Lisa Weseman's Name of the Game!

Hiya, readers! Help me welcome debut author Lisa Weseman to the blog today! Lisa writes funny, sassy contemporary romance (I got to read an early copy of The Name of the Game and it's FAB!!)..which is fitting since she's funny and sassy herself. On with the interview!

Kristina: M&Ms, Chips 'n Dip, Jell-O Shots...what's your snack of choice when you're on deadline?

Lisa: I recently got back into chips 'n' dip. Big. Mistake. When I was a kid, my mom always had what I call "chipadip" around, so it's comfort food for me. I made my husband promise to not let dip back into the house for at least three months...I give it three weeks.

Kristina: What most surprised you about the publishing process?

Lisa: I thought the hard part was writing and selling the book, but it turns out promoting it is a whole other mountain to climb. Of course I want people to buy the book, but I've never been comfortable with sales. (The worst part of being on the high school yearbook staff was selling those darn ads!) On the up side, I wasn't expecting so much support from the other authors writing for my publisher, Crimson. They've been an invaluable resource for navigating it all and a great support system.

Kristina: When the writing gets tough, who do you lean on?

Lisa: I am lucky to be surrounded by creative people who understand how hard this is, particularly my sister Lori who is also a writer and my husband Lex who is a director and editor. Lori is my constant cheerleader -- in fact, she was the one who put me in touch with the Crimson editor who bought my first book! Lex respects the creative process more than anyone I know. He likes to say, "Sometimes it comes easy and sometimes it comes hard." He always seems to know when I need to be left alone to push through and when I need to walk away and have a beer... or some chips 'n' dip. ;)

Kristina: What are you listening to right now and does your listening choice influence your writing?

Lisa: I listened to Sarah McLaughlin while I did the last pass of "The Name of the Game," but in general I don't listen to music with words when I'm working because I find it too distracting. Usually it write to spa music to drown out the sound of my dogs barking and "Dexter" or whatever disturbing show Lex is watching in the other room.

I do listen to tons of music when I'm percolating before I actually start to write. I love singer/songwriters who tell stories -- Dan Fogelberg, India.Arie, John Legend, Cat Stevens, Dido, Tim McGraw. I've gotten into country music because it's the last genre left that still knows how to spin a yarn in a song.

Kristina: Tell us one interesting thing about this book or its characters that didn't make in 'between the covers'?

Lisa: In the original draft, there was more backstory about the main character's first few months as a flight attendant. She lived in a "crash pad" with six other flight attendants, but didn't really have any friends and was completely miserable. I loved showing how some older women took her under their wing and taught her how to have fun. It was cute, but it didn't really add to the main story, so I cut at my editor's suggestion.

Buy the Book:

Kindle or PC
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008DVLGOW?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B008DVLGOW&linkCode=xm2&tag=lisawesemanco-20

Nook
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-name-of-the-game-lisa-weseman/1111808974?ean=9781440552236

iPad or iPhone
search in iBookstore

All About The Name of the Game:

He thinks she's a flake. She thinks he's a stick-in-the mud. But each time Kyle and Mac are together, they feel an undeniable spark.

After a long day on her feet, all flight attendant Kyle McKinney wants is a cool glass of wine, a warm bath, and a hot man in her bed. Instead, she ends up in a tug-of-war over misdelivered mail with her sexy-but-nerdy neighbor, Kyle "Mac" McKinney.

Thrown together by a shared name and address, Kyle and Mac butt heads as their very different lives begin to overlap. He wears sweater vests and teaches college accounting. She dresses like Carmen Miranda and practices scream therapy. But together, they must deal with a nosy elderly neighbor, a misguided stripper, and an overzealous IRS agent - without killing each other.

When opposites attract, it's like playing with fire. But will Kyle and Mac figure out that love is the name of the game...before it's too late?

All About Lisa:

Lisa Weseman writes fiction, TV & film, and essays. Her debut novel, The Name of the Game, will be published July 23, 2012 by Crimson Romance. "SOLO," a short film she wrote and executive produced, is currently in post-production. Born and raised in Florida, Lisa currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director Lex Sadasivan, and their two unbearably adorable Doodles.