I have the joy to bring back Lisa to talk about her newest book Parhelion, Book 3 in the Forces of Nature series!
What’s your background in writing?
When I first became published, I was in awe of the process. I still am to a certain extent. About the tenth or so time I was edited by various large and small publishers and had experience as an editor of magazines and book projects, I took a leap of faith to open my own doors as a freelance editor. I didn’t take on the role lightly and have made plenty of errors along the way, but the opportunity has benefitted my own work as well. I have a grand collection of editing books and even teach workshops on editing. Learning those ropes led me to learn more about publishing, and I have stepped over that line as well to publish a few of my own previously published and now, new works, and a few for other authors.
About Parhelion
Parhelion—prisms dogging the sun. It’s to preserve life.
Maeve Michels hit earth hard, falling in love with a former Air Force test pilot. No longer in the military, Harry Kane’s mysterious work as a consultant for a space engineering company piques Maeve’s interest. Maeve’s sixth sense says there’s more to Harry than he’s telling her, but with the world about to fall apart, she must decide to trust him with her future. Harry is keeping a secret from Maeve—he has to, or his one chance at being a real hero goes up in flames with the rest of the planet. His assignment: get her to join the program, and him. Hopefully willingly.
With war no longer empty threats and posturing, Maeve and Harry are about to take part in the most important experiment in human history. Bigger secrets threaten not only their survival but their fragile co-existence with the cosmos.
If you could choose, what kind of a world do you want to live in?
Buy On:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Parhelion-Forces-Nature-book-3-ebook/dp/B07NJ71NPG
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1130543419?ean=9780996768351
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/parhelion
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43970712-parhelion
What Inspired You to Write this Story?
Ever since I wrote Meander Scar, published in 2010, I loved the idea of using uncommon natural phenomena to describe life events. In my family drama series, Meander Scar has to do with the ground, and the second story, Centrifugal Force, has to do with an unseen force driven by gravity. The third story, Parhelion, reaches beyond the sky, a natural progression.
Ever since I wrote Meander Scar, published in 2010, I loved the idea of using uncommon natural phenomena to describe life events. In my family drama series, Meander Scar has to do with the ground, and the second story, Centrifugal Force, has to do with an unseen force driven by gravity. The third story, Parhelion, reaches beyond the sky, a natural progression.
What Special Research Did You Do?
Okay, so I’m a nerd historian but a science fiction fan. Neither subject is something I’d ever thought I’d write as a genre because I enjoy them too much. After getting a children’s historical series and the historical pro and epilogues of one of my mystery books off the list of “nevers” what was left…seriously, it wasn’t my idea to venture off the planet. The special research I did involved living in outer space, the ramifications of travel, and a few other surprises.
What Were Some Quirks or Habits You Developing While Writing This Piece?
I’ve used DNA research heavily in a couple of other stories, and a natural plot twist at the end of Centrifugal Force ended up leading me directly into the conflict of Parhelion. I was able to pull pieces of information from the oddest sources, like unrelated books in two different book clubs—one about octopuses of all things—and from polling fellow writers at a week-long writer’s retreat where I teach each year. In fact, one of the new author attendees stopped to ask if I was all right when apparently my inner plotting looked like an expression of pain.
What is Your Favorite Aspect of This Story and Why?
I realized when I got to “the end” this story followed a pattern I’d unwittingly created in the series, which is to not quite get to the wedding. This allowed me the fun of creating a companion booklet called The Michels Girls Wedding Album which is free on my website. I wrote the missing weddings for each of the couples and included pictures of flowers, dresses, suits, rings, cakes, vows, and a link to the processional music. That was fun!
What Projects Are You Working On Now?
I am working hard to complete cozy mystery #4 in the Fancy Cat series, then will complete a short novella for next Christmas. I plan to work on UnderCut this summer and fall, a sequel to UnderStory (soon to be available as an audiobook!), about prejudice, the sex-trafficking trade, and a cold-case murder. UnderCut will deal with the human organ trade, which will need a lot of research. The books are not contracted, so no special release dates.
