Interview with author Lisa G.

Member of Writers Victoria and full Associate Member of the Australian Society of Authors, Lisa G is Primary Education Literacy & Integration qualified with 10 years experience. Young Adult/General fiction crossover novel RUMLA is Lisa G's first published works off the back of her (yet to be published) Bookshelf Series - a compendium of five early reader books - she is intending to illustrate herself. The down to earth self-driven author insists she is just 'your girl next door' who believes everyone has the power to make their dreams a reality. We have conducted an interview with her.

How long have you been qualified to be in Primary Education Literacy & Integration?

10 years Literacy education, 6yrs in Primary Integration.

How did it inspire you to write? What inspires you on a daily basis?

It's the other way round actually. I have always written. It is who I am. My love of books and writing was what inspired me to become a literacy educator and also Integration support. I felt it incredibily sad many children struggled to read or see the value in reading or writing. For me, reading and writing is a wonderous adventure, a total escape and somewhere to be anyone you aspire to be. I wanted students to experience the beautiful destinations books and words could take them. And so, I strived to spread my excitement and encourage students through building literacy skills while I kept writing.

Every day, kindness inspires me as a person. But writing inspiration is everywhere. I am like a kid in a lolly shop. The waft and kick of a leaf as it rolls and tumbles on the slightest breeze will inspire me. Everything has its power. It is just a matter of being open to the seeing beauty surrounding us. The simplist of things usually has the biggest impact on me.

What do you enjoy most about writing a book/story?

Even from a young age, I appreciated the power of words and the journey well crafted narrative gifted. But I really had no concept of the power, until writing RUMLA.

The escape is intoxicating. When I am writing, I feel completely free. I live every word, every moment, as vivid as if it was a movie. But what I love most is losing myself in my imagination, living the words before they hit the page. The experience is almost unexplainable. For your fingers to be typing away madly, a story of your own, but you read it as if it is so new like someone had written it, well.....is totally beyond words.

What makes you uncomfortable?

People thinking I am an inspiration. Putting me on a pedestal.

I do hate being short, so the extra height of a pedestal I should love. But for me, inspirational people are those who have struggled through adversity or life changing challenges with such positivity they inspire for achieving despite them and those, who use their struggle to selflessly benefit others lives. Such people as Geraldine Cox, Neil Daniher, Glen Mcgrath, Christopher Reeve, Nelson Mandela and those who would sacrifice their own safety without a second thought, whether it be for a loved one or a stranger - the many heroes of recent terrorist attacks, Kirsty Boden comes to mind.

Don't misunderstand me, I do appreciate that I may inspire others to chase their dreams. That my effort and achievement is acknowledged, is wonderfully rewarding because it is a big thing for me. But inspirational, is rather too kind. There are millions of authors and zillions of books. I am just the girl next door, the neighbour across the road, the girl who thought why not just try.

Who is your intended audience? Why did you write this book 'Rumla'?

RUMLA is for everyone! This is what is so great about RUMLA. I am very proud that there is something to excite, entice, entertain and warm hearts of all ages. With a mix of historical fact, myth, legend and fiction, the addictive adventure mysterty captures from the first page, draws you in and keeps you guessing right to the end. RUMLA is an addictive, can't put down' read! That is my favourite kind of book...and that leads into why I wrote RUMLA.

From a teenager, writing a book was my dream. I wrote RUMLA for me and had never intended publishing for public release. Not, that is, until after a couple of people read the manuscript and told me 'they loved it, this is really good, don't leave it in the draw and you should do something with this."

I am glad I took their advice, trusted them and didn't listen to my self-doubt, which is without a doubt a crazy curse for any writer. But when people you don't know are telling you they can't wait for the next one and your first review spills excitement about RUMLA, capturing exactly what you set out to do...self-doubt gets a told you so and suddenly you've kicked your dream out of the ball park.

It is pretty cool. Till this day though, I still struggle to absorb that I have accomplished my dream. It is most surreal to see your work on the shelves of a bookstore because it is not only good enough to be there but, is there because of others belief in your work.

Rumla was published Oct 2016. In April 2017 RUMLA was revised. Why?

Though I trusted my encouragers, I wanted to test RUMLA further and make sure it was definitely deserving of an official release. Launching a soft release in October 2016, RUMLA was out there for three months. After a healthy 130 copies were sold, feedback echoed my initial encouragers that RUMLA deserved a place on their bookshelves sitting along side their favourite authors.Most excitingly, every reader that shared their experience with me, told me they were not only drawn in quickly but didn't want to put it down. Falling in love with the characters and the twists and turns, their families were often ignored as they found themselves immersed in the world of RUMLA. But there was also a couple of readers who made valuable suggestions, and so I did a little more of a tidy, fine tuning here and there, incorporating their input. The critical feedback was as important as reader affirmation. After the revisions were applied, RUMLA released officially in April 2017.

GET a little more personal and DISCOVER the WORLD of RUMLA at lisag@lisagbooks.com

More info:

Website: http://www.lisagbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaGbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisagbooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisagbooks12139862
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-g-598b76aa/