Steve: I’m honored today to interview Lisanne Harrington, author of the “Wolf Creek Mysteries.” Welcome to the blog, Lisanne. Why don’t you tell us a little about yourself.

Lisanne: Hey, there, Steve. Thanks for hosting me. Well, let’s see. After nearly twenty years as a paralegal, I staged a coup and left the straight-laced corporate world—and hideously ugly pant suits—behind forever. I now pander to my muse, a sarcastic little so-and-so. Only copious amounts of Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper and hamburgers will get him to fill my head with stories of serial killers, werewolves, and the things that live under your bed.
I live in SoCal with my husband and rowdy, always-has-to-have-the-last-word miniature pinscher, Fiona. When not writing, I love to watch reruns of Gilmore Girls (although I hated the movies), horror movies like Young Frankenstein and Fido, and true crime shows. I like scary clowns, coffee with flavored creamer, and hot, salty French fries. Lots and lots of French fries.

When not hanging with “The Girls,” I write paranormal mysteries and murder mysteries.

Steve: Can you describe some of them?

Lisanne: My “Wolf Creek Mysteries” trilogy is available online (Amazon and B&N). It takes place in a fictional small Southern California town, where in Book 1 (Moonspell) a serial killer is stalking and killing the townspeople. But only at certain times, and it falls upon main character James to figure out who—or what—the killer is, and catch him. Book 2 (Moon Watch) plays off that as another series of murders takes place that centers around James. Then, in Book 3 (Moon Shadows), James wakes up to a town shrouded in a strange fog. Everyone has disappeared, and it is up to James to find them. All the while avoiding the strange creatures that lurk in the shadows….

My zombie story, “That Twin Thing,” is included in an amazing anthology called Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem, by the OC Fictionaires.

Steve: What’s on the horizon?

Lisanne: My next book, Murder in the Family, due out early in 2019, is a murder mystery. Orange County Deputy Sheriff Dana S. Sinclair longs for two things: more action on the job so she can earn a promotion like her father before her, and a better relationship with her estranged mother. When her mother is murdered and it appears that her dead father has come back from the grave to do it, Dana does everything she can to uncover the truth. As she investigates the murder, Dana uncovers a plethora of suspects, strange warnings, bizarre happenings that seem designed to drive her crazy, and the truth about her dead father.

After that, I return to the paranormal with Gravelings, the story about what happens when a disturbed little girl encounters strange creatures living in the basement. Of course, the adults around her don’t believe her. She is, after all, on medication for hearing voices and other mental health issues. But as the gravelings become more and more aggressive and violent, they begin to wonder if the creatures are real. And if the gravelings are going to kill them.

Currently, I’ve finished a first draft of a story involving killer clowns, and am halfway through a story about a mythological Chinese monster and the destruction of the family charged with keeping it at bay.

Lisanne on reading and writing:

Steve: Why, how, and when did you start writing?

Lisanne: I’ve always been a big reader, so it just seemed a natural transition to begin writing. I started with short stories as a small child, and co-wrote my first novel when I was eleven. It then progressed from there, and has become a part of me. When not writing, I feel incomplete.

Steve: Did you publish the first book you wrote?

Lisanne: No way! Not even the first one I wrote as an adult. It was a hot mess, and my first real attempt at a mystery. Thank God, I took lots of classes and really sharpened the tools in my toolbox before I began marketing Murder in the Family, which was my second attempt at a murder mystery.

Steve: What is your biggest problem with the writing process? How do you tackle it?

Lisanne: Actually, my biggest problem is being interrupted, either by family members or my barking dog, who always seems to find the exact WRONG time to bring me her ball.

Steve: Do you feel writing is something you need to do or want to do?

Lisanne: It’s like breathing. I couldn’t live without it.

Steve: Have your personal experiences or situations influenced you creatively? If so, how?

Lisanne: I think all writers are influenced by life. While I don’t necessarily believe in the adage “write what you know,” (isn’t that what research is for?), I think we writers can’t help but draw on our own experiences when we write.

Steve: How much of your creative ability do you think is innate and how much is learned?

Lisanne: It’s an equal mixture. Without the ability and desire, there’s no real point in learning the ins and outs of writing. It’s just like any other job. You have to train yourself before you can really do a good job. Even cashiers at fast food joints train to work the register. Why shouldn’t a writer train as well?