What Do You Enjoy Most About Writing?
I have an office! Even though I write everywhere and anywhere, even outside, on my laptop, it’s still totally cool to have an office with a desk and a twirly chair and a door.
What Do You Find To be the Most Frustrating About Writing?
I am frustrated about the aspect of marketing, as I’m sure many of us are. Even if you have a publisher who arranges publicity, there is still a lot of work to do to prepare material. I enjoy interacting with readers, but I don’t enjoy feeling like I have to badger an audience.
How Did You Overcome This?
I tell myself not to get bent out of shape about feeling like I have to ask people to give me money for work they haven’t requested. It’s entertainment, and people like to be entertained in different ways. In many ways, providing reading material is much like any other vendor who creates art hoping it will appeal to someone.
Links to Website and Social Media:
Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin author who loves books, collects dragons, and writes inspiring fiction. She also writes short stories, feature articles, and radio theater, and loves to encourage new authors through mentoring, speaking, and leading workshops. Lisa is a member of the Wisconsin Writer’s Association, the Chicago Writer’s Association, and vice president/instructor for Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp and Writing Retreat, Inc. She is an avid book reviewer and blogger, and a freelance editor. Find more at http://www.LisaLickel.com.
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lisalickel
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lisajlickel
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisalickelauthor
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/2bPxi2X
Thank you, Kimberly, for hosting me and letting me talk about writing.
It was so nice to host Lisa, don’t forget to check out her newest book Parhelion!
Read a short excerpt of it here!
Harry cupped his hands around Maeve’s shoulders. In her sandals she was the perfect height to rest his chin on her head, but he resisted the urge tonight in front of her parents. She might get annoyed if he messed up her glossy hairdo, after claiming how long she’d had to sit for the woman who tried to make it curl. He liked it silky, flowing through his fingers.
Heat through the thin fabric of the green thing she wore soaked into his palms. So beautiful in anything he’d seen her wear. So independent, so giving. He loved watching her with the kids in the family, separated through crazy circumstances by a generation. They were all fiercely loyal to each other. And so, he respected Maeve’s need to be sure before committing to him, to the institution of marriage and their foreverness, like Werner and his bride. Harry had spent two years of watching, then wondering, and now waiting for her. He’d even met privately with Gervas and Rachel to ask their blessing. Gervas had understood and appreciated Harry’s challenging personal and professional dilemma. Maeve was the only holdup.
He hadn’t meant to love her.
The least he could do while he waited and watched was be her wall to lean on. He squeezed gently and let her go. He loved her enough to be there, yet not there, as he’d been the past two years while he finished his commitment to Uncle Sam. Twelve years for school and active duty. If that didn’t prove he was able to commit, nothing else could. Not even the secrets they’d shared of her past alternate lifestyle and his daughter bound them yet. Once he was able to share his biggest secret, the truth behind the future, would she run to or from him?
Harry watched Gervas kiss Katrine, convulsively, but gently, clutching her hands, facing working to dam tears behind his lids. Werner told him Katrine’s dad wasn’t crazy over letting Katrine out of his sight again for long, especially not moving from base to base around the world with her delicate health.
Werner was a lifer, career German military. Harry’s adjusted career path led him into the even wilder beyond and he was eager for Maeve to join him and his new life.
What did Gervas think about how far away Harry planned to take Maeve?
The old man had been called to consult on the project, of course, although Dr. Professor Gervas Friedemann, world-renown socio-economic expert, only knew part of the scope. They’d just have to deal with the distance factor when they got to it.
Harry rubbed his chin over the crown of Maeve’s head and twirled her to face him. If he and Maeve couldn’t talk to each other about the immediate future in this time and place, at least they could dance. He pulled her back out on the floor and held on as if he meant it.
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test book, Bratwurst and Bridges.
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