Lisa Shearin is the National Bestselling Author of the Raine Benares’ fantasy adventure series about a sorceress and seeker of things lost and people missing.
One thing Lisa doesn’t have to find is work. Contrary to the public’s image of writers, she does have a day job as an editor/proofreader at an advertising agency. Before that she was a magazine editor, an advertising copywriter, and a writer of corporate marketing materials of every description. Writing is what she does and she knows she’s blessed beyond belief to have the opportunity to get paid for doing what she loves.
When she’s not at her desk pecking away on her laptop, brainstorming with pen in hand or running her Yahoo Group Fan Club called Raine’s Rangers, Lisa likes to find the time to read and sing in her church choir. She’s also met some of her closest friends over crossed blades (of the Olympic style), and believes a rapier and dagger duel is fun! In fact, Lisa and her husband have spent some great times with their fencing club doing demos at museums, schools, movie premieres, the Biltmore House, and Renaissance faires.
One thing Lisa doesn’t have to find is work. Contrary to the public’s image of writers, she does have a day job as an editor/proofreader at an advertising agency. Before that she was a magazine editor, an advertising copywriter, and a writer of corporate marketing materials of every description. Writing is what she does and she knows she’s blessed beyond belief to have the opportunity to get paid for doing what she loves.
When she’s not at her desk pecking away on her laptop, brainstorming with pen in hand or running her Yahoo Group Fan Club called Raine’s Rangers, Lisa likes to find the time to read and sing in her church choir. She’s also met some of her closest friends over crossed blades (of the Olympic style), and believes a rapier and dagger duel is fun! In fact, Lisa and her husband have spent some great times with their fencing club doing demos at museums, schools, movie premieres, the Biltmore House, and Renaissance faires.
I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa once at a booksigning in my hometown. It was the bookstore’s first attempt to draw in Sci-fi and fantasy readers. I got to listen to the Q&A for a little bit, but then I had to run…it was my anniversary and I had dinner plans. I hope Lisa forgave me! I’m also pleased to call her a fellow chaptermate of HCRW!
When our paths crossed for the first time, Lisa had just sold MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND. Now she’s on a locked down deadline for book four (BEWITCHED & BETRAYED)! She’s living her dream and making a name for herself with a set of characters and a world that are all her own…which is what every author strives for. With a wildly popular series to her name and her star shooting up amid a group of established constellations, I’m sure we’ll be hear more about Lisa Shearin for a long time to come!
What prompted you to pen Raine Benares’ adventures in lieu of sticking with your day job as an editor/proofreader?
Actually, I still have my day job at the advertising agency. Contrary to popular belief, most authors don’t make enough money from their books to be able to quit their day jobs. So it’s like I have two full-time jobs. Oh, and one part-time job. I was recently thrilled to be offered my own column in The Writer magazine. The editor there really liked my blog where I essentially give insight into the publishing industry from a new author’s point of view. Kind of a “things I know, stuff I learned, and crap I found out the hard way.”
How has being handy with a blade (like your favorite foil and epee’) helped enhance Raine’s exploits?
I think it’s helped me make any sword fighting scenes more realistic, because I know what can and can’t be done with a blade. And I took private rapier & dagger lessons for almost a year (in addition to my five years of fencing experience) specifically to prepare me to choreograph fight scenes in my books and make them as realistic as possible.
Like other writers, did you use a bit of yourself in Raine, or is she an entity all to herself?
My husband says that I am Raine. ; ) And I will admit that there’s a lot of Raine in me. Though she immediately has the snappy comebacks that I only think of after the opportunity to say them has long gone.
What has been your crowning moment as an author? And what pitfall have you crossed that you’d like to warn other writers about?Other than getting that first book contract, my crowning moment was Armed & Magical becoming a national bestseller. So on The Trouble with Demons cover “National Bestselling Author” is under my name. I gotta say, that puts a grin on my face. And I’m happy to say that I haven’t had any pitfalls that I can recall. Which means if I did, they must not have been that bad.
Since “Magic” is a big factor in the series, is there a reason books three and four veered from that title path and the covers and content got edgier?
The titles just came to me, so there wasn’t a conscious effort to “veer from the title path.” And as Raine’s troubles compound, the content naturally gets edgier. But with my most recent book (THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS), my publisher wanted to attract more readers from the contemporary and urban fantasy market, so they went with a different model and a darker color palette.
The titles just came to me, so there wasn’t a conscious effort to “veer from the title path.” And as Raine’s troubles compound, the content naturally gets edgier. But with my most recent book (THE TROUBLE WITH DEMONS), my publisher wanted to attract more readers from the contemporary and urban fantasy market, so they went with a different model and a darker color palette.
Will you be among the authors that descend on Washington DC for RWA Nationals? Are there any other dates fans need to mark on their calendars?
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make Nationals this year. However, if any of your readers are going to be in the Cary, NC area on Tuesday, June 23 at 7:00, I’ll be doing a book signing/discussion with local fantasy and Sci-fi authors James Maxey, Mark Van Name, and the legendary David Drake. We’ll be at the Barnes & Noble in Cary; see my website’s Events page for all the details. http://lisashearin.com/events.cfm I’ve become author buddies with “the boys” and we always have a great time at our events.
Remember one lucky person who posts a comment below will win Lisa's first three books in the Raine Benares’ series!
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