Lisa Orchard‘s debut novel, The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer, is set in Harrisburg, Michigan, a small town much like the one where Lisa grew up. The suspenseful thriller thrusts young girls into adventures that stem from Lisa’s own exploits as a teenager.
Lead to writing from a love of books and a desire to write, Lisa spent years in the insurance industry after graduating with a degree in Marketing from Central Michigan University. The opportunity to become a stay at home mom allowed her to pursue dreams of becoming a writer. Now a resident of Rockford, Michigan, Lisa lives with her husband, Steve, and their two wonderful boys. Lisa’s second novel, The Super Spies and the High School Bomber, is now available and features the same characters as her first novel. She hopes to turn the Super Spies books into a series.
MTAR: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Lisa Orchard: I’m a stay at home mom with 2 young boys, ages 7 and 6. Before I had kids I worked in the Insurance Industry for 13 years using my Marketing degree. It wasn’t until I was home that I was able to dedicate some time to my passion.
MTAR: What do you do when you are not writing?
Lisa Orchard: When I’m not writing, I’m spending time with the family. I also enjoy reading, hiking, and running.
MTAR: What inspired you to write your first book?
Lisa Orchard: I’ve known that I wanted to be a writer since 5th grade and I’d have to say that reading Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins inspired me to write my first book.
MTAR: Which book do you recommend for a reader that is new to your writing?
Lisa Orchard: I would recommend the first book in my Super Spies series, The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer. You really get to know the characters in that book.
MTAR: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
Lisa Orchard: My favorite book as a child was To Kill a Mockingbird. I loved that story and still do.
MTAR: What books/authors have influenced your writing?
Lisa Orchard: I would have to say Harper Lee because she did such an awesome job telling a story from a child’s perspective. And Stephen King because his books are so rich in character development.
MTAR: Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
Lisa Orchard: Hmmm…I received some great advice from an agent when I wrote my first book. I had originally written it in first person and she felt it would be much better in third person. So I rewrote the book. That was a challenge…but I did it and it got accepted for publication, so it was worth it.
MTAR: Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
Lisa Orchard: Yes, it’s titled, Super Spies and the High School Bomber. It’s a story about how the Super Spies capture the people who bombed their high school.
MTAR: What was your favorite chapter (or scene) to write and why?
Lisa Orchard: I would have to say the scene where the girls escape the bombers by climbing into the back of their truck. Then the bombers take off, unaware that the girls are hiding back there.
MTAR: Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?
Lisa Orchard: A theme I’d love to work with is when an underdog overcomes adversity and wins. I love it when that happens!
MTAR: What has been the best compliment?
Lisa Orchard: The best compliment came from a reviewer and I’ll write it verbatim here. It was about my first book The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer. She said, “Lisa Orchard writes a most descriptive story of the teenage girls’ adventures in The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer. This my fellow readers is the most exciting, fast paced, realistic, educational, emotional, ‘you just can’t put it down’ book! Truly a book to entice any age reader.”
MTAR: Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?
Lisa Orchard: Yes — don’t let the rejection letters get you down. It just means you’re one step closer to your goal.
MTAR: Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?
Lisa Orchard: Yes, thanks so much for purchasing my books and I would love to hear from you. You can stop by my blog at www.lisaorchard.com and leave comments, or you can email me at lisa.orchard1@hotmail.com.
MTAR: What would your fans be surprised to know about you?
Lisa Orchard: Hmm… good question they would probably be surprised that I snore. LOL!
MTAR: Do you have a specific writing style?
Lisa Orchard: Yes I do, I’m a Pantser. Outlines bog me down and stifle my creativity.
MTAR: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Lisa Orchard: Yes, in my first book the message was, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” And in the second book the message is “Don’t let others influence you, it could have disastrous results.”
MTAR: If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Lisa Orchard: I would have to say Harper Lee, even though she published only one book, and Stephen King. They both are awesome writers.
MTAR: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Lisa Orchard: Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games series.
MTAR: Do you see writing as a career?
Lisa Orchard: Yes, I do. I’m hoping that I can generate enough income from writing so that I can stay home with my kids and volunteer in their classes and go on their field trips. I’m hoping to be an involved parent.
MTAR: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Lisa Orchard: Well… being a pantser, there’s a great deal of editing to do when the story’s completed. So, I would have to say the self editing part.
MTAR: Who designed the covers?
Lisa Orchard: Elaina Lee from Astraea Press. She does great work!
MTAR: What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Lisa Orchard: I would have to say the editing and making sure the relationship between the characters evolved naturally.
MTAR: Through your research do you typically learn something new from each book you write and what was it?
Lisa Orchard: Yes, I would have to say in my first book I learned quite a bit about crime scenes and in my second book Iearned quite a bit about bombs.
MTAR: What were the challenges in bringing it to life?
Lisa Orchard: I would have to say one of the challenges is writing both books was the research. I wanted to make sure I had accurate information for both novels. Even though the information was available it was time consuming to sift through it all.
MTAR: What is your favorite theme/genre to write about?
Lisa Orchard: Mysteries and thrillers, but I also like coming of age novels and human interest stories.
MTAR: Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Lisa Orchard: Sometimes but I usually step away from the computer and go for a run or a hike and I seem to work the issues out that way.