G’day!
This week our Awesome Aussie Author is the bubbly, side-splittingly funny and extremely gifted, Lisa Heidke. I am a huge fan of Lisa’s books and her most recently released-Stella Makes Good is next on my list of reads. I can’t wait to be taken away with her characters on their next outrageously fun adventure!
Welcome, Lisa, I’m thrilled to have you here today.
Where were you born, raised, schooled and what was the most mischievous thing you did when you were a child?
Born in Melbourne, went to Elwood and Kalorama primary schools before moving to Brisbane when I was ten. Finished primary school at Ormiston Public and then high school at Loreto Convent, Coorparoo.
The most mischievous thing I did at primary school was to sneak into the craft store room and steal pink wool. I was beside myself with guilt and definitely thought I’d go straight to hell...when I look back, it doesn’t seem like that big
How long did it take you to get published and how did you feel when you were told you had a contract?
It took me seven years of serious writing and endless rejections before I got a contract. When Louise Thurtell (Allen & Unwin) rang and offered me a contract, I skipped around the house, screamed. I was beyond excited! It took a further eighteen months before Lucy Springer Gets Even was published.
What time of the day/night do you prefer to write and where do you like to write?
I prefer to write in the morning as I have more energy. By the end of the day I’m dragging my heels and agonising over how little food there is in the house and what I’m going to feed the kids for dinner.
Because I work from a laptop, I tend to follow the sun. I think a more disciplined writer would work from one spot – and I do have an office. It’s just that I tend to move around so as not to get bored.
Can you tell us a little bit about your upcoming book? And what date it will be released?
Stella Makes Good – January 3, 2012
Stella Makes Good is about the games we play, the secrets we keep and the unpredictable nature of life because no-one ever really knows what lies ahead.
Newly separated Stella is after the simple life and is definitely not looking for love. Carly’s oldest son has left for his gap year overseas and she’s feeling restless and bored. Jesse wants another baby but her husband isn’t keen.
And then there’s Louisa, Jesse’s sister, who left Sydney six years ago under a cloud of mystery.
Told from four points of view, Stella Makes Good spans one tumultuous week of these women’s lives after Stella, Carly and Jesse meet for drinks, and unwittingly stumble upon a sex party.
What they see that night will alter the course of their lives and shatter long held beliefs, forcing them to re-evaluate the things that are truly important to them.
Where do you find inspiration for your stories?
Eavesdropping in cafes, at the gym and hanging around the school gates! The initial idea for Stella Makes Good grew from a small news article in the local paper.
What is your favourite meal?
Seafood centred – prawns, lobster, oysters, salt and pepper calamari and spaghetti vongole.
Who is your favourite Australian?
This is an impossible question ...I don’t have a favourite Australian, however I really admire the attitude and ethics of Tim Costello, current CEO of World Vision Australia.
What is your favourite Aussie saying?
‘G’day’ – not that I say it. But when I’m overseas, it’s what I hear most often from people when they find out I’m Australian. It always makes me smile.
Where would be your ideal place to holiday?
Somewhere warm! I love the Amalfi Coast (Positano), Santorini and Tahiti. The Great Barrier Reef’s not too shabby either!
Thank you, Lisa, for giving us an insight into your writer’s life. It has been a pleasure having you as our guest today.
You can visit Lisa at her website
Jaye Ford is our Awesome Aussie Author next week. Her first book, Beyond Fear gripped me to it's pages and I'm certain her soon to be released Scared Yet? will do the same. Jaye is brilliant at writing stories filled with nail- biting suspense. Make sure you pop by to learn all about her writer's life.
Thought for this week
“Expect nothing and be prepared for anything for life is full of suprises.”
Until next week, keep dreaming and smiling
Mandy :)