Author Bio
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Lisa Ann O’Kane is a young adult author and former vagabond who once camped out in Yosemite National Park for an entire summer, an experience that inspired her debut novel Essence (June 2014).Her background is in zookeeping and environmental education, and she has been kicked, cornered, bitten and chased by nearly every animal she has ever loved. She currently resides in Florida, and she is now a huge fan of shooting stars, indoor plumbing and keeping both her feet planted firmly on the trail.
Favorites
1. What is your favorite color? Spring green
2. Favorite food? Macaroni & cheese. Obviously.
3. Favorite movie of all time? Up
4. Favorite song? "Fool in the Rain" by Led Zeppelin
5. Favorite book of all time? The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein
All about Writing
1. How did your interest in writing originate?
On some level, I always knew I wanted to be a writer. My mother will tell you I was "writing" long before I could spell: scrawling complicated picture books and reciting them verbatim to anyone and everyone who would listen.
2. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
I am definitely the hare, not the tortoise, so I will often have a 2,000 to 4,000 word day followed by several weeks of silence. It's a pain, but I have gotten used to it.
3. Do you work with outline or just write?
I tend to give myself a very basic outline, and then I veer wildly from my plans.
4. What was the hardest part in writing your book? The easiest?
I attempted to pigeonhole one particular character in ESSENCE, and the plot fought back until I finally gave up the reins and let the story do what it wanted to do. This was simultaneously the most terrifying and the most liberating thing I have ever done while writing.
5. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I take my stand-up paddleboard out several times a week, and I also spend quite a lot of time outdoors with my German Shepherd mix Lexi. I am incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by so many friends and family members in the Tampa Bay area, and we often enjoy live music, microbrews and adventures together.
Finish the sentence
1. The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction sees reality through a lens.
2. Research is what I'm doing when I'm up to no good.
3. I can write better when I stop worrying and just write.
4. Sleep is an excellent way to recharge and discover new ideas for the morning.
5. A room without a book is not my kind of room!
Books
Title: Essence (Essence #1)
Genre/s: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: June 3, 2014
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Synopsis:
Neutrality is the key to longevity.
This motto has governed 17-year-old Autumn’s life in the mid-21st-century Centrist cult, which believes that expressing emotions leads to Essence drain and premature death.
But Autumn’s younger brother’s death casts her faith into question. While sprinting through a park in violation of Centrist teachings, she encounters Ryder Stone, an Outsider who claims Essence drain is nothing more than a Centrist scare tactic. She agrees to join his Community, a utopia of adrenaline junkies living in the abandoned remains of Yosemite National Park.
Autumn learns about sex, drugs, and living life to the fullest. But as she discovers dark secrets beneath the Community’s perfect exterior, she realises that this illusion of paradise could be shattered…
Giveaway !!!The Rules:
- Open Internationally
- Must be 13+ to enter
- Winners will be notified via email
- A new winner will be chosen if a response is not received within 48 hours
- Use the Rafflecopter to enter. I'm going to check the entries so please follow the directions correctly.
- Contest ends June 3, 2014 (Release Date)