Steve: What is the last book you read? What are you reading now?

Lisanne: I just finished The Human Predator: A Historical Chronicle of Serial Murder and Forensic Investigation by Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D.  I’m about halfway through Member of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult, and the Darkness that Ended the Sixties, by Dianne Lake and Deborah Herman. Just a little light reading (wink).

Steve: Who are your favorite authors?  Whose writing inspires you the most and why?

Lisanne: Alex Kava for murder mysteries, and Stephen King, Bentley Little, and Joe Hill for horror. Alex really delves into the characters as much as the mystery. King and Hill for their descriptions of the monsters inside us, characters who could be our friends and neighbors—or even us. Little for his straight-out supernatural monsters.

Steve: What’s the last book to make you laugh?  Cry?

Lisanne: That’s a tough one. I don’t read a lot of comedy or tragedy. Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella’s My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space made me laugh. Marley and Me by John Grogan brought a few tears to my eyes, but those were from allergies. (giggle)

Steve: Should writers read in their genre?  Should they be avid readers?

Lisanne: A wholehearted YES! to both. If you don’t read in your chosen genre, how will you know all the tropes and stereotypes? And a writer should read as much as possible in as many genres as possible to gain knowledge about how stories are formed.

Steve: How do you find (discover) your plots?

Lisanne: Well, let’s see. Normally, I get my ideas while doing mundane chores, like washing dishes or folding laundry. The characters come to me for a chat. They talk to me, sometimes for months before they trust me enough to tell me their story.

And I can’t always count on the veracity of their story, either. I’ve found that many times, they fib or outright lie until they’re certain that I will believe them.

For example, with Moonspell, James and Beth took about four months to tell me what REALLY happened to them, and even after I started writing the first draft, the true identity of the killer was kept from me until I wrote the final scene.

They seemed to take great delight in leading me astray.

Talk about nerve-wracking!

After getting the first draft down, the characters usually go away. Occasionally, they pop up again to correct something, but not very often.

Then I comb through the second and third drafts, looking for holes in the story and ways to correct them.

The fourth draft usually is for fleshing out scenes and checking for inconsistencies in character development.

In further drafts, I fine-tune my writing. Along about then, I read portions of the story to my writing group and deal with their comments.

Then, when I think it’s finally done, I send it to my beta-reader and nervously chew my nails until she gets back to me.

The next draft incorporates her comments, and more time is spent after that fine-tuning again.

I’m a little…shall we say, persnickety?…in getting the final manuscript just the way I want it.

Steve: Are your characters based on real people?

Lisanne: I draw a lot from people I know or have met, but the characters are unique unto themselves.

Steve: How do you name your characters?

Lisanne: I don’t, not as far as main characters go. They tell me their name. With minor characters, I try to find something that fits either their personality, the story, or the situation they’re involved in. I either go online and find something within their ethnicity, or use a big book of baby names I can leaf through.

Steve: Which comes first for you, plot or characters?

Lisanne: Characters. Always characters.

Steve: Any comments about writing dialog?

Lisanne: Tag sparingly, and don’t use anything fancy. Stick to said, asked, replied.

Steve: How do you handle POV?

Lisanne: I usually write in first person for the main character, and third person for everyone else.

Steve: Do you do fact-finding for (AKA research) your books?  If so, how? What sources do you use?

Lisanne: All authors should do their research, even something they think they’re familiar with. For example, in Murder in the Family, I thought I knew the difference between a revolver and a pistol, but after looking it up, I realized I had it totally wrong. You can look online, in books, or ask contacts. My preference is to ask a contact, but that’s not always possible, so both the internet and library are handy references. Just remember, research is a MUST. Knowledgeable readers will toss your book aside if there are too many inconsistencies or errors. ALWAYS do your research!

Steve: What reference works do you use most?

Lisanne: Stephen King’s On Writing, Scene and Structure by Jack Bickham, and The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, and all their related thesauri.

Lisanne on the writing business:

Steve: Do you use a formatter?  Editor?  Agent?

Lisanne: My publisher does the formatting and editing. I’d like to have an agent, but they’re nearly impossible to get without some sort of personal connection.

Steve: Do you self-publish or traditionally publish?

Lisanne: Traditional.

Steve: What are your most effective marketing techniques?  Where would you like to improve?  Do you go it alone or seek professional help (outside what your publisher provides, if appropriate).

