I have been looking forward to this interview. I had Waterfall, book one of your series, on my Kindle. The minute I finished reading it, I immediately bought and downloaded book two, Cascade. After reading it, I got the print copy of Torrent and devoured it. Lisa, why do you write the kind of books you do?
Hmmm…Writing comes out of my imagination, my experience, my
dreams, my hopes, my fears, my beliefs…So that’s a tough question. It just is.
I don’t write books as an agenda, or to accomplish a specific goal—other than
to lead people a little bit closer to the Source of all Love. That allows for
all KINDS of different books, which I think you’d see, if you looked at all 40+
books I’ve written, all laid out across the floor.
Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest
day in your life?
Marrying my husband, Tim. Next year, I’ll celebrate twenty
years with my best friend.
How has being published changed your life?
Eventually it became our main source of income—that’s pretty
monumental. J
But it’s also opened my eyes to dreaming big, and seeing dreams realized. It’s
fun, every time.
What are you reading right now?
THE WORLD IN 2050, by Laurence Smith. It’s nonfiction, and
projects what will be happening if we currently continue on demographic,
geological, globalization and cultural trends. Since I’m considering writing a
futuristic YA series next, it’s important for me to know what might happen, if
Jesus doesn’t return! Other than that—the last book was SARAH’S KEY, an amazing
novel, and a ton of general market YA novels.
What is your current work in progress?
I’m working on the final rounds with my editor of GLAMOROUS
ILLUSIONS, the first book in the Grand Tour Series, which will come out June
2012. I’ll move right into #2 and #3 in that series, and perhaps will dabble in
some e-publishing, continuing the River of Time Series.
If you do ebooks continuing this series, I want you back on my blog with them. What would be your dream vacation?
Anyone who knows me knows I constantly dream of Italy . I’d love
to spend an entire month there…traveling from top to bottom, and an entire
Summer, settled into a cozy little villa in the hills, where I could hear the
bells tolling, smell the lavender and rosemary on the breeze…*sigh*
How do you choose your settings for each book?
They have to be places I love, since locations are always so
integral to my stories. They really are the catalyst, in many ways. For the
Homeward Trilogy (Breathe, Sing, Claim)
it was Colorado, because the main character suffered from consumption, and
Colorado Springs was a leader in the sanitorium biz. For the River of Time (Waterfall, Cascade, Torrent) it was
Tuscany, because the heroine’s parents are Etruscan archeologists and the hero
is a medieval prince of sorts…For my upcoming Grand Tour series (Glamorous Illusions et al), the books
will be set in unique, iconic cities—Paris, Venice, Rome—because those are
perfect locations for characters to really come of age, to discover monumental,
formative things about themselves and their world.
If you could spend an evening with one person who is
currently alive, who would it be and why?
Whew. Glad I’m not hanging out with a zombie. J
And I assume you mean someone I haven’t met, so…Ridley Scott. And in this
fantasy, he’d read my River of Time Series and decided he wanted to make them
into the most amazing teen movies EVER…
I hope so!! What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?
We adore travel. We have a family travel web site, www.theworldiscalling.com. So we
move around and report on what we discover, hoping to encourage other families
to do the same. Research trips help on this front, too…We like to hike, to
entertain, and just to hang out at home and relax, cooking, eating, conversing,
laughing.
What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you
overcome it?
Staying off the Internet. Twitter, Facebook, email…I
overcome it by going to the library to write. I have to cut myself off from
Internet access if I hope to get anything done. And I’ve never allowed myself
to find out how to get on the Net at the library. So I slip my headphones on,
settle in, and write like a banshee there.
What advice would you give to a beginning author?
Read Writer’s Digest.
Go to the nearest writer’s conference. Read like crazy in the genre you want to
write yourself. Then get words down on paper. Every day.
Tell us about the featured book.
The River of Time Series (beginning with Waterfall and Cascade) is
about two American teens who time-travel back to medieval Italy and fight
for their lives, their loves, and their future. Torrent is the third book in the series, so this is going to
contain some spoilers…in this installment, the Betarrini family is reunited and
now the biggest question of all is on the table: Can they all agree to remain
in medieval Tuscany forever? And at what cost? Giving up modern life changes
life for them all. But to leave means giving up the most important thing in
Gabi’s life…love, and possibly, her father again. High romance, big action—if
it’s your kind of read, dive into the River of Time, even if you’re not in the
YA age group—half my readers are much older!
Please give us the first page of the book. *SPOILER ALERT*
(this is P1 of Book 3!)
