We’ve been spreading the word about Lisa’s FANTASTIC release, Fifteen Minutes of Shame, all week so I figure it’s time to dish some secrets on the author.
Deb Lisa is a sadist.
I loved Lisa’s book. After finishing the book I went right back to the beginning to figure out what the heck she did that made it work so well. Any book that is this much fun, this much of a page turner, must contain craft tidbits that the rest of us can learn from. Here is the secret: really good authors are sadists. They know we read to see people in difficult situations. The more difficult, the more we’re interested. If you want to write a page turner, you need to want to torture your characters. Let’s take a look at Lisa’s book and see how she took it those extra steps.
Bad News: You discover your husband is cheating on you.
Even more bad news: You discover your husband is cheating on you AND you make your living as a relationship consultant.
Sadist level news: You discover your husband is cheating on you AND you make your living as a relationship consultant AND you find out on national TV.
See how she did that? How she took an interesting book to a “holy cow I can’t put this down even though it’s four am and I’m going to look like an extra from the Lord of the Rings movie tomorrow because I’ve had no sleep” kind of book? We can learn from her people.
Our fascination with things taken to the highest level occurs also in reality. Take this recent example.
Bad news: You discover your husband has cheated on you.
Even more bad news: You discover your husband has cheated on you ANDhe did this by spending tens of thousands of dollars on call girls.
Sadist level news: You discover your husband has cheated on you ANDhe did this by spending tens of thousands of dollars on call girls AND because he’s the governor of New York you’re expected to stand at his side smiling during a press conference while he talks about it and how he’s really sorry.
Show of hands: How many of you would have loved for Ms. Spitzer to suddenly yank the microphone away from him during that press conference and say “Humiliate me in front of the world? How about this- Governor Spitzer has a small willie and that’s why he relied on call girls. Take that buddy.” Then she would kick him and take him for half of what he owns.
If you like a satisfying ending then skip reality and go straight to Fifteen Minutes of Shame. Nobody tortures her characters better than Lisa. Ms. Spitzer could take some lessons.
My hand is WAY up, Eileen!! You’re right about Lisa’s book VERY well-crafted and a fantastic read!
You’re right – the best books make their characters face the worst situations possible and how they struggle and grow to get through them is what makes us love them and identify with them. I try to keep this in the back of my mind while writing, asking myself “What would be the worst thing that could happen to my character?” then I make it happen.
MWUAAAAHHHH HAAAAAAAAA <—– evil laughter, because apparently I am a sadist, too.
p.s. Uh, Eileen, I know you are also a sadist; I’ve read YOUR book, you know.
Great, great analysis, Eileen. You’re totally right about the character torturing thing and how that really hooks us. Lisa does it beautifully.
Now THAT would be a great tagline on a business card: “Lisa Daily. Storyteller / Sadist.”
And you are SO spot on with Lisa’s mastery of craft–I also was reading ‘as a writer’ to see how the pieces came together to make it work! 🙂 (I did that with your book, too, you excellent sadist you!)
Indeed, one might use the cliche that Lisa “threw the book” at Darby! 😉
And, Eileen, since you and Lisa will be on Park Avenue in NYC a few weeks from now, why not stroll over to Fifth Avenue and 79th Street to drop off a copy of FIFTEEN MINUTES — along with UNPREDICTABLE — for Ms. Spitzer?!
OMG!
Eileen, I laughed so hard that I snorted when I read this. And then I stabbed myself in the thigh with my pen. (Accidentally.) But obviously, you’re on to something here.
Danielle, Gail, Jess & Larramie,
Thank you so much — you girls are the best. As a special treat for us all, I’m going to post a photo of the male UNDERWEAR MODELS I met in the green room at GOOD DAY COLORADO today.
Somebody pinch me.
(Oh crap, there I go with that sadism thing again)
Lisa
Hilarious, and is anyone else sick of really pretty and reasonably smart women standing by and watching their husbands be dillweeds? I mean, really, no one is going to blame you if you burn his Lexus and take most of his cash, you deserve it. R
I’m sorry I’m so late to come here! I was out all day all week at the Va Book Festival and didn’t have ready internet access. I LOVED this post–so funny and so true! But far better to have the protagonist going through it than to do so personally, eh? (and here’s hoping Mrs. Spitzer is inking that book deal as we speak…)
HI LISA!
IF YOU KNOW CD THEN YOU KNOW THAT SHE IS TOTALLY WICKED! LOL GET ON HER GOOD SIDE WITH A CHOCOLATE MUDSLIDE!
WOOT ON 15 MINUTES!!