Interview with Lisa Bergren

I'm so excited because today we have the author Lisa Bergren here talking about The River of Time series!   Waterfall is released tomorrow, so be sure to pick up a copy.  

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and The River of Time Series?

 I'm a wife and mom of three, as well as an author--WATERFALL is my 18th novel, but my first YA.  The River of Time Series is about two American sisters who time-travel back to 14th Century Italy and discover love and life, at a whole different level.

Description of Waterfall:

Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in sixteenth-century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the sixteenth-century—and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

What was your inspiration for the series?

I got interested in YA because my eldest, who is now almost sixteen, was a reluctant reader. I tried giving her book after book, but it wasn't until TWILIGHT that she understood the power of story, and how a book could keep you up all night reading. I read it with her, and then the rest of the series, and we had a blast discussing the characters and things we liked--and wrestled through a couple issues I didn't like as a mom. It led to some great conversations. After that, we read the HUNGER GAMES trilogy together, and had a similar experience. When I stood in the movie theatre when the first TWILIGHT movie was out, watching all those girls get so excited to see the book "come to life," and how attached they were to the characters, I knew I wanted to write something for that audience too. Something my daughters would read and get so excited about, they'd tell their friends, "You HAVE to read this!!" Hopefully, WATERFALL will snag its own share of passionate fans, even outside my kids' social circles. :-)

When you started writing the first book, Waterfall, did you already know it was going to be a series?  And was it all planned in your head already or did it come to you as you wrote?

I knew it was going to be a series--and a sort of "hooked" series, so we planned with the publisher to release them fast: WATERFALL in the Winter, CASCADE in late Spring, and TORRENT in the fall. We didn't want kids to have to wait to read the next one for long. I never know exactly what I'm going to write--only the broad brush strokes--what I want the characters to learn/encounter/conquer. The rest plays out like a movie in my mind.

 

What are some obstacle's you've had to overcome when writing this series?

Writing dialogue that sounds believable to teens. I had to get my daughters' friends to help me out--and had other readers via Facebook (River of TIme Series) who jumped in too. Apparently, "good grief" isn't something a kid would say. :-)

How did the title's come to you?  And that leads me to the cover of Waterfall, did you have any say on what it looked like?  It sure is beautiful!

I knew the series title right away--The River of Time. It sounded ethereal and romantic to me. Then I wanted water images for each of the titles of the book. WATERFALL is symbolic of the girls' fall into another time period, a pool that's fairly idyllic in some ways, but draining into a fast-moving river again. CASCADE is about them getting all churned up and pushed one way or another as things speed up, in their lives and in their hearts. TORRENT is when they really get hammered by the obstacles in their lives--and have to make it through. The River image gets broadened in TORRENT, to embody life itself--living deeply, feeling it rather than just surviving it--which I think is a big issue in our contemporary, fast-paced society.

And in regard to covers--I was lucky to have lots of input on the covers...about model choices, costuming, images, color. I'm so glad they turned out as beautifully as they did!

I'm guessing there was a lot of research done for these books being as they are a time travel historical fiction.  So what kind of research did you have to do?  Did you get to do a ton of traveling?

We have a passion for Italy and have a family travel web site, www.TheWorldisCalling.com. So yes, we got to go Italy several times and I can't wait to return. In regard to the historical research, I'd done a previous series for adults (The Begotten, The Betrayed, The Blessed), so happily, that was mostly in order in my head. The first time around, it took me a year to research!

Do you have a favorite book or series that you are always recommending to everyone?

I really enjoyed the Hunger Games trilogy last year. My favorite read was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society--total delight. And the opposite of Collins's dystopia! I'm a fairly eclectic reader!

 

Where can you purchase your books?  Are they available everywhere?

Anywhere fine books are sold--isn't that the marketing line? :-) If a copy isn't on the shelves, they can order it for you. Or you can order it online. It releases Feb 1.

Anything else you want to say?

I'm really hoping this can be a "Mom and Me" kind of read--it's geared for teens, but I think a lot of adult women will enjoy it too. In the back are discussion questions--I love the idea of teens getting together to chat about the book, or a mom and daughter doing the same. As much as it's action and romance, there are some deeper things going on too, which I hope will lead to some great life discussions.

Also, I invite you to jump in with us via Facebook, at "River of Time Series." Lots of contests, giveaways and updates can be found there.

Thank you so much for stopping by and answering the questions!  And of course, thank you for the giveaway!

You can find Lisa on her Website | Facebook (River of Time Page) | Twitter

Read the prologue and first chapter at Scribd.

Watch the video trailer at YouTube. (I tried to load it on here but my computer is being difficult, it's really good though, go watch it!)

The Giveaway:This Giveaway has Ended

You want to win Waterfall for yourself?  Lisa is being awesome and is giving one copy away to one US or Canadian reader.   Just leave a comment about this interview or about how much you want to read the book and contact information and you'll be entered!  You must be 13 or older.  Ends Feb. 15, 2011.