Links
Lisa
Becker is a romance writer who spends her time like she spends her money - on
books and margaritas. Links, her
fifth novel, has been called light, fun, sexy and smart. She’s written bylined
articles about online dating, love and romance and has been featured in Cupid’s
Pulse, Garmental.com, TV Grapevine, GalTime.com, Single Edition, Career 2.0,
The Perfect Soulmate, Chick Lit Central and numerous other book blogs and
websites. As Lisa’s grandmother used to say, “For every chair, there’s a
tush.” Lisa is now happily married to a wonderful man she met online
(which inspired her Click trilogy)
and lives in Manhattan Beach with him and their two daughters. So, if it
happened for her, there’s hope for anyone! For more information, please see: www.lisawbecker.com
1.
What really inspired you to write your book, to
force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book? For my latest
book, Links, I had been thinking
about the types of love we encounter and recalled the unrequited high school
crush, which was as much a part of the teen years as football games, acne,
proms and final exams. I'm not too
ashamed to admit I had such a fierce crush on a boy, I willingly sat with him
in the bathroom at parties while he puked up wine coolers, just so I could
spend time with him. Thankfully, that soul-crushing time in my life is over,
but I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I came upon that secret
crush as a confident, successful woman. I figured there were a lot of other
people out there who could relate to getting a second chance with someone who
didn't notice you the first time around.
2.
What is it about and whom do you believe is your
targeted reader? A
witty and heartfelt second chance romance, Links
follows previously awkward and now successful Charlotte reconnecting with her
unrequited schoolgirl crush, the athletic heartthrob, Garrett, 15 years after
high school. The story unfolds through
alternative perspectives of two main characters who learn that time has a way
of changing ourselves and our perspectives.
I think this is a great read for anyone who has ever had a crush, been
in love, been dumped, had a bad date or is searching for "the one." But because of the language and adult
content, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under 18.
3.
What do you hope will be the everlasting
thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them
long after putting it down?
The ultimate takeaway is that you never know when and where you're going to find love. It's important to be open to it so when cupid does strike, love sticks.
The ultimate takeaway is that you never know when and where you're going to find love. It's important to be open to it so when cupid does strike, love sticks.
4.
What advice or words of wisdom do you have for
fellow writers?
Pardon the pun, but don’t write off self-publishing. Upon completing my first novel, Click, I explored the traditional publishing route and got feedback from multiple literary agents. One in particular explained the current economic state of the publishing industry to me. Due to the large investment to edit, produce, distribute and market a work by an unknown author, many large publishers won’t take the risk. If you aren't able to secure an agent or publishing offer, self-publishing is a way to get your work out there. After self-publishing several books, I secured a publisher for my latest release. I'm also reminded of some advice I was once given. I had interviewed Charles Rosen, one of the producers of the original Beverly Hills 90210, for an alumni magazine article while I was in graduate school. And I'll never forget what he told me, "Don't fall in love with your words, because somebody above will probably change them." One of the great benefits of self-publishing is that you can really take control of the process.
Pardon the pun, but don’t write off self-publishing. Upon completing my first novel, Click, I explored the traditional publishing route and got feedback from multiple literary agents. One in particular explained the current economic state of the publishing industry to me. Due to the large investment to edit, produce, distribute and market a work by an unknown author, many large publishers won’t take the risk. If you aren't able to secure an agent or publishing offer, self-publishing is a way to get your work out there. After self-publishing several books, I secured a publisher for my latest release. I'm also reminded of some advice I was once given. I had interviewed Charles Rosen, one of the producers of the original Beverly Hills 90210, for an alumni magazine article while I was in graduate school. And I'll never forget what he told me, "Don't fall in love with your words, because somebody above will probably change them." One of the great benefits of self-publishing is that you can really take control of the process.
5.
What trends in the book world do you see and
where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? It's hard to ignore the continued rise of
digital books and Amazon's prominence in today's publishing landscape. With its
own imprints, it appears that Amazon-published titles will get preference on
the site and dominate in sales, being backed by the marketing power of the
online bookseller. As a former consumer product marketing professional, I would
love to see more creativity in book marketing with cross promotions between
brands referenced in books and the retail outlets where those brands are
sold.
6.
What great challenges did you have in writing
your book? From a writing
perspective, the process has been relatively easy. This story just poured out of me. I felt such
a connection to Charlotte, her struggles with her nerdy past and the
humiliation of being called "Glasses" by the boy who melted her
heart. The biggest challenge has been on
the marketing side, helping to spread the word about this light and breezy
read, which is why I'm so grateful for opportunities like this to share my
thoughts with readers. So, thank you.
7.
If people can only buy one book this month, why
should it be yours? Before
I even tell people what Links is
about, I ask them to raise their hands if they've ever had an unrequited high
school crush. More than 9 times out of 10, the person raises one hand or both.
It's such a relatable topic and I've taken care to make sure the theme is
addressed with humor, realism and a lot of heart. At only $4.99 for an ebook, I joke that this
sweet, alluring, fun and sexy romance is cheaper and less calories than a
Starbucks breakfast and much more emotionally satisfying.
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas
expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can
follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him
at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the
third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised
in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book
marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs
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