Author Spotlight! Contemporary romance author LISA BECKER. #NewRelease @lisawbecker

Back in 2011, I reviewed Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker, a fun, romantic comedy about the modern quest for love. I am so happy to have Lisa back on the blog today talking the latest in the Click series, Right Click.

Welcome back, Lisa. Thank you so much for joining us today. Can you tell us a little about what inspired you to write about cyber-dating and online romance?

My husband and I met online on a popular dating website.  After we married, I was recalling some of the hilarious experiences that I had with both traditional and online dating.  I decided to capture some of them in writing and from there, a novel emerged.   Click is loosely based on my real-life dating experiences, as well as stories friends have shared with me.  In some cases, things are written as they actually occurred.  Other scenarios are exaggerated for entertainment value or comedic affect.  And some scenarios are completely fictionalized. I really did go out on a date with someone I met online who started every story (no joke!) with “My buddies and I were out drinking last night.”   The ultimate goal was to create a fun read for anyone who has ever had a bad date, been in love, been dumped, or is searching for "the one." But, the happy ending is real.  Steve and I have been happily married for more than 10 years and have two amazing daughters - ages 9 and 7. 

Aw, I'm so glad things worked out for you. One of the things I like about your writing is the unique style of telling a story through emails. What are the challenges to writing in an email format? Does the format make character development harder to pull off?

Many years ago, I read a book called e by Matthew Beaumont which tells the story of a fictitious ad agency vying for a big account, with the story all told in emails.  I thought that narrative style would work really well for the story I wanted to tell about the online dating world.  It was a modern way of storytelling that fit the topic and the times.  The hardest part was keeping the timeline and email exchanges organized.  Sometimes, I would have to look back a few pages earlier to make sure I had cc’d or bcc’d the right people on an email and that the subject lines were consistent.  In some cases, there were replies to forwards to replies.  Keeping it all straight was a challenge, but essential to the book’s format. 

How did you become a writer? Was it a life-long dream or something you stumbled into?

I remember writing short stories and poems as a little girl and always told myself I would write a book someday.  So, it’s incredibly gratifying to see a “bucket list” item/dream come true.  People keep asking if there will be a sequel.  I’m thrilled readers are feeling invested in the characters and want to know more.  With each positive review and reader comment, I get more and more motivated to continue writing. 

You have chosen to indie publish your books. How has this process worked for you? What made you decide to go the self-publishing route?

I always tell people, don’t write off (HA! Like the pun?!?) self-publishing.  I explored the traditional publishing route and got feedback from multiple literary agents. One in particular explained the current economic state of the publishing industry to me. Due to the large investment to edit, produce, distribute and market a work by an unknown author, many large publishers won’t take the risk. Self-publishing is a way to get your work out there.

It was a surprisingly simple process.  The hardest part is marketing your work, so I’m especially grateful to blogs like yours for supporting my efforts.  

I'm also reminded of some advice I was once given. I had interviewed Charles Rosen, one of the producers of the original Beverly Hills 90210, for an alumni magazine article while I was in graduate school. And I'll never forget what he told me, "Don't fall in love with your words, because somebody above will probably change them." One of the great benefits of self-publishing is that you can really take control of the process.

What are your writing plans after the Click series is finished? Anything new we can look forward to down the road?

Like most everyone else in Los Angeles, I’ve decided to try my hand at screenwriting.  I’m nearly finished with my first script called Clutch.  It’s a light romantic comedy about a young single handbag designer in Los Angeles who has a series of relationships that she equates to different style handbags, searching for “the one” she wants to hold onto or “clutch.”  Hoping it is coming to a theatre near you soon. 

That's so cool! If it makes it to the big screen, you are welcome to come back here to promote it. :) Before you go, can you tell us how your fans cyber-stalk you?

Find Lisa here: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Pinterest  | Web  and feel free to check out this fun series that reviewers and bloggers are calling, “clever,” “hilarious” and “full of fun.”

Click: An Online Love Story - Fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene, the heroine of Click: An Online Love Story, reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds entirely through emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-compulsive Mark, the overly-judgmental Ashley and the over-sexed Shelley) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story with "My buddies and I were out drinking one night," to the egotistical “B” celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee wades into the shallow end of the dating (cess)pool and endures her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC's, FWD's and inadvertent Reply to All's, readers will cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends. And ultimately, they will root for Renee to "click" with the right man.

Double Click - Fans of the romantic hit Click: An Online Love Story will enjoy another voyeuristic dive into the lives of Renee, Shelley, Ashley, Mark and Ethan, as Double Click picks up with their lives six months later. Are Renee and Ethan soul mates? Does Mark ever go on a date? Has Shelley run out of sexual conquests in Los Angeles? Will Ashley's judgmental nature sabotage her budding relationship? Through a marriage proposal, wedding, new baby and unexpected love twist, Double Click answers these questions and more. Readers will continue to cheer, laugh, cry and cringe following the email exploits of Renee and friends.

Right Click - Love. Marriage.  Infidelity. Parenthood. Crises of identity. Death. Cupcakes. The themes in Right Click, the third and final installment in the Click series, couldn't be more pressing for this group of friends as they navigate through their 30's. Another six months have passed since we last eavesdropped on the hilarious, poignant and often times inappropriate email adventures of Renee and friends. As the light-hearted, slice of life story continues to unfold, relationships are tested and some need to be set "right" before everyone can find their "happily ever after."

Thank you so much for visiting my blog, Lisa. I wish you nothing but the best with your new book!