Torrent: P1
We’d shaken the dust from the gowns the guys had left the
three of us and slipped on our “medieval disguises,” as I called them, but
there wasn’t a whole lot we could do for Dad.
“Yeah, that’s not gonna work out so great,” Lia said,
staring up at Dad’s T-shirt.
I looked him over, still not quite believing he was with us,
alive. We’d buried him, laid flowers on his grave, and mourned him for
seven—no, eight months now—and yet here he was, hands on his hips, ready to
take the lead in our family again. Like we’d never been gone. Which, for him,
we hadn’t been.
From his perspective, we’d grown up by a couple of years
while he was at an afternoon’s dig.
Such was the nature of time travel.
His brown eyes flicked from me to Lia and back again, like
he couldn’t quite believe his eyes either. In our luxurious gowns we looked
more like women than teens, which had to be freaking him out all the more. He
turned toward the walls of the Etruscan tomb.
“Adri, this is amazing,” he said, reaching for a flashlight
in his back pocket and taking in the frescoes, inch by inch.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
Facebook: Lisa Tawn Bergren and River of Time
Series
Twitter: @LisaTBergren @TheWorldCallsThank you, Lisa, for the interesting visit.
Readers, you will want to read this series whether you're a young adult or an adult. I'm encouraging my teenage granddaughters to read it, but I loved every word.
Here are links to all three book. By using them when you order, you help support this blog. Waterfall: A Novel (River of Time Series)
Cascade: A Novel (River of Time Series)
Torrent: A Novel (River of Time Series)
Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)
Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.
The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.
If you’re reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com
24 comments:
I WOULD LOVE TO WIN. THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE.
ANGELA FROM KY.
I love the premise for the series. I think it's a book and series that my teenage son would also enjoy. Can't wait to get to the bookstore now!
Thanks for sharing,
coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com
NE
Thank you so much for the chance to win this. This book sounds great. I would love to win this.
I am from Oklahoma
Looks like a good series. I'd really like to read this.
Beth from Iowa
Sounds like a great book! Would love to win this for my daughters(12 & 15)...they love reading time travel stories:) Lisa I love your books...you're very descriptive!
Lorna from Alberta
lornafaith at gmail dot com
My daughters love this series. Since I have three who read YA and love to share their books with friends, Lisa gave them a copy of the first book. We then ordered books 2 and 3. All three are now in our church library and the girls keep encouraging other teens to read them. They are hoping for a 4th in the series. In fact, just the other day my youngest daughter mentioned wanting another book in this series. Will that happen, Lisa? You've done a great job with the books for teens and I loved them too.
thanks for the opportunity to read lisa's latest novel :)
karenk ... from PA
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
I already have the first two books in this series, so I would love to add this one. Thank you!
Carly in Burlington, NC
love to be entered. thanks
live in ND
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
sounds interesting I would Love to read this book enter me in the drawing God Bless
Joanna Richmond
Blanch NC
This book sounds great. I am interested in Italy and I know my teenage daughters would also enjoy the book. I live in S. California. vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com
Oh, I have heard so much about these books! Great interview :)
I'm from SD
This sounds like such a great series! I would love to be entered. :)
Lindsey
Oregon
I read and enjoyed "Waterfall" --Thanks for the chance to win one of the sequels!
jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu
(P.S. I'm from Hawaii)
Torrent sounds awesome, thanks for the sneak peek. I enjoyed hearing about how the places Lisa sets her books inspire her.
Merry in TX
I love reading series books and this sounds like a great series. Would love to read it
Blessings,
Jo from Southern Arizona
Enter me I would love to win a copy of this book! Thanks and God bless!
Sharon Richmond
Blanch, NC.
I'm a librarian and find it neat that you write there. I would also love to go to Italy. I love pasta. Also I would love to see the art and architecture. Art history was my minor in college. I'm from Ohio. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
It looks interesting!!
Please enter me in the drawing.
God Bless
Sarah Richmond
Blanch,N.C.
I LOVE this series so far!! I read Waterfall in one day and then instantly bought Cascade, but stil haven't been able to read it with other stuff going on!! I would love to win Torrent!!!! Great interview! Thanks!
Courtney
from WA state
I really enjoy Lisa's writing and would delighted to win her latest!
Ann Lee Miller
Gilbert AZ
I've wanted to read this series since I first heard about it. Would love to win this book.
forest_rose [at] yahoo [dot] com
Oops so used to leaving an email I didn't leave where I live. I'm from Northern CA, USA.
Looks interesting! Would love to win,please enter me in the drawing.
Nathanael Richmond
Blanch, NC.
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