Willows Writer: Grit of Berth and Stone!

Today I chatted with author, Lisa Dun, about her book Grit of Berth and Stone, and about her writing process. I've read Grit and absolutely love it. I can't say enough good things about this book, and well, Lisa!

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? It’s hard to say. I remember making up stories as a child, but it wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I made publication a goal. I started writing this really sappy Southern family saga type thing. Pregnancy and a computer crash intervened, saving me from embarrassment. In 2012, the idea for GRIT OF BERTH AND STONE came along, and everything fell into place. One book turned into a trilogy, with a possibility of a spinoff or two. More story ideas came one after another, and if I can work them all into novels, I’ll be writing for a very long time.
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? I’m probably one of only a handful of authors who shares her writing space with a Great Dane. We have a little routine. I pull out my laptop and head for the couch. Her ears perk up. If I’m smart, I’ll bring a chew toy. Otherwise, I have to protect my keyboard from monster paws until the happy pup settles into her two-thirds of the couch for the next few hours.
Where did you get the inspiration for you book? The village of Thresh grew out of the idea of a society never touched by love. Grit - strong, proud, and exceedingly snarky - is the natural product of such a culture. I wanted to see what would happen when love crashed into her, and how that would impact the whole of Threshan society.
What are you working on right now? HEIR OF KORADIN comes out in August. In the meantime, I’m polishing up the third book in the trilogy so I can send it to my editor. I’m also developing ideas for a few other stories, including what I hope will be a sweet YA Contemporary—something I never imagined writing.
What does your writing process look like? Plot by day, jot by night. I’ll play out scenes of dialogue in my head as I go about the day. At night, after the kids are in bed, I type out the scenes, filling in action and description. Often, I end up with a string of scenes that I need to join together. I do a lot of cutting and pasting to make everything fit as it should.

Just for fun –

•        Favorite writing snack. I don’t eat while writing, but IBC Root Beer was my beverage of choice while writing GRIT OF BERTH AND STONE. I’ve since switched to camomile or mint tea.

•        Plotter or Pantster? A little of both. My outlines are limited to basic notes of what needs to happen in what order, but I’m always surprised by how events unfold and what I discover about my characters as I go along.

•        If you could cast any Hollywood actor, living or dead, to play your lead character who would it be? Actually, one of the members of my critique group is a huge movie fan who has put a lot of thought into who should play Grit. He recommends either Sophie Nelisse or Willow Shields.

•        Cat or dog? Um, I think the Great Dane speaks for itself.

•        Morning or Night. Night. Mornings and I just don’t get along.