Five Questions for... Lisa Graves

 Tell us about your novel, Atlantis.
Atlantis is a young adult paranormal romance that focuses on the idea of soul mates, the power of the human mind and the possibilities that might occur if we were able to unlock that power. Within Lilly's world strange and beautiful things begin to occur as she is introduced to opening her mind.  Memories of past lives, time travel, and other realms are revealed to her upon meeting her new neighbor, Elliott. The weird thing is, Elliott already knows Lilly. And he has known her for a very long time. The question remains, will Lilly be able to tap into the latent power within herself to be with her soul mate, Elliott, or will her handsome best friend, Nicholas, finally win her heart?

What drew you to writing a blend of paranormal and romance?
I'm a girl, and I love a good romance.  Also, I have always been a fan of the paranormal and unknown things in the world (ghosts, time travel, and the mystery surrounding our very existence) so it was only natural for me to blend the two together. I feel Atlantis is different from all of the other paranormal novels that are out today in that it brings a new paranormal element to the table. It doesn't have any of the typical vampires, werewolves, witches or zombies that abound in most novels in the paranormal genre. Instead, Atlantis deals with time travel, soul mates and mind power. What if real soul mates existed? What if yours kept searching for you, one lifetime after another, trying to find a way for you to be together forever? Now that would be a true happily ever after for me.

Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing?
I have been writing since middle school, back then it was short stories that were silly and fun. It was a 9th grade creative writing class that first planted the idea in my head to maybe write a book one day. I would get idea from time to time (usually while driving) on interesting thoughts that could make a cool book, but it wasn't until 2008 that I finally decided to dedicate myself to one of my ideas and Atlantis was born. It took me two years to complete Atlantis. Writing is a learning process that gets easier as you go along. The sequel, Stonehenge only took me one year to write and I am still amazed at how perfectly the ideas from Atlantis flowed and evolved in the second novel. From day one, I have planned Atlantis out as a trilogy. There is just so much wonder and possibility abounding in Lilly's world that I knew from the start that one book wouldn't be able to cover it all.

Atlantis was released as an eBook and print. How have you adapted to the new world and popularity of eBooks?
The eBook revolution is a constantly changing world, as is the publishing industry at the moment, and I feel that eBooks are a huge part of our literary future. I think now is a great time to be a reader.  There are so many books to choose from and you no longer have others deciding for you what makes a worthy book. You, the reader, are in control. You get to decide what you like, and it is the readers that are making the best selling authors of tomorrow. I am grateful for readers and their ability to share their indie gems with friends. Thanks.

What books and authors have inspired your writing?
I will not lie, Twilight. I am a Twilight addict. I love those books. I have loved vampire books for years (not just Twilight, but Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles). I have tried to write Atlantis and Stonehenge, with Stephenie Meyer's style in mind. I hope that my readers can get lost in the pages of Atlantis and enjoy the journey with Lilly and her friends. The other writer that is a huge inspiration is Alexandre Dumas, who wrote The Count of Monte Cristo (probably my favorite book) as well as The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask. Dumas wrote his stories "on a nail in time" meaning he staged the fantasy of his fiction in real world places and events. For example, there really is a dug out tunnel in the Chateau d'If Prison in France (from The Count of Monte Cristo) just as there really is an underground city in Naples (from Atlantis). Perhaps with a little luck, and some help from fans, one day Atlantis will be as well known as Twilight and The Count of Monte Cristo.

For more about Lisa Graves and her books, visit www.lisagravesbooks.com.

Comments

Popular Posts