We Love… Leisa Rayven

Hello guys and welcome to a new interview post, this time with the lovely Leisa Rayven. Romance lovers out there have to know the amazing “Bad Romeo” and our complex and wonderful Ethan Holt, who stold our hearts and make us cry big time. Leisa was very kind in taking the time to answer my questions, dedicated to her work and spare time. We also talked a bit about her characters and new projects, so if you haven’t read any of her work, put in on TBR as soon as possible. Thank you Leisa, you rock:)

Ramona: Please  share with the readers something about Leisa Rayven, in  order for them to get to know you better 🙂
Leisa: Well, I’m a country girl at heart. I spent most of my childhood growing up on a cane farm in a small town, so if you need me to drive a tractor, I totally can.
As a kid, I spent most of my time in dance class. I did ten years of tap, jazz, and ballet, before having to quit in high school because I just didn’t have enough time. Then I moved onto singing and acting (which I adored), and eventually ended up going to drama school. For most of my career, I’ve been a professional performer, but now of course I do more writing than acting these days.

Ramona: What was the spark that made you take on writing as a career?
Leisa: I’ve always loved writing, ever since I was a kid, and during my drama degree I wrote quite a few plays. But it was while I was overseas living with my husband in Italy that I got a sudden and irrepressible urge to write a novel. When I got back to Australia six months later, I’d started four novels, and I couldn’t stop writing. I wrote a few books (unpublished) before I came up with the idea for Bad Romeo/Broken Juliet. I never intended to publish the books. I wrote because I loved it. But after my friends and family read them, they insisted I try to get them published. As luck would have it, I got an agent very quickly after I began querying, and a few months later had a three-book publishing deal with Macmillan New York which was absolutely insane. (And wonderful.) Now, I’m in the middle of writing my sixth book and having the time of my life.

Ramona: What do you enjoy doing besides writing?
Leisa; I love cooking, watching movies, singing, and playing video games. (Especially the video games. I’m a total gamer girl.)

Ramona: With which writer do you dream of collaborating?
Leisa: Oh, wow! So many! I’d love to collaborate with women who share my warped sense of humor, so ladies like Colleen Hoover, Jamie MacGuire, Mia Sheridan, and Kylie Scott.

Ramona: What do you think made Bad Romeo and Broken Juliet such successful books?
Leisa: I think people became really invested in the epic love story between Cassie and Ethan. Like Romeo and Juliet, they had so many obstacles in the way of their happiness and people really wanted to see them overcome all of that to get their happy ever after.

Ramona: Tell us something about Ethan Holt and what makes him so complex as a hero? (From my POV, he is one of the most complex and intriguing heroes I have ever read about:) )
Leisa: I think Ethan is one of those few guys that understands he has issues that are ruining his life, but like so many of us, feels powerless to do anything about it. Identifying psychological or emotional issues is one thing. Having the courage and strength to change is another. I think we’re drawn to Ethan because we can see he wants to change. He takes responsibility for the awful things he does to Cassie and apologizes for it, and eventually makes amends. If only that happened with the men in our lives more often! Lol!

Ramona: When you don’t write Romance, what other type of stories would you write about?
Leisa: I love reading fantasy, paranormal, and horror, and even wrote a Twilight fanfiction once that was very dark and violent. I love all that stuff. One day I’d love to write a fantasy trilogy that I’ve had in my brain for a few years now. I’m not sure if anyone would read it, but I’d love to write it anyway.

Ramona: Do you prefer reading paperback books or are you a Kindle addict?
Leisa: I prefer paperbacks, but I’m getting more and more onboard with Kindle books, purely because of the convenience. When I travel, I can’t really lug a whole bunch of PBs with me, so now I just take my iPad and read through the kindle app. So much better!

Ramona: What  would be your advice for the ones that want to pursue writing as a carrier?
Leisa: I’d say GO FOR IT! If someone told me just five years ago that I’d someday be a published author whose books are sold all over the world, I’d have laughed you out of the room. The only thing you need to be an author is a passion to write. As long as you have that and get your book finished, you can be a published author.

Ramona: What is your relationship with your readers and bloggers?
Leisa: I absolutely adore my readers, and love it when we get the opportunity to chat on social media. Of course, I love it even more when I can hug them in person, but considering I’m in Australia which is thousands of miles away from most of my readers, that’s a luxury I can only afford once or twice a year. As for bloggers, I’ve met some absolutely incredible women who have reviewed my books, and I’m beyond honored to call a handful of them close friends. I’m always grateful for every single reader and blogger who supports my madness. I’d be nothing without them.

Ramona: Please share a message for the fans that love your work:)
Leisa: To all of my amazing readers, I want you to know that you mean the world to me, and it’s your incredible love and support that keeps me writing, day after day. I want to make you smile, and laugh, and cringe, and sob, and I want to make you fall in love over and over again. You’re my biggest inspiration. Thank you all so much for everything you do. I hope to smoosh you all one day in the near future.

Ramona: What surprises has Leisa Rayven in stored for us in the near future?
Leisa: Hmmmm, well, if I told you they wouldn’t be surprises, would they? Lol! What I can say is that I intend to keep writing stories that I want to read, and hope like crazy other people want to read them, too.

You can read more about Leisa by accessing:

Official Site: http://leisarayven.com/

Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8034143.Leisa_Rayven