Can you share a little about your recent book?
My newest award-winning mystery is Fountains and Secrets. Here’s the blurb:
In bustling, affluent ancient Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius, status matters—yet some dare to ignore it. And some dare to defy social conventions.
Inspired by Jesus’s radical views, unconventional Livia Aemilia cares little about stuffy Roman dignity. She’d rather help others and solve crimes. But when her new husband forbids her from sleuthing, she continues in secret and soon learns that dishonesty doesn’t work well in a marriage.
His face and reputation scarred from an old betrayal, Memmius Avitus cares about justice. Although from a respected senatorial family, he takes pride in helping underprivileged clients win legal battles over more privileged opponents, to the annoyance of his peers.
When Avitus’s mentor is murdered, Avitus investigates undercover because he doesn’t want his inquisitive wife to get involved. His attempts to conceal the truth only cause more problems for his reputation—and his marriage. Eventually the couple forms a tenuous alliance, but when Avitus learns the mastermind behind the crimes is a ruthless longtime enemy, he fears for Livia’s safety and orders her to stop. His reluctance to explain why only infuriates her into reckless action.
Fountains and Secrets, book 2 in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries, is quirky, fast paced, and clever, showing readers that trust and honesty are more important than winning the battle of the wills.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I’ve never been good at fitting molds. I have learned to choose authenticity instead of striving to fit in. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it.
My main characters all clash with their society’s expectations in some way. (Some of these clashes are due to the vastly different worldviews between Christ followers and the typical Roman outlook.) I hope my characters’ struggles will inspire readers to live in a way that upholds their core values.
My heart passion is to help others, especially those who struggle with people-pleasing, find the confidence to live more authentically and intentionally. I blog on these topics at my website, Quietly Unconventional.
How long have you been writing?
I took a correspondence course 25 years ago, just for fun. I’ve been hooked on creative writing ever since, but for many of those years I only dabbled. It wasn’t until my youngest son went off to college that I sat myself down and decided to take writing seriously.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
Getting my first book published with a traditional publisher was a series of God-orchestrated events combined with many years of effort.
I wrote three practice novels before I wrote the manuscript that became my first book. During that time, I wrote on group blogs, joined writing organizations like ACFW, and attended conferences. All of those things helped me find an agent and taught me how to craft a publishable manuscript.
I began writing seriously in 2012. Seven years later, my mystery manuscript was a finalist in the ACFW Genesis contest. That led to a contract in 2020 and my first book was released in early 2021.
Which of your books is your favorite?
My debut will always have a special place in my heart, but I’m improving as a writer, so I think book two is even better.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
I love all my main characters. I particularly enjoy how they are different from me.
Since I’m a cat person, I’m very fond of Nemesis, the intelligent, independent, and sometimes naughty cat. I have fun writing her into scenes for a little comic relief.
In the next book, I’ve added a dog to the household, and there’s a really fun scene where the cat and dog race through the house causing havoc.
Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.
My books have won multiple awards, but the most impactful was when my debut novel, Death and a Crocodile, was named Golden Scroll Novel of the Year.
I was totally astounded! And it was a great confidence booster, which I needed at the time.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Too long. I have resigned myself to the fact that I am a slow writer.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
I do my best creative thinking in the mornings, so I focus on composing new material before lunch. In the afternoons I work on editing, or on other tasks like marketing work.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
I prefer to compose on-screen, but I edit much better on paper (using a mechanical pencil!)
Also, I’m terrible at multitasking. I do my best work when I can concentrate on one project for several days in a row. Sadly, that’s not always possible.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
Meeting people who have read my books and enjoyed them. I’m particularly thrilled when a reader says something like, “I don’t usually read historical novels, but I liked your book.”
I was tickled when my husband’s manager told him how much she enjoyed Livia, my strong female sleuth, Livia. My books are set in ancient Rome, so Livia must be courageous and determined to investigate crimes in a world that thinks women can’t (or shouldn’t) do things like that.
I was happy to hear that a successful modern women related to my main character despite her very different time and culture.
Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career?
The first time I hired an editor to critique a novel manuscript, the editor told me my main character was whiny and unlikeable! I was devastated. I stewed over it for a week, alternately furious at the insult to my character, and seriously doubting my writing abilities.
This very professional editor took pains to highlight the problems in my manuscript while encouraging ma as a writer. She backed up all criticism by citing specific passages in the manuscript, so once I was able to loo at things objectively, I understood why my main character was coming across as unlikeable. I learned so much from that critique, and my writing has improved considerably since then.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
All writers face rejection. I learned enough about this reality during my dabbling phase that by the time I had novels to shop around, I knew to expect rejection. It still isn’t easy to accept, but it hasn’t derailed me.
Where do you get your ideas?
I’m a firm believer in the importance of keeping my creativity reservoir filled with wide variety of material, and then trusting God and my subconscious to provide inspiration when I need it.
One bit of advice regarding creativity I’ve found helpful is: Don’t settle for your first idea.
The first solution that pops into my head tends to be unoriginal. Therefore, whenever I run into something in my writing that needs a creative solution, I grab a notebook and write my questions down. For example, How will Livia escape?
Then I make a list of as many different options as I can think of. Usually somewhere around idea number six I stumble onto one that makes perfect sense, or one that opens up a whole new line of thinking. I have piles of notebooks filled with these lists and related scribblings.
Who is your favorite author to read?
I first fell in love with ancient Rome when I read The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare in elementary school. Shortly after that I discovered Rosemary Sutcliff, who wrote dozens of YA books set in ancient times. More recently, I’ve enjoyed Tracy Higley’s series set in various ancient places.
Three historical mystery authors whose memorable characters and humorous voice inspire my novels are Lindsey Davis, Elizabeth Peters, and Ruth Downie.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
An author is a small business owner. If you can learn to write well, you can also learn how to market and think like a business person. I had convinced myself that I’d never be any good at marketing, so when my first book was finally published, I didn’t have a good attitude about marketing and I didn’t know very much about how to do it. Big mistake!
For a healthier attitude and good advice on marketing, read Almost an Author columnist Patricia Durgin’s Marketing Sense posts. Or you might consider joining her Marketers on a Mission Facebook group.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
Not appreciating how vital it is to get good critiques. All authors have blind spots and we need others to find them for us.
Rushing to implement everything an expert tells them they should be doing, whether that advice is strategic to where they are in the process right now or not.
Getting so focused on attracting the masses that you forget to serve the followers you already have. Look at writing as a ministry. When you keep your focus on serving your readers by continuing to offer valuable content, you will be a successful writer, regardless of the numbers.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
Don’t try to do it alone! The Christian writing world is filled with generous people who delight in mentoring other writers. Get connected to them. Join writers’ groups, in person or via the internet. Attend conferences. Make an effort to meet other writers, editors, and agents, and then stay in touch. You never know when those relationships will be exactly what you need to take the next step in your career.
About Lisa E. Betz
Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).
She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit www.lisaebetz.com.
You can find Lisa’s Livia Aemilia Mysteries on Amazon or wherever you prefer to purchase books.
Connect with her on her website: Quietly Unconventional
Read her blog: Live Intentionally
We love helping your growing in your writing career.
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