Minnesota-based author, Joie Lesin, is a life-long fiction writer and the author of The Passenger. She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including ghosts. She loves to write a good ghost story—especially when it includes a touch of romance.
Please tell our readers a bit about yourself within two to three sentences.
I am an introverted extrovert—or is it extroverted introvert? I love to be among people and engaging in conversation, but when my social battery runs low, I also enjoy sitting back and observing.
Do you have a trunk novel(s)?
I do. I have several that I may dig out and dust off at some point on this journey but at least one that will never see the light of day.
What genres do you write?
I write paranormal romance both historical and contemporary as well contemporary fantasy.
Are you traditional, hybrid, or indie published? Why did you go this route?
I am traditionally published. For me, working with a traditional publisher is ideal. While they do the heavy lifting for production and distribution, I can focus my energy on the writing process and the promotion. In addition, I’ve found the chance to collaborate with a top-notch editor at my publishing house is a bonus.
What does success mean for you?
For me, success means having the freedom to focus on my writing. It also means, the readers who resonate with my stories find my books and love reading them just as much as I have loved writing them.
Do you have any odd/strange/fascinating rejection stories to share?
There are many odd, strange, fascinating things that have happened in my life. However, none of them are related to the rejections I’ve received on submissions. The ones I’ve received were all run of the mill, everyday rejections.
What is your writing routine like?
I am a puzzler. For me this means I spend a significant amount of time thinking about the story. I tend to work out the story in my head like a problem that needs to be solved. This also means that part of my writing routine may look like I am just staring into the sky, but I am working hard—honestly.
Not to mention, I am and have always been a night owl. So, when I’ve gathered enough of the story elements together in my head, I sit down to write at night. It’s when my creativity is most alive.
Who first introduced you to the love of writing?
It was a family affair. As a reader, my mother instilled the love of books in all five of her children. At four I knew I was going to be a writer because my oldest brother, who is fifteen years older than me, wrote. Through him I understood that story telling was something to aspire to.
What living or dead author would you have over for dinner and why?
Marlys Millhiser because not only did she author my favorite book but I can honestly say she has had the biggest influence on me as a writer.
The book, The Mirror, was originally released in 1978. My sister handed it to me six years later when I was sixteen. From page one, I was hooked. I sat in my teenage bedroom devouring every word. The author’s vision transported me to the early 1900s in Boulder, Colorado and back again to 1978 with the help of a cursed mirror. I lived vicariously through the two main characters, and I loved it. I knew this was the kind of story I needed to write.
What do you see ahead in your career?
It’s simple. I intend to keep writing because I have more stories taking up space in my head than time.
What encouraging words do you have with struggling or first-time authors?
Be honest with yourself, practice the craft of writing and keep growing.
Don’t listen to people who discourage you from pursuing your dream and definitely do not adopt those voices as your own internal critic.
Team Edward or team Jacob from Twilight and why?
This one is a hard one for me. I’m not sure I would pick either team.
Now ask me if I am Team Blane or Team Duckie and I have a definite answer to that one.
Duckie. Definitely Duckie. Yes, I was a teenager in the 1980s.
How can readers find you online?
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