Interview with Lisa Voisin PLUS Giveaway

Today we have the pleasure of chatting with author Lisa Voisin about her novel, THE WATCHER. Let's dive right into the interview, shall we?

Hi, Lisa! Welcome to We Do Write. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi Dorothy! Thank you so much for having me here today. I’m thrilled to be here.

I’m a first-time author with a background in English Lit and technical writing. I’m also a meditation teacher who’s curious about all things metaphysical. I live with my fiancé and our two cats in Vancouver, Canada.

Ooh, I've recently gotten into meditation. We'll have to talk about that sometime. ;) How long have you been writing?

I've been writing stories since I was in grade school. I kept writing through high school, to the point where I preferred writing stories over doing other homework. My parents started to get concerned about me and tried to talk me out of this ridiculous notion that I could be an author.

They won out for a little while, then I went to university and took up technical writing just to prove I could earn an income from the written word. Though my mom is no longer around to see me follow my dreams, my dad is now one of my biggest supporters.

Tell us about THE WATCHER. What’s the story about?

Put very simply, THE WATCHER is a story about a love that transcends time, and the way trauma from the past repeats itself. It's about trying to break out of the past, out of our ideas about ourselves, to reach for our potential and for new possibilities. It's also a tale of redemption.

Cool! How did the idea of the story come to you?

This story had been a seed in the back of my mind for years. I wanted to write about a boy waking up to discover he was an angel. He knew he had powers but he also knew he'd transgressed so to speak. I also wanted to tell the story from the perspective of the girl who loved and remembered him from an ancient past. Then Mia's story came to life.

Once I'd established that, the story unraveled bit by bit from there.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I've worked with all of them. Though a first draft came quickly, THE WATCHER took three years to edit and complete. I had much to learn (and I still do!). I had several good writer friends act as alpha readers/Critique partners. I also would run scenes through a critique group. I then had beta readers look at it, and I went to workshops and conferences. I had a great deal of help. Finally, I also worked through a mentorship program for the final drafts before sending it off for publication.

Solid strategy! Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I'm a bit of both, but more of a pantser than anything. I write the story from start to finish. I get ideas for chapters and I make a rough outline. Then I write it, to see where the story goes. It can get complicated when I go off in directions I never planned.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

I think the hardest part about the actual writing process is living inside the character's skin while you're putting them through difficult situations. Sometimes, like the character, I don't know how they're going to get out of the situations I put them in. I put myself through the story too, so I can see through the character’s eyes.

Paradoxically, the hardest part is the most wonderful part about writing as well.

What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

Usually it's coffee. I write in coffee shops a great deal. It's the only way I can keep my cats off the keyboard!

LOL. They're just curious (and want attention, I'm sure). If you could have any super power, what would it be?

That's a tough one! But I'd have to say, since I'm writing about angels, I'd love to be able to smite demons, get rid of some of the evil in the world. I'm a big fan of the angel Castiel in the TV show, Supernatural, and I just love the way he smites! I even love the word “smite”.

Love Castiel! The actor has the same birthday as I do - just a little useless trivia for you, lol. What's the weirdest thing you've googled?

The Mothman, maybe. It's a pretty weird thing. I wrote a blog post about it. I google a lot, so it's hard to remember all the strange things I've looked up.

Quick writing test! Use the following words in a sentence: watchful, frivolous, and silverware.

With her ever watchful gaze, Jenna caught the man in the frivolous purple suit ease the silverware into his pocket.

Finish this sentence: If I'm not writing, I'm probably ...

...sleeping, reading, or out for a walk.

Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you. Let's hear your shout outs.

Gosh! So many people have helped and supported me over the past few years. First, thanks to my alpha readers--Cara Anderson and Elinor Svoboda--who read this book almost as many times as I have. Cara helped me write and Elinor edited The Watcher book trailer. I also had much friend support there.

Needless to say, my fiancee, Matthew, and my dad have both been immensely supportive. They deserve pages and pages of thanks.

I must also thank everyone who helped me with critiques: Steve, Blair, Marilyn, Laurie, Nicola, Jessica. Then there's my mentors Nancy Richler and Alyx Dellamonica. Their invaluable assistance is due to Betsy 
Warland herself who invited me to the Vancouver Manuscript Intensive program. Then there's everyone at the SCBWI in Nevada. I also owe thanks to the authors who read my novel and blurbed it: A.M. Dellamonica, Eileen Cook, Stephanie Lawton, and Stephanie Keyes.

I also want to thank the team at Inkspell Publishing who have been amazingly supportive of my book: Shilpa, who discovered my book, and Melissa who's been just great. Also, my editor Rie Langdon, was tremendously insightful. And Najla Qamber did the most amazing cover a girl could ask for!

I'd also like to give a shout out to the members of THE WATCHER Street Team - Ashley, Chyna, Iris, Andeaa, Stephanie -- you know who you are! You guys are awesome! THANK you for coming along and lending your enthusiasm and support!

Most of all, I want to thank the people who read this book. It means so much to me to be able to share this work with you.

And finally, where can people find you and your book online?

I can be found at: http://www.lisavoisin.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisavoisinauthor
Twitter: @lvoisin
Blog: http://lisavoisin.wordpress.com

The Watcher can be found on Goodreads here: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13665100-the-watcher

THE WATCHER is available at:
B&N.com
Inkspell Publishing
Amazon
Kobo

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