Lisanne: Unfortunately, my publisher does next to nothing in the promotion/marketing realm. I talk my books up a little on Facebook and Twitter, but mostly I attend events like the local library Author Day and Monsterpalooza. I could definitely use some professional help, but it’s just a bit out of the budget at the moment. (Anyone who thinks they’ll get rich writing is sadly misinformed. You have to do it because you love it.)

Steve: Do you release trade paperbacks or ebooks or both?

Lisanne: Both.

Steve: What do you think of publishing services like Amazon, Smashwords, etc?  What about small presses v. large, traditional publishers?

Lisanne: I think publishing services are fine for self-publishing. Much better than the old vanity presses. I would like to get in with one of the Big Five publishing houses, but that’s nearly impossible these days. Small presses are a great way for authors to be traditionally published, but most don’t have the funds to actively market their books, so it falls on the author’s shoulders to do the legwork—and dole out the monies.

Personal questions for Lisanne:

Steve: What is your favorite place to eat out?  Favorite food?  Drink?

Lisanne: I enjoy a good burger, so I tend to go to burger joints like The Habit. I also like sushi and am working my way through all the local restaurants in an attempt to find the best.

My favorite food is French fries, hot and salty. My drink of choice is Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper.

Steve: What are your favorite other places, either here or abroad? What places would you like to visit?

Lisanne: While I have visited China, Spain, Andorra, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii, and over half the states in the U.S., my two favorite places are Ireland and Alaska, and I would like to go back to both.

Steve: What other interests and activities do you have besides writing?

Lisanne: I love to bake cakes and cookies. I recently bought three cookbooks related to The Great British Baking Show and am working my way through them. I also enjoy sewing and am making several monster-related outfits to wear to book events.

Steve: What was the last movie you went to see?

Lisanne: When I’m writing, I rarely take time for things like movies, but I think the last one I saw was the new It. I’ve been knee-deep in a first draft and unfortunately missed the newest Halloween movie.

Steve: If your book(s) were to be made into a movie, who would you want to play your main characters?

Lisanne: Actually, I get asked this question quite a bit. I think Asher Angel would make a great James in Moonspell, and Beth could easily be played by Madeleine McGraw.

Steve: What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

Lisanne: Soda (Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper), two kinds of flavored coffee creamer, cheese, potato salad, blackberry jam, and half a carton of expired eggs.

Steve: If you could trade places with someone for a week, famous or not, living or dead, real or fictional, with whom would it be?

Lisanne: It would probably be Tabitha King, so I could pick Stephen’s brain.

Steve: What is your favorite (song) and why?  Piece of music?  Theater work? Movie?  Piece of art?

Lisanne: I love all Queen songs, and have since I first saw them in 1975. (None of this Johnny-Come-Lately Queen lover for me!) My favorite play is Rent. I don’t really have a favorite movie, but  suffice it to say B-horror movies are my favorites. Knowing next to nothing about art, I love the bizarre paintings of Salvador Dali, especially The Persistence of Memory.

Steve: Thanks for your interesting and candid answers, Lisanne. Readers, you can find more information at Lisanne’s website www.LisanneHarrington.com and she is active on social media (Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lisanne.harrington; Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaneHarington ). Her Amazon Author Page is: https://www.amazon.com/author/lisanneharrington. Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/lisanne_harrington

Please also check out her YouTube Book trailers:

Moonspell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm0ifQajaJA

Moon Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX1Z555lw98

***

Comments are always welcome.

Goin’ the Extra Mile. #3 in the “Mary Jo Melendez Mysteries,” this novel returns to the heart-pounding action of #1 and the intrigue and suspense of #2. The U.S. created the MECHs (“Mechanically Enhanced Cybernetic Humans”), Russia stole them, and now China wants them…and will kidnap Mary Jo and her family to get them. Available on Amazon and Smashwords and all the latter’s affiliated retailers (Apple iBooks, B&N, Kobo, etc).

Reviews on Goodreads and Amazon are all five-star ones so far. Here’s one: “I was captivated by the end of the first chapter, and I couldn’t stop reading. The author did an incredible job with character development and storyline. The twists and turns of this suspenseful read will have you turning pages as fast as possible. I was trying to guess what was going to happen next, but the author kept surprising me. I enjoyed every chapter of this book and look forward to reading more from this author”.—Valerie, in her Goodreads five-star review

In libris libertas.

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