Lisa Keeble to my blog. Good morning, Lisa. Shall we chat while we drink our chosen brew?
Please introduce yourself to those reading this blog post,
Hi I’m Lisa, I’m 60 years old, although my brain refuses to accept it, and I live in the South of France where I write, paint, enjoy the sunshine and the red wine.
Has writing always been part of your life and when did you “know” that it was time to start writing your first book?
I have always loved reading, but I didn’t start writing until the first Covid lockdown. I guess I knew it was the right time because it was the thing that saved my sanity. I lived alone in a small apartment, only one hour outside a day was allowed and no further than 1km from where I lived. I was desperately lonely and falling into a deep depression. I wondered why our world seemed to have gone mad and, one day, whilst taking a shower, I asked myself this question ‘If God really exists, what must he be thinking about the human race’ and, just like that, my first novel From His Perspective was born.
How difficult was it writing your first book?
I didn’t find writing the book difficult at all; the characters that I created in my mind kept me company during those difficult months. However, editing the book was very tedious.
Have you ever wanted to give up and what stopped you?
I did stop writing for 4 years. I had a series of tragedies in my life and turned to painting instead. My first two books were comedies, and I just didn’t have it in me, at the time, to write humour.
I started writing again, last year, when my co-author Pasquale suggested that we create something together. NO FILTER – Dangerous Conversations is completely different from my first two books, it’s dark, brutal, psychological and deeply emotional but, it was a pleasure to write. The only difficulty was that Pasquale is Corsican and I am English and we live 500kms apart. The entire book was written via email, his in French and mine in English so you can imagine how much translation was involved! We spent hours on the phone fine tuning ideas, and, during the process, we learned a great deal about each other and how honesty can enhance any relationship.
Who is the most supportive of you and your dream to be a writer?
Definitely my father. He has read my latest book twice and loved it! You could argue that he would be bound to say that but, you don’t know my father – he is honest to a fault!
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
Yes. I’d simply like to tell my readers – thank you. You cannot understand how deeply moving it is to sell the first copy of a book and then read the first review and realise that there are people who love the words that you managed to organize in your mind and then commit to paper.
Oh and, please buy my latest book ;O)
What is the best advice given to you (book or otherwise), and by whom?
The best piece of advice I was ever given was actually from a psychologist many, many years ago. She said, ‘No one can MAKE you feel anything; how you respond to someone else’s words is up to you’. I have never forgotten it and it has stood me in good stead.
What is your target audience and what aspect of your writing do you feel targets that audience?
My target audience is people who like books to provoke emotions and encourage them to think. I like to read stories that make me question the world and the reasons we humans do what we do. I have always been fascinated by psychology and what motivates myself and others to act as we do. My writing is very honest and intended to stimulate the mind; I don’t write within the rules of political correctness.
Did the cover evolve the same way, or did you work with someone to make it come together for you?
Pasquale is an artist and he designed the cover. He wanted something raw
And I think it represents the book perfectly.
What are you working on now? Can we get a peek, an excerpt?
I have just started a new book which, again, I will be creating with Pasquale but, this time, we will be going back to my roots and writing a humorous novel. This is a tiny peek but, obviously, it’s subject to change as this is just the first draft:
Valerie was stressed but, then again, she often was. It was hardly surprising really; she was 50 years old and her husband of 23 years had recently impregnated a Ukrainian girl who was barely out of her teens.
‘Oh shit!’
Valerie muttered under her breath as her heel got caught in a crack in the pavement. She had been walking fast as she was late, and her forward momentum propelled her onward with only one shoe. Her stockinged foot landed on a small, worryingly brown deposit that she hoped was a clump of mud. It wasn’t.
Any last words before we wrap things up?
I’d just like to say thank you for taking the time to interview me for your blog. It was an absolute pleasure.
Social Media and Book Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/49348454-from-his-perspective
