It is such a pleasure to have one of my favorite authors as a guest here on my blog today. I was approached by Dorothy Thompson to host Lisa Jackson here on my blog a month ago and I grabbed at that opportunity immediately. This is her first stop on her Virtual Book Tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion agency, which Dorothy Thompson is the founder of. I got her new release Left to Die, which I finished over the weekend so I could have my review of it for today and here is the link to the review. It was such a great opportunity for me to interview Ms. Jackson about her writing and current release and the first book in her new series. Lisa Jackson is a New York Times bestselling author that writes to most intense novels with murderers and serial killers that keep you guessing until the very end and heroes and heroines that makes you think that they are real people instead of just characters. Here is how my interview went with Lisa Jackson went:

Phoebe Jordan: When did you know that writing romance was going to be the thing that you would do with your life?

Lisa Jackson: It kind of just happened to me. My sister read an article in TIME magazine when my children were very young about mothers writing romance when their children were asleep and she decided we both should give it a whirl. We did. We both sold. (First her, then me) That was the beginning of a nearly 30 year career as an author.

Phoebe: Did you know what type of romance you wanted to write about or did you experiment with different genres before you chose the one that you felt was for you?

Lisa: I always wanted to write romantic suspense as I was a suspense/mystery reader. Believe me, it took a while to get here. I started writing category romance and was instructed to "take out the suspense." So, there was a little suspense in those first books, but later in the last fifteen years I've been able to infuse more, which suits me just fine.

Phoebe: What was the first fiction you ever wrote? And do you still have it with you?

Lisa: My first attempt was with my sister and another woman. Entitled STORMY SURRENDER, it was rejected all over New York and is long gone. I have no idea where it is. Next year my first book written with my sister, author Nancy Bush, will be published. WICKED GAME comes out in February 2009, the first joint effort since the ill-fated STORMY SURRENDER.

Phoebe: How much research do you have to do for your novels and did it take you a long time to gather that research?

Lisa: I research as I write, but I have a library of nonfiction books and rely on the Internet as well as professionals in fields from psychology to law enforcement.

Phoebe: How did you come up with the TO DIE series?

Lisa: I wanted to set stories in a smaller, rural environment and the plot for LEFT TO DIE came to me. It just so happened that years before my editor had suggested I write about detectives who were partners and both female. I wasn't too keen on the idea and set it aside until I started writing LEFT TO DIE and the character of Regan Pescoli formed in my mind. She's just so out there--a single mother of two who has a wild streak. Her partner, uptight Selena Alvarez has her own secrets. Once I met these two women, who are NOT the heroines of the story, I was on my way. As soon as Jillian Rivers hit the pages, the story really formed. (Yes, Jillian's the heroine who just learns that her first husband who left her holding the bag on an investment fraud is actually alive!)

Phoebe: Do you have a process of how you start to write one of your novels? And is it the same or different with each novel you write?

Lisa: Each novel is different, of course. But I always write from a detailed (50-70 page) synopsis which takes about as much time to create as the actual manuscript.

Phoebe: How did you feel when you finally saw your first published book came out in print and how do you feel about your other novels being published?

Lisa: It was and is always a thrill.

Phoebe: How many books are you planning to write for the TO DIE series after your first novel Left to Die? Do you have any other series or stand alone novels planned after you finish the TO DIE series?

Lisa: Currently I have three books planned for the TO DIE series. LEFT TO DIE in August 2008, CHOSEN TO DIE in August 2009 are already approved. The third BORN TO DIE is still pretty rough; I haven't written a full synopsis yet. So we'll see.

Phoebe: Which do you like best, writing a series or writing stand alone novels? How is writing each different for you?

Lisa: I like both, really. Stand-alone novels are new and fresh each time, you don't have to worry about keeping things straight from book to book. But writing a series is like meeting old friends again, they're comfortable. They have histories already written. I really do enjoy both.

Phoebe: How do you handle your writing schedule, your book signing appearances, and your personal life without going insane?

Lisa: Badly. It's important to give the most valuable things in your life time, energy and love. You have to be able to prioritize.

Phoebe: What do you do to relax after having spent a long while writing?

Lisa: I love to spend time with my friends and family. We play cards, hang out at the beach. I do crossword puzzles with my sister and play with my dogs. Currently I'm planning some trips that don't involve a book tour.

Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer that you wish someone had given you?

Lisa: It sounds corny but write from the heart rather than for the market. If you do, your story will be unique and fresh. That said, don't expect to sell something that is unmarketable. It's a business.

Phoebe: Is there any advice that you would give to an aspiring romance writer looking to find a critique partner and/or critique group that you think would be beneficial and wish someone had give you the same advice?

Lisa: Be careful of whom you chose. Make certain that person has the same vision for your book as you do. Your critique person must be totally trustworthy and as into your books as he/she is with his/her own. They should be fun, yet serious and one partner can't write three books in a year and the other struggles with one. It has to be a give and take situation, like a marriage. Just don't be afraid of divorce if things don't work out.

It was such an honor to interview Ms. Jackson and learn more about her and her writing. I hope that you check out Lisa Jackson's new release Left to Die which is now available at Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles and any of your local stores. Comment away about the interview and any questions you may have that I might be able to answer.