Lyv’s Interview with Tuxtails PUblishing
Do you want to know even more about Lyv? Then you’re in luck!
Lyv was recently interviewed by Tuxtails Publishing and was happy to share some details about when she started writing, what inspires her, and the pros and cons of being a writer.
Read the full interview below!
© 2024, Tuxtails Publishing LLC
Tuxtails Pub: How did you get started writing?
Lyv: I worked for our school newspaper for several years; I would say that’s when the actual writing started. And it evolved from there. Over time, I realized I not only love researching a topic and reporting facts but also coming up with all kinds of stories.
Some friends and I wrote fantasy stories for each other to read, and during my time at university until today, I’ve come up with many adventures for our pen & paper roleplaying group (yes, I’m one of those nerds ;) ).
Actually writing a novel was nothing I ever planned, though. One evening, I ended up joking with a friend about writing a book. From there an idea formed and I just had to get it out there.
Now I can’t seem to stop.
What genre do you write in and what drew you to that genre?
I’m writing romance novels with steamy nights to enjoy and a mystery to solve for my characters (and readers).
For me, romance novels have always been a great way to escape reality for a while. What is better than falling in love? A romance novel lets you live through all those giddy moments, stolen kisses, and the joy of falling for somebody. That’s the fun part of it, even more so when you know there’ll be a happy ending waiting for the characters.
Then there’s another way to look at romance novels, at least for me: They can be kind of a time capsule. I love reading romance novels from different decades or even centuries. Romance – naturally – focuses intimately on the characters and their love life. Love is a powerful thing, and it can cause great conflict. To read about the challenges that characters face in a novel written a hundred years ago is often vastly different from what the characters would have to deal with today. It can give you a tiny glimpse at what that society was like.
And it can highlight how little some things have changed as well. You might have wooed your partner with a handwritten poem back then just as you might with a cute text message today.
Love has always been around and it will always be.
But as much as I enjoy a great love story, I’m also somebody who can get lost in a good mystery for hours, in trying to figure out a crime case. It gives your brain something to work with, to think about even when you close the book for a moment to do something else. It’s something you can discuss with others, come up with theories, and plead your case.
For me, it was natural to mix those genres, to give my characters a mystery to solve, to let them bond over it.
Where do you get your ideas?
Sometimes it feels like the mystery part of my novels is inspired by all the bad in the world.
But I’d say that’s because I watch/listen to a lot of true crime shows, so I often feel like there’s not a lot that hasn’t been done before. Usually, though, I just try to come up with something that would be an interesting mystery to solve, something you might not stumble upon every day. That’s how I end up with a basic idea, a basic case, and then it’s time to add more details to it.
When it comes to the romance, it’s a mix of different things. I do have a lot of open-minded friends, and we often talk frankly about all our love lives, so there are things in my books that are (maybe subconsciously) inspired by long nights of talking on the couch with a glass of wine or a cocktail.
And I’ll be honest, some of my inspiration comes from reading what I don’t necessarily enjoy. There are wonderful books out there, and it works for the stories in them, but personally, sometimes I’m tired of reading about another couple that dances around each other for most of the book because they just don’t talk to each other. That’s why I usually try to come up with characters doing their best to be frank and to communicate openly from the start – for me that’s a chance to give them more of a story to happen aside from solving their misunderstandings.
Are you a plotter or a pantser when it comes to planning your novels and/or stories?
Hmm… I’d say I’m a pantser with a little plotter sitting on my shoulder throwing in a few important highlights I should include in the story.
I usually start with one idea, maybe even just one scene. From there, it’s a note or two with more rough ideas for an earlier or later part of the story. But then I sit down and begin to write.
If I had to give you a visual, I’d say it’s a little bit like a map with a start and finish marker. But there are no roads that I need to follow, just a few rest stops along the way – those I should visit, but how I get there depends on what my characters start doing once they begin their journey.
What I do during writing, though, is keep a timeline with the most important facts, notes for things that might need more detailed research, stuff like that, so I can check on everything once I’m finished writing.
Which is better: editing your work as you write, or saving all the editing until the end?
For me, it works best if I edit only after I finish writing. Sure, if I spot any typos, I correct them right away. And maybe I rewrite a weird sentence when I read the last paragraph I’ve written before picking up where I left off. But proper editing starts for me only when I’ve written the last sentence.
What is the hardest part of being an author?
Getting noticed and coming up with a marketing strategy that leaves you with enough time to keep actually writing your stories.
What is the best part of being an author?
Being able to tell the stories you want to tell. And knowing you can reach people with your words, no matter if it’s two people or two thousand.
Are there any other authors who inspire you?
Terry Pratchett. I love his creativity, the worlds he created, and the fact that he never gave up his passion, even when it became more and more of a challenge toward the end.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Well, you’ve already heard I like pen & paper roleplaying games. I also love reading, of course. Then there’s lots of cuddling and playing with our cat!
When the cat has had enough of me, I also love spending time with my husband.
And during all of that, I like drinking lots of coffee and eating homemade food.
Give us your best elevator pitch/pitches. Can you describe all of your published and soon-to-be-published books in one sentence each?
Generational Payment: A century-old mystery will keep you on your toes, and Scarlette’s and Ty’s hot summer nights might just have you reaching for a cool drink.
Pieces of a Murder: Body parts in shark tanks and a blackout don’t make for an easy case, but there’s always time to fall in love.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring authors, what would it be?
Write what you want, not what you think people want to read. You’ll never be happy with the result if you don’t write what you want, and that’s a recipe for failure.
Where to find Lyv Lamere online:
https://www.instagram.com/lyvlamere/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Lyv-Lamere/author/B0C8J8NS2X