An Interview with Lisa Bilbrey ~ Author of THE JOURNEY TO FOREVER
Finally back in the warm embrace of his family, Travis McCoy relishes every moment he gets to spend with his wife and son. After almost losing them due to his own selfishness, he makes the decision to never let go of his family again. With his plan set in motion, Travis, Penelope, and Max start a new journey, one that leads them to forever.
Travis McCoy stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, straightening his tie and trying in vain to get his hair to lay flat. His dark, curly locks didn’t want to cooperate, so he gave up. No point in fighting a losing battle, after all.
“I don’t understand why I can’t go with you.” At the sound of his son’s voice, Travis shifted his eyes up and looked at Max. The boy was sitting on the edge of the bed, balancing his football in his lap and glaring at the floor.
“I told you,” Travis said. “Mom and I are going on a date. You’ll have fun with Gramps. He’ll probably let you do whatever you want, like run with scissors and play with matches.”
“Yeah, I know.” Max shrugged his shoulders. “Are you nervous?”
Travis took a deep breath before he turned to face his son. “Yeah, I am.”
“You shouldn’t be.” Hopping off the bed, Max smiled. “She’ll say yes.”
“How can you be sure?” he asked. “It’s only been a few months.”
“But she’s loved you for, like, ever,” Max scoffed, rolling his mocha-brown eyes. “Dad, trust me on this one. I know women.”
“How do you know women?” It was Travis’s turn to scoff. “You’re not old enough to even like girls yet.”
“That doesn’t mean they don’t like me. And that’s not the point,” Max stated. “Women like Mom don’t fall in and out of love. They’re in it till the end. Just woo her; make her feel pretty.”
Travis stood there, staring at him. “Who are you, and what have you done with my son?”
Max rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. “Yeah, real funny, Dad.”
Travis laughed before sitting on the side of the bed and opening the drawer of his nightstand. Lifting the small, black velvet box out, he placed it in the palm of his trembling hand. Tonight, he planned to propose to the woman who had owned his heart since he was Max’s age: Penelope Stone.
Hi Lisa. Welcome the Read Your Writes Book Reviews. Could you please introduce yourself?
*stands up and giggles* Hi, I’m Lisa and I’m an author, an editor, a publisher, a promoter, and so much more!
LOL. Okay, I wasn’t expecting that. Your latest book is called The Journey to Forever. Please tell me about the book and the Journey Collection series.
The Journey Collection is the ongoing story of Travis and Penelope. The first book introduces us to Travis after he sustains a career ending injury. Unsure of where his future will take him, he decides to return to the small Texas town he’d grown up in. However, his departure wasn’t smooth and he hurt a lot of people when he left. But when he gets back, he soon realizes that things aren’t the way he thought.
He reconnects with Penelope, and learns that she’d been keeping a huge secret from him. Without going into details, Travis embarks on a journey that leads him back into the arms of the woman he’s always loved, and to the family he didn’t realize he missed.
Can the books be read independently or do they all need to be read in order?
The books are better to be read in order, though I think I did a good job of recapping the previous books so that the reader could follow along. One of my editors for books two-four was different than the one for the first book, and she hadn’t read the first one yet, but could keep up and didn’t have too many questions about what had gone down in the first book.
Please tell me something you love about your characters.
I love their strength. They’ve all been through trails in their lives that could have pushed them past the point of no return, yet they remain strong and in the end, come out better than ever.
Wow...This sounds really good. How many books do you foresee being in The Journey Collection series?
Just the four. I really feel that I’ve told their story, and it’s time to let them go. Though, it’s really hard. Travis and Penelope are two of my favorite characters and I miss them so much!
What’s your writing process like? Do you start with an outline or do your ideas just come to you and you go from there?
I start with a very vague outline, usually just a couple of lines for each chapter. Then from there, I let the story unfold as needed. Sometimes I have to make adjustments to my outline, and sometimes I don’t, but having the basic idea of what the book will be about helps me stay focused. As long as I have my music, I’m good.
~TIDBITS ABOUT LISA~
Coffee or tea?
Coffee
Hero with a troubled past or Hero with a tortured past?
Tortured Past! I’m an angst lover!
Favorite dessert?
Chocolate cake!
I’m assuming since Travis is a quarterback that you like football. Who’s your favorite football team?
Actually, I don’t watch much professional football, but my son, who is fifteen, plays football and I’ve learned a lot from watching him. So, I will go with his favorite team and say the New England Patriots.
Thanks for stopping by Lisa. Is there anything else you would like to add?
First, I’d like to thank you for having me. I really enjoyed this interview! Second, I hope that people will check out my books.
ABOUT LISA BILBREY:
Lisa Bilbrey is a mom of three and has been married to her highschool sweetheart since 1996.
Finding a love in the written word, she started writing as a way to express herself. From the first word she wrote, she'd found her heart and soul. Always willing to learn, she's spends much of her time trying to improve as a storyteller.
In late 2011, Lisa opened Renaissance Romance Publishing with Michele Richard and Laura Braley.
Lisa Bilbrey is a mom of three and has been married to her highschool sweetheart since 1996.
Finding a love in the written word, she started writing as a way to express herself. From the first word she wrote, she'd found her heart and soul. Always willing to learn, she's spends much of her time trying to improve as a storyteller.In late 2011, Lisa opened Renaissance Romance Publishing with Michele Richard and Laura Braley.
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