Lisa Tawn Bergren+Giveaway!

Continuing our Mostly YA Fab Author Summer Extravaganza (MYFASE) today, we have Lisa Tawn Bergren. Lisa is an accomplished novelist for women and now teens, as well as an editor. (In other words, if Lisa and I were on Jeopardy together and the category was WRITING, I wouldn't want to go against her.)  Don't forget we are giving away tons of books around here. You can still enter to win So Over It by Stephanie Morrill HERE. And today Lisa is giving away a signed copy of her critically acclaimed (mucho buzzo) Waterfall. Directions for giveaway at end of the post.

Welcome Lisa! I am holding my copy of Waterfall and super excited to read it. What I love about it already is that it's taking elements from trends we're seeing in general market YA and bringing it to Christian fiction–LONG overdue. Our teen readers want those same cool elements. It's just a matter of letting them know it's there. Tell us what time period you would live in.

I only fantasize about other time periods–Victorian and medieval–mostly because I hunger for simplicity, and a more orderly society, willing to work hard and invest in LIFE and living to the full. But really jumping to that time period? Nah. I'm a total wuss. I even hate camping. I can only go there in my imagination.

I think camping is great. Great for s'mores. And that's pretty much it. You write for women and teens. What do you like about each?

I'm adoring writing for teens because they're so enthusiastic! They don't really like your books, they LOVE them. They're not just going to tell a friend; they're going to tell EVERYBODY. I get energized just emailing them back or posting on Facebook with them. And I love encouraging them at such a tender age, when there's so much life ahead of them. Big decisions. College, career, relationship…it's a very exciting time in life. And women are dear to my heart too, because they've lived through many of those decisions and succeeded or utterly failed at many of them and yet are carrying on. I love their tenacity and heart.

Tell us about Waterfall.

It's about two girls, sisters, in modern times who discover a time tunnel and find themselves in medieval Italy. Gabi comes out into the open and finds she's in the middle of a battle, and is narrowly saved. As time goes on, she searches for her sister Lisa, fights for her life again and again, and begins to fall for a certain hot Italian boy named Marcello.

And now Cascade is hitting the shelves. What can we expect in this book?

I don't want to give away too much! Gabi and Lisa return to medieval Italy, but this time they're not in the middle of battles, they're in the middle of a full-on war. And the romance deepens….

We like our romance in books around here. I love the idea for this series. Where did the inspiration come from?

My daughters were reluctant readers. It wasn't until I brought TWILIGHT home that they discovered how a story could capture you and make you think about the characters all day. Hunger Games came next. And the series made my reluctant readers, active readers. I'll be forever grateful to both authors because of that. But I wanted to give them all the romance of Twilight and the action of Hunger Games, but without vampires and with a hopeful, redemptive ending. I needed a major romantic obstacle, and thought, “Well, there's not many things harder than a seven hundred year time difference…”

Tell us about the leading ladies in the books.

Gabi is headstrong and courageous, a brunette beauty. Lia is our blonde softie, but surprises us with her tenacity and her loyalty to her sister.

Spielberg called, and he said to tell you he wants to make a movie of Waterfall and Cascade. Who would you cast?

Gorgeous, Italian actors we don't know but would totally fall for!

What do you want a reader to feel after they've read the last page of Cascade?

I want her to check the calendar to see how many days are left until TORRENT (book 3) comes out. It's a saga! When she finishes TORRENT, I want her to sigh in satisfaction, feeling she's adventured far and wide alongside these girls, and learned a little bit more about what she holds dearest too.

You are an editor, too. How do you balance those two hats?

Edit in the mornings, write in the afternoons. I love the creative collaboration of editing, but also love my own gigs.

Where can readers find you?

www.LisaBergren.com
Facebook: River of Time Series and Lisa Tawn Bergren
Twitter: @LisaTBergren

Okay, Lightning Round. Push your sleeves up.

1. Best YA you've read recently?
I thought Entwined was delightful and creative

2. Dream vacation spot?
Tahiti with one of those over-the-water cabanas

3. Favorite pizza?
Italian sausage and roasted pepper

4. Favorite pie?
Peach or strawberry rhubarb

5. Dream job, aside form writing, if you could do ANYTHING.
Location scout for Amazing Race.

6. Favorite 80s TV show?
Cosby Show

7. Favorite cartoon of all time?
Bugs Bunny

8. Fashion trend you want to never return?
Panty hose

9. Favorite meal to make your family?
Anything grilled

10. Ideal day?
Nowhere to go. Sleep in. Coffee at 9 am. Read in bed until 10 am. Shower, lunch, go for a hike. Return in time for a movie. Ahhh.

Awesome! Thank you so much for hanging out with us, Lisa. Okay, now to get in the drawing for a copy of Waterfall, the book that started it all. Leave a comment by Sunday July 10th, answering the question: What is YOUR dream job–if you could do ANYTHING, talent, money, location, reality not a consideration? Let's hear it! Winner will be announced July 13th.

AND don't forget, if you comment on all six MYFASE blog posts (June 27-July 11),  you'll be in the running for an ARC of There You'll Find Me AND a $25 dollar Barnes and Noble card, in addition to any other books you win these two weeks of book/author fabulousness.  Come back Wednesday when we'll be talking to Kristin Billerbeck about her new YA release, Perfectly Invisible.