Lisa Mangum

My newest novel, NEVER THAT FAR, is published and released TODAY by Shadow Mountain. a huge thank you to Jennifer De Chiara and Steve Fraser who represented me for this deal. And a big thank you to the amazing Lisa Mangum, my editor at Shadow Mountain.

A normal person could post a pic. I cannot. But, dagnabit, I will by end of today. So until then, imagine a pretty cover

HERE

Now! Here’s the contest! If you go to FB, you can add your goals under this post there.

I’m getting ready for a sing off! And I’m challenging Trent Reedy. And Claudia Mills, too! Yes! Where? At WIFYR this June!

We’re getting the ball rolling a little early with Getting Ready for WIFYR Writing Contest where you might win a book or two. My newest novel NEVER THAT FAR is one of the prizes. So is Trent Reedy’s book DIVIDED WE FALL.

Here’s how it works:

Say what your writing goal is for April AND May (I’ll reveal my goals tomorrow). And the most amazing Stephanie Moore will keep track of things for us.

You get to put your name in our virtual drawing if you sign up to play, if you complete your writing weekly goals, meet your goal, and every check-in on our Friday FB post. Invite all your friends! Got friends on Twitter? Instagram? Invite them, too!

The writing goals can be whatever you want them to be: 50 words a day, 5000 words a day or anything in between. They can be editing goals, if you like. Anything to help you get ready for our week-long writing conference this June.

The winner will be randomly drawn and notified on June 1, 2018.
Then we’ll pop the prize in the mail (US residents only), signed to you.
Woot woot!

But that’s not all.

Trent and I will have a sing off at WIFYR. Or we’ll sing a duet. Or something.
And Claudia Mills? That will be a flannel shirt wear-off contest .

Oh my gosh, this just keeps on giving.

So join us for our Getting Ready for WIFYR Writing Contest.

(You DO NOT have to attend WIFYR to play. But if you want to register, go here: http://www.wifyr.com. There are a few spaces open, but many of the classes are almost closed.)

Today we welcome Lisa Mangum to our blog. She will be leading our first ever, “Writing the Middle Grade or Young Adult LDS Novel” workshop. Editor, author, teacher, is there anything Lisa can’t do?

How did you begin writing?

I started reading at a young age, and my mom was a writer, so I grew up knowing that writing was a “job you could do.” I had always loved writing, but I didn’t turn to it seriously until about 2006, when I joined a writer’s group and it rekindled my passion. When I got the idea for THE HOURGLASS DOOR, it was all I could do to keep up with the story that wanted to be told. I’ve never looked back since.

The Earth’s under attack, you go to the bookstore for one book to take with you during escape. Go!

The practical part of me says I should get a book with survival/first-aid tips, but the passionate part of me grabs HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY, for the following reasons: (1) it’s small and would fit in my pocket; (2) it’s a stand-alone,* so no cliffhanger ending; (3) it’s funny and would remind me not to panic during an invasion of Earth; (4) it’s at the beginning of the alphabet, so it would probably be the first one I saw when I ran into the bookstore.

*yes, I know there are more books in the series, but the first one is the best.

When you’re not laboring over the keyboard, what would we find you doing?

Though I am an editor by day and a writer by night, I am a reader–always. So you’d probably find me with a book in my hands. If not that, I always enjoy a good jigsaw puzzle, going to the movies, or playing a board game.

What’s the last book that made you do a spit take? Or at least laugh out loud?

The last book that gave me that jaw-dropping moment (though not of laughter; sorry, I haven’t been reading very many funny books lately) was DAYS OF BLOOD AND STARLIGHT by Laini Taylor. The way she lead me along that plot to the unbelievable and heartbreaking conclusion was awe-inspiring.

Can you give us a typical day in the life of?

Up around 7:30 am, take Trax to work (I read on the train), at work I check my email/voice mail, finish up any projects that I left unfinished from the previous day, meetings, editing, lunch (where I read manuscripts), editing, meetings, more emails. I head home around 5:00 for dinner with my husband. We watch a show or two on TV, and then I work on my writing until bedtime (around 11:00). (Lather. Rinse. Repeat.) Weekends are for housework, errands, movies, and Doctor Who marathons.

You’re at Carol’s dance party. Are you dancing in the middle? Head bobbing? Fly on the wall? Or do you apologize later because you got a sudden case of food poisoning?

Wallflower, all the way.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given concerning writing?

“It’s okay to write your story out of order.” I used to believe that you had to start with page 1, chapter 1, word 1 and write straight through to the end. But that was frustrating because if I got stuck, I just stopped. Or if I felt like writing the kissing scene, but I was stuck in an action part of the story, I’d rush through important information just to get to the other part. Once I realized it was okay to write out of order, then, when I got stuck, I’d skip to another part of the story. When I wanted to write the kissing scene, I’d write the kissing scene–even if that was the last chapter of the book. It was a liberating revelation to me as a writer.

And last but not least: you’re a teenager again, what song is playing in the background, or in your head, during your first kiss?

Considering my first kiss as a teenager was during rehearsals for ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, there is an echo of the song “I’m Shy” rattling around that memory, but when I think about my first real kiss with a boy I liked, I always think of “Bravado” by Rush.

For more information, or to register, please go to: http://www.wifyr.com