Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with author Lisa Jackson

Book-A-Week Challenge Interview with Lisa Jackson discussing her book, MALICE, and her writing.

Please welcome this week’s author for the Book-A-Week Challenge, Lisa Jackson.

What motivated you to write this book, MALICE? Where did the story idea come from?

I always wanted to write a book where someone was haunted by his/her past lover and I also wanted to get to know Jennifer Bentz, a woman I had written about for years but had never really met. I also wanted to explore Rick Bentz's marriage, see how strong it was, if it had any cracks. I loved the whole haunted aspect of the book. Is Rick Bentz crazy? Is Jennifer really alive? If so, who's buried in her coffin.

What makes your stories unique? The “Lisa” aspect.

My stories are definitely a fine line between romance and suspense. I try to write the books so that the suspense and romance feed off each other and heighten the other emotion. I also really try hard to get into all of my characters' heads, including the villian, so that they're believable and I feel what they're feeling . . . if that isn't too weird.

I saw you in a recent interview and you said that you liked the book trailers. Would you like to see any of your books made into movies? Which ones?

Are you kidding? I'd like to see ALL of my books in movies. MALICE, COLD BLOODED, SHIVER, FATAL BURN and LEFT TO DIE/CHOSEN TO DIE come to mind. They are all very visual books. Oh, well, ALMOST DEAD, IF SHE ONLY KNEW and ABSOLUTE FEAR would work, too, but then, I'm prejudiced!

You have been writing for more than twenty years, how do you keep coming up with compelling stories that capture your readers’ attention?

As for my stories, they always say truth is stranger than fiction and they (whoever "they" are) are right! I get the germ of my ideas from things I see or read in the news, mostly. Sometimes I get an idea just on my own, but usually something catches my attention in the news and I run with it, twisting my own story and characters to whatever news item it was that caught my attention. Usually my story turns out to have very little with the original news bite. It's just the catalyst.

What do you enjoy most about being an author?

I love the freedom that being an author gives me. Yes, I have deadlines and time management issues, but I get to run at my own pace most of the time and be my own boss. I am able to work my job around my family and I LOVE that.

Why do you write about serial killers?

I write about serial killers because of the public's fascination with them, though some of my books are about a murder and other people get in the way of the killer's objective. Other times the killer is really out to kill a lot of people.

When are you at your most creative?

I'm most creative before the sun comes up, when it's dark outside, but I'm energized from a night's sleep and dreams.

I absolutely love your ability to keep adding and ratcheting up the tension/suspense in your stories. What is your secret to writing that “edge-of-your-seat” suspense/thriller story?

Oh, thanks. I try to wring as much emotion out of the books as possible whatever that emotion might be. So if it scares me, then I know it'll scare my readers, so that's what I try to do. Sometimes I scare myself to the point that I just have to stop and take a break. THEN I know I've done my job!

When you are not working on your next story, what are you doing?

When I'm not working I'm usually with my family, friends and dogs. I love to do crossword puzzles, play cards, walk, go to the beach, read, watch great television (LOST!), and hang out. My sister is author Nancy Bush and we spend tons of time together, even write together (WICKED GAME) and I've been learning to drive a boat . . . a very slow boat.

Okay, last question. When you curl up with a book to read, what kind of book is it or which author do you rush to the bookstore to buy?

I usually read books that have been on the bestseller lists for a long while, I don't buy by author, BUT, I do love Harlan Coben, all of his books and one of my favorites by William Lasher is FATAL FLAW, I believe and SHUTTER ISLAND by Dennis Lehane.