Author Lisa J Gordon has been awarded first and fourth places with her novels The Stellar Counsel and Next of Sin in the 9th American Gem Literary Awards.
Speaking from her home in Shakespeare’s County, England, Lisa said she was, “Totally flabbergasted!”
An avid letter writer back in the day when snail mail was de rigueur, Lisa tells me her friends loved her letters and later her emails so much they encouraged her to write. Creative writing used to bring Lisa out in a cold sweat at school and yet now, barely a hour goes by without her thinking about writing or knocking some words out on the laptop.
“It is well written and engaging, rushing you along with some surprises and twists which really keep you guessing until the last page!”
What does Lisa put her success in the American Gem Novel Writing contest down to?
“Every other competition I ever entered wanted the first 3000-5000 words only, but this time the judges read the entire manuscript at each round; I think that gave me the opportunity to show that I could tell a cracking story from start to finish. Agents and contests, by virtue of of only reading the first few chapters, encourage authors to load the beginning of the book with contrived, jaw dropping action which I believe is impossible to maintain, making for books that sag in the middle and end abruptly.”
“Lisa Gordon tells the story at a cracking pace and it passes the time quite amiably. You get a real feel for the settings of Dubai, its exotic colour mixed with danger, which is interesting to read.”
What do you think make your thrillers stand out?
“I write, like I live, by the seat of my pants: no plans, no formulae, just pure originality. I love people and am a good listener and I think this helped my character development and perhaps my ability to make my writing mirror true emotion and real life. I see people as complex characters who make decisions that are never clear cut good or bad, but one big grey area.”
“It makes you wonder about things such scary things as destiny, fate and karma.”
What other careers have you followed?
I studied law in South Africa and then Economics in the UK; I trained as an Astrologer and as such became a regular on radio, then I did an about turn and went into Chartered Accountancy. Imagine a drunk driver careering down the motorway, weaving this way and that, only seconds from disaster at any time – that’s my life.
What inspires you?
I like to shock the reader; I think the role of any artist is to shock people or surprise them at least by making your characters do things which test our boundaries, our consciences and make us ask questions about life?
Sex, Dubai and Rock ‘n Roll
What about your other books?
My first published novel, also a thriller was A Sealed Fate; which was received very well. In A Sealed Fate, I give a nod to my background in astrology and an astrology reading which takes place mid novel is central to the theme of fate versus freewill. It’s a very modern suspense thriller which charts the story of singer, Valda and is set in the exotic but dangerous locations of Cape Town and Dubai. Containing destiny, fate, karma, intrigue and passion it is an edge of the seat read. Its emotional impact is chilling and often quite scary and its tight description and dialogue create real tension.
I also published a play called Holly Leaves; which is a tragic drama which catches sibling rivalry at its fiercest and which through incisive and tight dialogue, brings to life the worst manifestation of this rivalry, the vengeance of one who feels unloved against one whom, in her skewed perception, all seem to love.
What is next?
I hope to release Next of Sin and The Stellar Counsel this year. I am very excited! I am also planning on releasing A Sealed Fate as an audio book on audible.com.
We wish Lisa the very best in the future!
For more information on Lisa Gordon and her books click here
(Newswire.net — December 31, 2013) —