Blog Run--Lisa Rogers

The next author on the SPENCER HILL PRESS SUMMER BLOG RUN is the awesome Lisa Rogers. 

*Trapeze artists performing death defying tumbles without the aid of a net*

Oooohhh, all of this for me? AWESOME!!!

Lisa’s, ANGELINA'S SECRET, was released Feb, 2012, and has received some awesome reviews. I haven't had a chance to read this, yet (notice the yet), but it is definitely on my list of must reads.  I absolutely love a great ghost story and this one is going to deliver. 

Please stop by Lisa's pages. I'm even taking out the Google search for you. That's right, I did all the hard clicking for you and am providing all the links you need: Goodreads, twitter, facebook, and blog. 

I'll wait while you click away. *twiddles thumbs*

Back?  Cool. Let's get started. 

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, Lisa. I'm so happy to have you join me.  

Ahhh shucks *blushes* Thanks for having me.

What was your favorite story as a child?

Oh my goodness, that is a hard first question. Even as a child, I LOVED to read. Seeing this question the first book that popped into my head was That Was Then This Is Now. 

 S.E. Hinton. I, too, loved her books.

Can you tell us about a story you wrote when you were in school?

That was a long, long time ago, but I do remember writing a middle grade short story called Woodrow Wuzell. It was about a young boy who was constantly being bullied in school. The poor kid tried everything to runaway from his awful nickname of weasel. 

What is your favorite novel now?

I’m so glad you specified “now,” because this does change on a daily basis. Today I’m going to go with Dan Cohen’s Masters of the Veil.

Who is the most supportive person in your writing career?

I’d have to go with my husband, Wes. He supports me in every way imaginable. He’s great to bounce ideas off of and he (for the most part) is pretty understanding when I’m working with a deadline and he has to fend for himself at dinner.

I also need to mention my daughter, Keshia. She helps me in many, many ways. She’s not only a constant source of encouragement to me, but she also beta reads for me, and helps me with all of those little grammar rules I’m not sure I ever knew. Keshia is also an author. Her debut novel, Blood Bound, will be release through Spencer Hill Press Sept. 2013.

Besides writing, what else do you enjoy doing?

I am very big on family and love spending time with them. Both of my children are grown and between the two of them, they have given me three adorable little grandchildren.

Do you have any hobbies?

Other than playing with my grandbabies J I like to read, garden, and do counted cross-stitch.

What is your favorite food?

Tex-Mex

Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share with us?

Once upon a time, I found great joy in cooking. Now all of my favorite recipes seem to either come from a box or a restaurant.

First thing to pop into your head….

Chicken or fish?

Chicken

Brownies or ice-cream?

Brownies, but how about brownies AND ice-cream? <--That's what I'm talking about!!

If given a choice to live anywhere, where would you live?

Where I’m at. It’s close to my grandchildren. ;) 

Shorts or skirt?

Shorts

Wine or tequila?

Diet Pepsi is my drink of choice, but I’ll go with Tequila—it makes me sound tough.

Most embarrassing moment in your life? (Like everyone else, you have to share...mua ha ha)

Okay, but this is going to take some time. When my daughter was about two and a half years old, I noticed that she was scared of people who didn’t look like we did. Living in a small town, she wasn’t exposed to many races other than her own. Knowing this was a problem, I spent hours cutting pictures from magazines that showed people from various racial backgrounds. I took these pictures and made her a book. We would read this book often and talk about how God made all of us and we talked of how He loved each and everyone of us.

Soon after making this book, she and I were out shopping for a birthday card. She was sitting in the front of the cart as I browsed through the cards. (I’m one of these crazy people that take card shopping very seriously. You know, I’m the one that has to read every card at least once to find the perfect fit.) Anyway, as I’m looking through the cards, I hear my sweet little daughter say, “Momma, Momma.” When I turned my attention to her, I saw her pointing at a man that was also looking at cards. “Look Momma,” she said. “He’s black!”

I looked at the man, who was now staring at the both of us. I nodded and tried to smile. “Yes,” I mumbled to my child, “you’re right.” Silently wishing I could hide under something, I turned my red face back to the cards and tried to read. I soon heard my name being called again this time followed by a sharp tug on my shirt. “Momma, Momma.”

 “Yes?” I looked at her with pleading eyes.

