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Ask the Author: Lisa Black

“Ask me a question.” Lisa Black

Answered Questions (20)

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?
Lisa Black I suppose from the Laci Petersen case...mixed in with a few other things...came the idea for The Deepest Kill.
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How do you get inspired to write?
Lisa Black I have no idea! Sometimes I start with a setting, sometimes with a character, sometimes just something that I want to have happen.
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What are you currently working on?
Lisa Black Another book--what else?
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What’s your advice for aspiring writers?
Lisa Black Read the best authors who write the kind of thing you want to write.
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What’s the best thing about being a writer?
Lisa Black Having a book with your name on the cover.
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How do you deal with writer’s block?
Lisa Black I don't usually have that problem since I plan out the books in advance. Sometimes I'll get stuck on how to do something, and then I just think on it for a while and figure something out. I'm not always crazy about it, but hope I'll find a way to fix it later.
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OK I am hooked now on Gardner and Renner Series. listened to the entire series back to back. Hopefully, it's not finished. Do you have plans for another in the series?
Lisa Black After Every Kind of Wicked, I'm afraid not. I always knew that series couldn't go on indefinitely.
Next, start on the Locard Series with Red Flags.
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Dear Ms. Black, I just finished your book "Every Kind of Wicked". I stumbled upon it while browsing the mystery section at the library and pulled it off the shelf at random. It had me hooked from page 1. I couldn't put it down. The suspense was killing me! You have a real gift. Since you're a forensic scientist, you know how to avoid plot holes and to make the evidence and clues compelling. Which should I read next???
Lisa Black Thank you, I loved it too. Dare I suggest you go back to "That Darkness" and start the series from the beginning to see how Maggie and Jack develop?

(Abject apologies for taking this long to realize there were questions on my Goodreads page!!!)
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So you have a writing idea the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Now how do you actually start?
Lisa Black As far into the story as you can and still have things make sense.
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Can you tell us a two-sentence horror story?
Lisa Black The house was definitely haunted, Evelyn thought. She found her toothbrush in a different place every night.
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If you could travel to any fictional book world, where would you go and what would you do there?
Lisa Black Great question...I'd go to Rivendell and live with the elves.
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What books are on your summer reading list this year?
Lisa Black I can't tell you--I'm judging a contest so I have to keep it on the down low.
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What mystery in your own life could be a plot for a book?
Lisa Black SO sorry this took so long. Answer: none. My own life is extremely boring.
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Thanks to everyone for entering my Let Justice Descend giveaway! Books will be mailed to winners on...?
Lisa Black Friday Sept 6th.
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Additionally, you identify the house cleaner who found the first body as having "brown skin" and Maggie's boss as black as she can "picture his long black fingers inching the bridge of his nose." WHY do you do that?
Lisa Black Because brown skin comes in a great variety of colors and I'm trying to describe the characters enough so that they are distinguishable, but not so much that it bogs down the scene.
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Why do you feel the need to identify your characters by their skin color only when they are people of color? I am reading PERISHED right now and notice you do not identify white characters by saying, "Her peach skin" as you did to describe the ME, KeShawn saying "his black skin". If you physically identify a white character it is always by their hair color/length/texture or color of their eyes.
Lisa Black I'm so sorry it took me so long to answer this question! I don't check my author dashboard often enough (obviously). That's a good question. I suppose it's because the character lives in a multicultural city and I don't know how else to make that clear when setting the scene. And I do describe white characters as 'pale' or 'white' though definitely not as often as color. I will try to do that more in future books.
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Will there be anymore books in the Theresa MacLean series? I truly enjoyed them would love to read more
Lisa Black Thanks! I would love to write a few more Theresa MacLeans but I have been tied up with the new series. (I also still have a day job, so that cuts into my writing time.) So I can't tell you yes or no. Sorry!
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Hi Lisa. My daughter, Amelia, is 9 years old and has already expressed an interest in forensic science. I told her about you and she is fascinated by you and the work you do. She has prepared a list of questions she would like to ask you. We know you are probably really busy, but if you had the time to answer them, it would mean alot to her. If ok, do you have an e-mail address she could reach you at? -Todd Koralik
Lisa Black Certainly, no problem!! My email is lisa-black@live.com.
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When will another book come out ?
Lisa Black Unfortunately not for another year--That Darkness should be out in May 2016.
Thanks for asking!!!
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Hi Lisa: My name is Kathy Robitaille and I got your name from Diane Buckley from the Contemporary Women's Club of Fort Myers. Would you consider speaking at our November 12, 2015 meeting? There are several new members and it would be thrilling to hear you. 239-482-6175 kathy.robitaille@aol.com
Lisa Black Hi Kathy, I'm so sorry I didn't see this message until now. As far as I know I should be able to do it--I'll email you back on my regular email.

Sorry again for the delay!!! I haven't gotten the hang of Goodreads yet!
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Lisa Black
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