Lisa Royea

January 31, 2013

Meet Lisa the Author

So I'm starting to send some emails to various people in the book world to share a little about myself. I thought I would also share some of this personal info with you guys on this blog. So here you go.

My name is Lisa Royea and I’m writing my first book. First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my email. Second, I would like to share the links to my pages, so if you feel inclined to do so you may check them out for any additional information not included in this email.

Website: lisaroyea.com

Blog: lisaroyeaauthor.blogspot.com

So… you asked for a little more info about myself and my book.

I’m 32 years old and married. No children yet, but that’s a very long story (and not the one I’m writing)

I’ve always loved writing. When I was a kid I wrote a few short stories that I thought were pretty good at the time, but they weren’t. I had some great ideas, but I had a lot to learn. I got older and realized some of my mistakes, as I think we all do, and I went a different direction. When I grew up a little more I wanted to write country songs. I actually sent cassette tape recordings to some agents that I found in classified ads at the back of the country music magazine I subscribed to. I was writing songs and trying to get them to famous country singers by sending cassette tapes of myself singing the songs! I had no musical ability what so ever. Let me repeat that again just so you get my point…. I had/have NO musical ability WHAT-SO-EVER!

But… I actually got some responses from some people that I’m assuming took pity on me. They encouraged me to keep it up and follow my dream. They were probably just trying to be nice to a 13 year old girl, but to me it meant the world. Then I got busy with high school, college, and getting an English degree, getting married, and life in general. I let my dream of writing a book just kind of sit on the back burner while real life took over…until recently. As you can read in a previous blog post, I discovered the world of indie publishing and got inspired to finally write my book.

I knew I wanted it to be a romance/drama, probably something that would fit into the New Adult category and with the help of a dream one night I got my inspiration for Coast to Coast and the somewhat love triangle unlike any other I’d previously read. So in October 2012 I started writing the book, while also launching a website, blog, and Author Facebook page so I could connect through social media like other indie authors I’d read about.

So enough about me and more about the book, Coast to Coast. Here’s my current synopsis, although of course it will change as I write more and my characters come to life. You can also read my prologue in a previous blog post and I’ll release more excerpts and snippets with "likes" on Facebook.

Emerson is about to graduate college and move on into the real world of working. Her long term boyfriend Logan is about to do the same. The difference? He knows exactly what he wants to do and she doesn’t have a clue.

When an internship opportunity arises for Logan, he’s forced to take it and stay in Boston. Emerson must spend the summer in California overseeing a renovation project of her family’s beach house, now without Logan.

While Emerson and her cousin Jessica are helping each other with the beach house, their relationships, and their futures, they keep running into the multi-faceted Shane. He puzzles Emerson and makes her wonder if real love should be calm and comfortable, like what she has with Logan. Or maybe it would be better with someone new, exciting, and unpredictable, like Shane.

While Emerson deals with her possible love triangle, her cousin Jessica has her own issues with her military boyfriend and their future. Before the summer is up, things will change for the entire family. For better or worse, everyone in the Blank family is going to have to deal with the changes. And they all have to wonder if love can survive when the distance is coast to coast.

Hope you like what I have so far and I look forward to sharing more with everyone soon. Keep sharing on Facebook and I thank you everyone for your support.

Lisa Royea

January 13, 2013

Intro Chapter

Everyone has been soooo wonderful with promoting my book. Thank you all so much. As promised, here's the intro to my book.

For those of you that aren't on Facebook/missed the posts, I announced that the title of my book is

Coast to Coast.

My characters are........

Emerson and Logan.......and maybe Shane. I also said I would share my intro chapter. Those of you not on Facebook, NEED to sign up for my blog, then you can get my recent writing adventures sent right to your email inbox.

                                                  Click here to get updates by email

                                       So here I go. My intro is out there for the public.

                                                                         Enjoy !

