Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Lisa needs to acknowledge...

Today we get the FULL story, the inside scoop, the tale behind Lisa’s acknowledgements page.

Lisa, take it away!

Well, like Liz said a couple of weeks ago, I love reading the acknowledgements page in books. I usually flip to that page and read it before I even start the book. It’s like a little peek inside the author’s life, and I love that.

So today I want to tell you about one of the people listed in the acknowledgments of I Heart You, You Haunt Me, and about how my book would not be the book it is today without her help.


When I sat down to write Ava and Jackson’s story, I didn’t have the story mapped out. In fact, I didn’t know much of anything other than the main premise of the book. So when I was about twenty pages into it, I realized I needed to know how Jackson died. (Don’t worry, I’m not giving anything away by telling you Jackson dies. The story begins at his funeral, so you know from page one he is not alive). I needed something somewhat unique yet believable and something that would fit the story. I was stumped!

I finally e-mailed my friend, Jayme Carter, and asked her for help. She’s really good with ideas, and has helped me on more than one occasion when I needed a good, old-fashioned brain storming session. Jayme e-mailed me back and told me about something that happened when she was in high school. She told the story so clearly, it was as if I was there.

That’s it, I thought! And so, I went with it.

At the time, I don’t think I even knew how well it would fit into everything, but now, looking at the completed book, I can’t imagine that it could have been anything else.

So now you're probably wondering,
HOW DID HE DIE?

Of course I’m not going to tell you. If you want to know, you have to read the book.

Heh heh.

I’ve told Jayme before how much I appreciate her help, but again, I want to say THANK YOU, Jayme, for your willingness to brain storm and for coming up with a crucial part of the story. It’s a bit eerie to me how the perfect idea came to you to suggest exactly when I needed it.

Funny how that can happen...

4 comments:

TJ Brown said...

It's funny how stories come together. How something you hear or you dream sits in your mind only to find the perfect place...
Teri

Kristin Tubb said...

Great story, Lisa, and great friend! Aren't writers the best? :-)

Debbie Reed Fischer said...

Thanks for the back story. There are always those people in our lives who point us in the right direction. Isn't it great to have someone you can call when you're stumped? And in the book it is the believable way for him to go, tragic and realistic.

Marissa Doyle said...

Having a good brainstorming partner(s) is a wonderful thing...it's amazing how they can get your own creatives juices to start bubbling, even if their suggestions aren't quite right. It sounds like you have a good one, Lisa!