INTERVIEW WITH TOSCA LEE!

Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of THE PROGENY, ISCARIOT, THE LEGEND OF SHEBA, DEMON: A MEMOIR, HAVAH: THE STORY OF EVE, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker (FORBIDDEN, MORTAL, SOVEREIGN). A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games and football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.

You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table.

FIRSTBORN, the long-anticipated sequel to THE PROGENY, is in stores now!

INTERVIEW

If you had to describe yourself in one sentence, what would you say?  

“She’s only ever had one foot in the real world.”

What do you do when you’re not writing? Any interesting hobbies?

Last year I married a single father of four, so I play football and video games with my kids and cook. I’ve traveled my whole life, and try to get away with my husband when we can. Other than that, my main hobby is sleep.

What was your favorite book as a teen or child?

In high school, it was Clan of the Cave Bear and The Mists of Avalon. The research, concepts and characters were so rich, and both impacted me greatly as a writer.

Tell us three things about yourself that might surprise your readers.

I hate running, used to be a classical pianist, and I like shooting stuff. My kids give me exploding targets for Mother’s Day. 

What genre did you start out writing? Have you changed course? Why or why not?

My first (unpublished) novel was historical, a genre I’ve always loved, but I ended up publishing a suspense novel first because it was the one I had ready. Everything since has been a historical or thriller. I get bored if I do too much of the same kind of thing.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

I had a review several years ago I think for Demon: A Memoir, in which the reviewer said the book was written with the deftness and wit of an inebriated two year-old. LOL Sheesh.

The best compliment is just the loyalty of my readers, who are amazing. A more caring, loving group of people you’ll never meet. It’s such a privilege to do this journey with them.

Any other genres you’d like to try? If yes, what and why?

Maybe romance. I never thought I’d attempt it, but falling in love did something to me.

If you could go back in time and do something differently at the start of your career, what would it be?

I’d have written my second book while I was waiting to sell my first one. Guys, if you’re trying to get published, keep writing in the meantime. Trying to write your second novel on deadline while your first one is getting published is really hard!

What is the most important thing you’d like readers to take away from your books?

That’s so hard for me to say because I think what readers take away depends so much on what they are bringing to the story. If nothing else, I want them to enjoy themselves and feel like maybe someone else out there gets them.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you’d like to give to unpublished authors?

If you’re not published yet, this is a special protected time. Write a lot. Be prolific, bold and audacious. It gets harder to write this way as you publish and are constantly aware of those who will soon read your work. That’s why I say my #1 Rule of Writing is to write like no one will ever read this. Like you’re writing secret stuff in your closet. It helps keep fear from getting in the way.

THE PROGENY

When you wake up, you remember nothing. Not your name, or where you were born, or the faces of the people you knew. Just a single warning written to yourself before you forgot it all:

Emily, it’s me. You. Don’t ask about the last two years… Don’t try to remember and don’t go digging. Your life depends on it. Other lives depend on it.

By the way, Emily isn’t your real name. You died in an accident. You paid extra for that.

You start over in a remote place with a new name, a fresh life. Until the day a stranger tells you you’re being hunted for the sins of a royal ancestor who died centuries before you were born.

You don’t believe him, until they come for you. Now you’re on the run.

Every answer you need lies in a past you chose to erase. The only thing you know for sure is that others are about to die and you need those memories back.

But first, you have to stay alive.

Leave a comment, along with your contact information, and you could win a copy of THE PROGENY! (U.S. only, please!)