I slowly start to awaken. I roll over on my other side and grasp the comforter over my shoulders up to my chin. A gentle breeze billows the curtains from the balcony door. It was a warm enough morning, but I could feel a chill that signaled the impending fall. The sheer curtains just barely allowed the first rays of dawn to seep into the room. I look across to the other bed and see Jessica still fast asleep. I hold my breath for a moment and listen for sounds of others stirring in the house. Silence. Except for the waves breaking on the shore outside, I seem to be the only thing alive at this early hour. I lay my head back down on the pillow and exhale. Maybe I’ll just stay here a little longer and enjoy the peace before I’m forced to start my day.

Suddenly, terror seized my body. Memories of last night’s events come crashing through my head. I pull the comforter completely over my head and squeeze my eyes shut. How could I have been lulled by this false sense of peace and serenity for even a moment? I had to go. If I waited too long the others would be waking up and that would mean too many questions. And I couldn’t see any logical answers presenting themselves any time soon. No, I had to leave now. Get back home and start living my new life. I knew things were going to change after this summer anyways, so I should have been prepared. I guess I expected to be able to wade in slowly from the shallow end though, not be thrown into the deep with a force strong enough to drown a person.

I jump out of bed and pull my suitcase out from underneath it. I quickly dress in some jeans and a tee shirt from my dresser drawer. I dump the rest of the drawer in the suitcase. I only need to take some essentials to get me started. I’ll get the rest later. As I pull my hair back in a messy ponytail I hear Jessica stirring. She’s going to hate me for leaving like this. Once again escaping, not wanting to deal with any awkward situations and not even saying goodbye to her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jessica murmurs as she sits up in bed.

“I’m leaving. You know I can’t deal with any of this right now. It was already complicated and I was unsure about my decision. After everything that went down last night… well, it’s for the better. Now I don’t have to choose. They made it easy. Now I don’t want anything to do with either of them.”

“You’ve got to be joking. Emerson, you can’t fool me. I know you loved him, and I know you still do. You might try to convince yourself that you don’t, but I know better.”

I glare at her. “Nice try Jess. I don’t even know which one you’re talking about.”

“You know perfectly well who I’m talking about.” She beams a smile at me. “Now, slow down and take a breath. Your flight doesn’t leave for hours. Let’s have some breakfast then I’ll help you pack while we think of what you’re going to say to him. That way you can face the next phase of your life like a grownup, head on, no regrets. Emerson, you’re never gonna make it out there if you keep hiding from every uncomfortable situation you find yourself stuck in. You’re not a kid anymore. You can’t just pull the blanket over your head and pretend the outside world doesn’t exist. It’s time to…”

We’re interrupted by a timid knocking at the door. I freeze. Any courage Jessica just infused in me had immediately flooded out with the sound of his knuckles gently tapping against oak. It was him. It had to be, right? Wait, was I actually excited that he might be here, coming here for me, ready to apologize or forgive, whichever way you wanted to look at it we certainly had unfinished business to deal with. Maybe it wasn’t him. What if it was…

“No, I just can’t deal with him yet, “ I whisper. “Tell him I already left and I’ll call him tonight once I’m back at the apartment. I’m sorry Jess. I’m just not as strong as you. I need that blanket a little longer.” I give her a little hug, grab my suitcase off the bed, and dodge out the patio door to the balcony and the stairs that lead to the beach below. But as I reach the top stair some invisible force stops me from descending. Curiosity gets the best of me and even though I don’t want to talk to him, I kind of want to hear what he has to say. I stand on the balcony, out of view of the glass patio doors, which are still cracked open. Jess answers the door and I listen.

“Is she here? I really need to talk to her. Maybe you can help me. She always did listen to you.”

Wow. Not at all the voice I expected to hear. I really should go in and just face him. I take a deep breath and set my suitcase down. Alright Emerson, it’s time to come out from under the blanket. I close my eyes, take another deep breath, and reach for the door. I pull it open completely and stand in its frame.

