Interview with Lisa Mantchev

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book-an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family-and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever        
                                     known.

Paranormal Angel has had the amazing opportunity to interview Lisa Mantchev, the author of the theatrical Eyes like Stars series. This creative series follow our lead heroine Beatrice Shakespeare Smith's as she tries not only to find her place in the world but save those she loves. 

Please welcome to the stage Lisa  Mantchev.

P-Angel: What do you say to people who want to be writers? How difficult is it to get published?


Lisa: The hardest part to convey is that--if you are serious about writing for publication--it quickly becomes a job. You have to clock the hours, meet deadlines, behave professionally, and none of that involves waiting for a muse to whisper in your ear. If you are serious and do the time and learn your craft, then you go through the process of finding an agent who is a good match for your work, and that agent gets you a publication deal.


P-Angel: Have you ever been star struck? If so by who?


Lisa: I got to spend a very lovely couple of hours with Neil Gaiman when he was in Seattle on The Graveyard Book tour. I watched him sign seven bazillion books with a broken finger. Such a charming guy!


P-Angel: Is it better to outline and plot your novel or "go with the flow"?


Lisa: I do both... starting with a general outline and adjusting as I go. I usually do two or three major revisions as well, as I am apparently incapable of painting the entire picture in one fell swoop.


P-Angel: If you could witness any moment in time what would it be? And why?


Lisa: I'd like to skip forward to the part where I become Doctor Who's newest companion. That would be fantastic.


P-Angel: How did the concept/ idea for Eyes Like Stars and the series As a whole come about? (location characters plays etc.)


Lisa: ELS started life as a short story titled "All Her World's A Stage" that none of the spec fic markets wanted to buy. Then a friend dared me to write a novel, and I really liked Bertie and the fairies and the theater setting, so I chose her story to turn into my first book. The opening line started everything, as did the idea of a magical theater. I began doing community musicals when I was seven... it's in my blood.


P-Angel: Choosing a title is often considered the hardest part of writing a story. How did you decide on a title?


Lisa: The original title of the novel was actually Scrimshaw... that changed to Eyes Like Stars when my publisher pointed out that it sounded far too nautical for the novel we'd revised. It's actually a piece of a quote from Hamlet: "Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres." I wanted something that would pull in the bit about "there are stars in her eyes" from the Mistress of Revels


P-Angel: What is the worst advice you have ever been given?


Lisa: "Don't be jealous." Seriously... who isn't? And jealousy is a great way to kick myself in gear (when I don't end up face-first in the sofa cushions, that is.)


Thank you for the interview! Lisa Mantchev


For more on Lisa Mantchev and her theatrical series visit : http://www.theatre-illuminata.com/