“Momma, he’s black,” she once again informed me. I nodded and looked apologetically at the man who was clearly not enjoying being the center of my daughter’s attention. “Momma, he’s black and I ain’t even scared.”

“That’s good honey.” Even though I hadn’t had the chance to read the card in my hand I decided it was the perfect one.  

What book is sitting on your bedside table right now?

Elemental by Emily White

What is the scariest novel you ever read?

Anything from Lisa Gardner. I love her books, but they scare the bejabbers out of me.

Can you give us a brief description of your writing journey?

The first book I ever wrote was a nonfiction titled, On Haunted Ground. After signing this book with an agent, I started writing Angelina’s Secret. Upon its completion and still hoping for a publishing deal for my first book, I started the process of looking for an agent for book two. Not having much luck, I decided to enter it in a contest. After polishing it up, I heard about a publisher who was helping writers get their query letters ready for the contest I was hoping to enter. I sent my query to Kate Kaynak. Long story short, she asked to see my MS and offered me my first publishing contract. With my head steel reeling over my good fortune, my agent found a home for On Haunted Ground. My books were published three months apart.

Why young adult?

I write both adult and YA, but I have to say I love the YA genre. To me it seems a little faster paced than most adult books and I like being sucked into a book quick.

Why do you enjoy writing about ghosts?

As most people know by now, I truly believe in ghosts and I am simply fascinated by them.

Would you care to share a little about the non-fiction you wrote?

On Haunted Ground details my experience of living in a “haunted” house for twenty-eight years.

Angelina's Secret blurb... 

As a child, Angelina spent years in counseling learning that Josie, her imaginary friend, wasn't real, but it turns out her childhood friend wasn't imaginary after all. Now Angelina has to accept she's either (A) crazy or (B) able to see ghosts. Wanting to believe in her sanity, she chooses (B) and welcomes Josie back into her life. But even Josie can't help her deal with Shelly, the spirit of a confused teenager, and things go very, very wrong. When Angelina finds herself in a psychiatric hospital, she faces a choice: she can spend the rest of her life pretending to be someone she isn't, or she can embrace who she is and take a chance that she may never get to go home.

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Time for the Tantalizing Teaser Temptation 

Josie’s not real. She repeated this over and over in her head. Sure, I can see her. She’s sitting in the rocking chair beside the window. But still, that doesn’t mean she’s real. She averted her eyes from the chair, sat down at the vanity table and brushed her hair.

“You’ve always had such long, beautiful hair.” Josie’s soft voice hung in the air. “I’m happy you didn’t follow the trend and cut it off.” 

Angelina ignored her. She hummed a song that was stuck in her head as she continued to brush her hair.

“I know you can see me. You might as well acknowledge me because I’m not going anywhere.”

Angelina stopped, turned around, and looked deep into Josie’s pale green eyes. She looked real enough, but she couldn’t be.

Josie. Wasn’t. Real.

She turned back around and continued to hum.

“Well, at least I’m glad to know you haven’t forgotten everything I taught you. We used to sing that tune when you were just a little thing.”

Angelina remembered. She remembered many things about Josie. She remembered her green dress with the delicate lace collar. She remembered how the dark green apron over the dress had two big pockets. She remembered Josie’s white hair and how her smile always lit up her eyes. But most of all, she remembered the fun they used to have. She wiped at the tears that rolled down her cheeks. “Okay,” she whispered. “If you’re real—and I’m not saying you are—but…

 Oops sorry to cut it off here, but I’ve already went over my word limit by one whole word. 

 Hmm. She's a little evol, isn't she?

For all the lucky people who stopped by, Lisa is kind enough to give away... 

A signed first edition copy of Angelina’s Secret, a super awesome rack card and some bookmarks.

Just two things to enter:

1)      You have to follow my blog.  Need directions---scroll back up closer to the top, right hand side and click follow 

2)      You have to tell us about a book that made you cry.

Contest ends Saturday, July 28^th.

Winners will be announced Sunday, July 29^th.

Oh, and don’t forget, everyone who comments is automatically entered to win the grand prize of a Barnes and Noble gift card at the end of whole summer run. 

Thank you all for stopping by.  Please leave Lisa a comment thanking him for his time and for the ultra-cool prizes.