“OK, go ahead and talk. Say whatever you need to. I don’t like what’s going on and I don’t understand how it all came to this. So maybe you can shed some light on it for me. Go ahead. I’ll listen.”

December 31, 2012

New Year 2013

Although November was supposed to be the month that we authors write like crazy and contribute to NaNoWriMo (as I said I would) sometimes things come up in life that we can’t avoid. I began the month very hopeful that it would be a good month, but the month was gone all too soon. November is now gone with her sister August who left a few years ago. They want me to move on and be OK. They also want me to write. So that’s what I’m doing to start out my new year.

I need to start by telling everyone to get out and get Colleen Hoover’s books (or stay in and download them to your e-reader.) She’s the reason I finally thought I could write a book. Maybe someday she’ll read this and say, “Hey, I knew Lisa before she was rich and famous…” For now, maybe I can just share a little back story.

About a year ago I met my new best friend and we created a “book club”. We shared books back and forth on our Kindles and she loved a book called Slammed that she said I had to read. I read it and its sequel Point of Retreat. I knew that although she had “lent” me the books on Kindle, I was going to have to own them because I would be rereading them many more times. I bought both books that night and checked out Colleen Hoover’s website. If I really like an author’s books, I like to check out whatever I can find about the author too. I want to know them as a person to try and figure out how they could write the book that they did and maybe help me figure out how I could write mine.

By exploring Colleen’s website I discovered the world of self-publishing and indie authors. I’d always wanted to write, but never really knew about the possibility of doing it without a publishing company signing you to a contract. I learned about self-publishing (and maybe a little about following your dream) from my research.

So thank you to everyone who has supported me so far, mostly the never-ending support from “my book club”, my mom, and my husband. Mom, you know you’re “invaluable”. Terry, I couldn’t ask for a better husband. You cook me dinner and tell me to go write while you’re cooking. “Book Club”, nothing mushy, but I couldn’t do this without you. OJ. (Sometimes going through Hell is easier with a friend and I’m glad you’re mine)

Happy New Year to all. Thank you.

Lisa

November 1, 2012

11-01-12

NaNoWriMo

I’m sending out an email tonight to my friends and family to let them know what I’m up to with my writing this month. I figured as long as I was writing, I might as well share it with all of you following me out in blog world too.

November 1st marks the beginning of National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). Until a few weeks ago I had never heard of this, so chances are that you haven’t either. Let me explain a little of what I’ve learned so far. The point of NaNoWriMo is to encourage and inspire anyone who has thought about writing, but for whatever reason hasn’t started yet. This community of writers is largely based online, but some groups also choose dates to meet locally. Either way, a supportive group is there for you when you struggle with writer’s block, need a break, a little inspiration, or a push in the right direction. The goal is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. There’s no focus on editing, proofreading, or revising. Just writing. The editing will start in December. So why should this matter to you? Because this year I’m joining the challenge and I need your help. Some of you already know this, but for those of you who don’t, last month I took the leap and started writing a novel. It may never amount to much, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, so now I’m doing it for myself. I’ve already got a few chapters written, but I’m hoping that NaNoWriMo will give me a little kick or push to keep plowing through now that I’m past the first step. What I need from you is simple. All I ask for is your support and encouragement. The first step of NaNoWriMo is to announce it to all your friends and family. To quote their welcome letter, “Tell everyone you know that you’re writing a novel in November. This will pay big dividends in Week Two, when the only thing keeping you from quitting is the fear of looking pathetic in front of all the people who’ve had to hear about your novel for the past month. Seriously. Email them now about your awesome new book. The looming specter of personal humiliation is a very reliable muse.” So that’s what I’m doing. There are links below if you want to check out my website or blog. You can also just email me, or let me know if you want to be part of my email list that receives updates. Whatever you choose to do or not do is fine by me. I’m not doing this to force any followers or promote my book, I just wanted to keep you up to date with what I’ve been working on since I know not everyone is on Facebook. Thank you all in advance for your support.