Hello and welcome back to our blog! Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with the incredibly talented author Lisa Arcona, known for her exceptional world-building and character development. Her award-winning book, "From Grey," is a must-read that showcases her brilliance. Stay with us as we delve into how this inspiring author manages to juggle her writing career with everyday life, and discover some motivational insights she has to share…

Hi Lisa, we are so happy to have you on the blog, and very excited to dive into your world of words! Can you share the story behind your journey into the realm of writing? What sparked that initial flame of creativity?

Hi there! Thank you for hosting me on the blog! From Grey began over a decade ago when I moved to the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. The area’s rich history in the Underground Railroad inspired me to spend years doing hobbyist research. I read biographies, autobiographies, and any history book I could find. Certain characters, Harriet Tubman and William Still especially, became my heroes. I began to wonder who I might have been if I had been alive at that time in history. Slowly, slowly, I imagined a combination of my two obsessions: the Underground Railroad and my literary genre of choice, science fiction.

We are thrilled that your vision has been brought to life! Your novel ‘From Grey’ boasts a refreshingly unique narrative. What was the experience like as you crafted such a rich and intricate plot, along with the vibrant world that surrounds it?

Some things came quickly, and some things were the product of years of edits and rewrites! The planet of Attis is a fairly young and isolated settlement that exists centuries in the future, so their resources are limited, but their technology is advanced. And the Attisians who live there are privileged, but the Earthens are not, so my two main characters have very different lives to live on the same planet! Exploring those differences drove me to a deeper understanding of my characters and the complexities of their world. My favorite setting in the novel is the Earthen Cemetree, especially in contrast to the Attisian Memorial right next to it! 

You've definitely created a very fascinating world and your characters leap off the page with such depth and personality. Do you have a soft spot for any particular character among your creations, and if so, what makes them stand out to you?

This is such a hard question. I care for all of them and want them to continue to grow and learn and adventure together. But I have a special admiration for Linah and Harkless: they discovered their own worthy paths. Their clear-sightedness, internal compasses, and consciences guided them to unhindered bravery. They are both, in their own ways, the people I wish I was at 17 years old.

You’ve definitely created some noteworthy characters!...When it comes to your creative process, where do you draw your inspiration from and what time of day do you feel the most productive? Is there a specific ritual that gets your creative juices flowing?

This was certainly a developing story for me as a novice, so I will describe where I ended up by the time I got to final edits. I tend to have two storytelling stages : imagining and writing. When I initially imagine a character or a scene, I need peace and solitude (which are hard to come by). I frequently imagine the story while I fall asleep at night, while mowing the lawn, or on long car rides. 

Then it’s time to write. For that I use two tools: coffee and music. I write my best at the bar of a coffee shop, sipping a seasonal cappuccino, while listening to my Outpost War playlist (you can listen here on Amazon Music: https://bit.ly/From-Grey-Playlist). The music pulls me into the minds and emotions of the characters, and the caffeine helps my brain work a few steps ahead of my typing fingers. 

That sounds like an amazing writing environment, and thank you for sharing the playlist! We’d love to dive even deeper into your writing life. Can you provide us with a glimpse of your daily routine as a published author? What does a typical day look like for you, balancing writing, promotion, and perhaps a bit of chaos?

Authoring is not my full-time job. I am a graphic designer (I created the cover for From Grey), so my average day is both authoring and designing. Currently, the authoring portions of my day include communications with event venues, speaking engagements, creating marketing materials, trying to understand social media, and outlining my next book. In an attempt to balance all of life, and because I struggle to bounce around between too many tasks, I often prioritize only one authoring task per day. The next day, I’ll work on a different one. That’s the ideal system, but most days aren’t so simple!

We can absolutely imagine! So, moving beyond the realm of storytelling, what hobbies or activities do you indulge in during your downtime? How do you recharge your creative batteries when you’re not penning your next masterpiece? 

I love all types of exercise…well, except running! A lift at the gym, a hike, or a yoga session are uplifting and resetting. And, like Minty, I love to grow tomatoes and other veggies. But the best way to recharge my creative batteries is adventure! There are Big Adventures like travelling, enrolling in a class, or planning a theme party. And there are small adventures like exploring a local park, cooking a new recipe, or calling up a friend for a walk around the neighborhood on the first sunny day of the week. Adventure sets my mind spinning…in the right way! 

Your zest for adventure is genuinely inspiring! Now, reflecting on your journey as an author, what has been the most rewarding experience so far? Any memorable moments that made you think, “Wow, I’m really doing this!”  

What a lovely question! I faced styming fears while writing my first novel…is the book a failure? Have I worked so hard, and only my family will read it? Am I fooling myself? 

I, with repetitive effort, tried to replace those fears with other questions…Is this story meaningful? When it is read, what do I hope the reader experiences? Am I learning along the way? 

In light of those questions, I can identify a few moments that were the best kind of rewarding. After multiple rewrites and a thorough developmental edit, I wrote the last line of From Grey from Minty’s perspective, and I cried! Minty was finally where I wanted her to be, and I believed in how she got there. I felt confident in her journey, and the message of her journey, for the first time.

A few weeks after my book launch, a teen messaged me about their favorite character (Beecher, because he was a good leader), and, later, another told me they had no idea that Harriet Tubman had a brain injury, just like The Waymaker. Every time I get to interact with a reader who resonated with a character or learned something about the Underground Railroad, I am alight inside!

Rest assured, you’re not fooling yourself; your writing is both brilliant and meaningful. It’s lovely to hear about its influence on readers. Can you drop any tantalising hints or sneak peeks about your upcoming book 2? What can your readers expect in terms of plot twists or character developments?

I will happily mention a few things. The series is called The Outpost War, but as of yet, there has been no war, and readers should be on the lookout for a little bit more romance in the next book! Always remember that quite a bit of the plot and the characters are inspired by real events and heroes of the Underground Railroad, so a little research can give a lot of clues. 

How exciting! Noted!...Bit of a tricky question for you now, if you had to choose a favourite book that isn’t your own, what would it be? and why?  

Very tricky! Can I pick two? A classic and a contemporary? I love A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle because it is quirky science fiction with sweet messaging. Recently, I loved the Crooked Kingdom series by Leigh Bardugo because of the flawed found family adventure, character-accurate romances, and deep world-building.

Amazing response! We're huge fans of both of those pieces too…

Lastly, what advice would you give to aspiring writers who dream of following in your footsteps? Any pearls of wisdom from your own experiences that could light their path?

In presentations about From Grey, I often talk about finding your ‘maybe somedays…’. Since childhood, writing a novel has been my big ‘maybe someday.’ Maybe someday I’ll find a story worth telling. Maybe someday I’ll write a novel. Maybe someday I’ll finally just do it!

We all have unique ‘maybe someday…’s, and I encourage everyone to pay attention to theirs. Treasure them, consider them, and don’t doubt their validity. Take small steps toward them, as often as you can, for as long as it takes. I’m 41, and this novel took me 8 years and multiple drafts. Don’t let frustration with the process get in the way; slow progress is still progress! 

Be patiently tenacious! 

What an uplifting response! Thank you Lisa!

If you're now excited to explore the works of this sensational author, you'll find all the links you need below. You'll also find their social media accounts so you can keep up with their journey!

Author site

Amazon

@Lisa_Arcona

Thanks for reading!