An Interview with Lisa A. Bork

Lisa Bork is new upon the mystery author scene and here is her thoughts on mystery writing, being an author and on her new mystery FOR BETTER, FOR MURDER.

Pamela: Lisa tell us how long it took you to write, FOR BETTER FOR MURDER.

I started it in February 2007 and finished in August 2007. Then I passed it by ten readers for feedback and made my revisions. I sent out my query letters a month later.

Pamela: Tell us about your writing schedule and where you write?

I don't have a schedule. I only write when I feel like it. Obviously, I was pretty motivated in 2007 and wrote almost every weekday while my kids were at school and sometimes on the weekends. Now I most often write weekdays during the school year, two to four hours a day. Sometimes other times, if and when ideas come to me.

Pamela: Now we want to know about your life? What is your favorite book, movie, food, and tell us about being a mystery author?

I don't have a favorite book, although I have read Gone With The Wind more than once. I like character driven stories with humor. My favorite kind of movies are romantic comedies like You've Got Mail. I've watched Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice many times, as well as Pretty Woman and, you guessed it, Gone With The Wind.

Being a mystery author is still new to me. It's what I do now, and I'll do it as long as it's fun to write and people want to read my stories. When that's no longer true, I'll find something else to do.

Pamela: What are your future writing plans?

I'm currently writing the fourth book in my series. I have storylines for these characters and series for one or two more books beyond that. I'm waiting for another idea to hit me, so that I can write either another series or a standalone. An idea hasn't even brushed by me yet.

Pamela: What would you like the readers to know about Lisa: the woman, the friend and the mystery reader?

Oh my gosh! Well, I am the mother of two delightful children, and my husband and I have been married almost seventeen years. I can be happy with one true friend, but I'm a friendly person.

As a mystery reader, I cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Cherry Ames then moved onto Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen, and Alfred Hitchcock. I enjoy characters like Stephanie Plum and Myron Bolitar and Fletch. I like to laugh out loud or be moved by characters.

Lisa: What would you like to say to your readers?

Hi! Thrilled to know you're reading my books. I hope you enjoy them.

Lisa: How many times do you rewrite your books?

The hardest chapter I ever wrote was the first chapter in For Better, For Murder. I changed it several times until I got it just the way I wanted it. Now I rewrite lines and passages to fit things I discover as the story comes to me.

Lisa; Give us some background on how you became a mystery author?

Truthfully, I was motivated by boredom. I worked for many years in human resources and marketing, but I decided to stay at home when my kids were young. When they entered school full-time, I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted something to do at home that might make a little money and keep me entertained--and still available for field trips, class parties, and school vacations. With a bachelors degree in English and a love for writing and books, taking a stab at becoming an author solved my problem.

Lisa: Why do you think holiday mysteries, wedding mysteries, and hobby mysteries are so popular?

I think those kinds of mysteries give an author the opportunity to write a character driven story, and I think readers are interested in other people, real or imaginary. With hobby mysteries, readers might learn something new or enjoy someone else's perspective on their interests. Holidays and weddings always seem to bring out the best and the worse in people, which makes for interesting storylines.

Lisa: What is the best part of being a mystery author?

Writing entertains me, and I'm hoping it entertains my readers, too.

Lisa: Leave us with some writing words of wisdom and your website addy.

If you want to be a writer, I must steal from Nike's slogan: Just Do It.

By all means, please visit me at www.LisaBork.com. I have pictures of my writing inspirations there and a list of things I found helpful on my way to being published.