Skip to main content

It's A Book Thing Presents: An Interview with Lisa R. Neuder, author of The Sweet Friendship

Author’s Bio: Lisa R. Neuder is a debut children's author from Rockville, Maryland. She is a member of the Maryland Writers’ Association, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Authors Guild. Lisa serves as a full-time Appeals Officer at the U.S. Department of Education. 


Deliah Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book?


Lisa R. Neuder: Several years ago, I came up with the idea to write stories for children that conveyed valuable life lessons. These lessons, in my opinion, were not taught in school but were essential to know.


For my debut children's book, The Sweet Friendship, I drew upon the themes of friendship and loyalty – these are concepts that affect everyone and are always challenging. Then we had the pandemic, which added another level of complication to our relationships. After writing my book, it was my hope that students would reflect on the meaning of friendship and determine who is reliable and who is not.

 

DL: How do you handle writer’s block?


LRN: Journaling is a wonderful remedy for my writer’s block. With journaling, I can relax and do free writing. I find that journaling helps me to write about the events of the day, my emotions surrounding a particular situation, or things that I am grateful for in my life. I have noticed that when I have journaled, ideas or themes have emerged. These ideas or themes have been used for my current book and I plan to use them for other projects or future books.

 

DL: What do you think makes a good story?


LRN: I love writing about universal themes. Readers will discover that in my book (or future books) I highlight themes that can apply to anyone regardless of their background, cultural differences, or geographical regions.  I want my stories to spark a person’s interest and imagination. I love the discussions surrounding my topics and themes.

 

DL: What was the best writing advice you’ve ever been given?


LRN: The best writing advice that I received is to follow your heart and write about your passions or interests. I try not to write to satisfy a business model or a particular approach in my writing. I write because I enjoy telling stories and it is my hope that others can relate to what I am trying to convey and share.

 

DL: What do you like to do when you are not writing?

LRN: I enjoy organizing and participating in my writing groups, offering support to other local authors, volunteering, and reading books. I am the proud mom of Biscuit, my dachshund and Peanut, the mixed-lop bunny who is forever in my heart since his passing. 

DL: What are three things you can’t live without?

LRN: The three things that I cannot live without are: 

Resilience. There are so many challenges in life that without resilience, it would be hard for me to overcome all the setbacks that I have experienced. My mother used to say that there is a fine line between making it or not. That is, with determination and resilience, I can cross the finish line or reach my goal(s).

 

Love. Love comes in many forms. We can love our families, best friends, pets, people who support us, neighbors, or community. It is important for me to both give and receive it. Giving gives me purpose and receiving it provides an anchor for me to keep moving forward.

 

Good Friends. Just having one or two friends by my side can turnaround a bad day. It is comforting to know that I have someone there to hold my hand, give advice, and provide encouragement. Without a good friend or two, it would be difficult to weather the storms in life.

 

DL: If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

LRN:  If I had to describe myself in three words, I would say loyal, kind, and authentic. 

DL: Would you like to share an excerpt from The Sweet Friendship?


LRN: Sure, here you go:


Blurb:

An idealistic, bright-eyed, lop-eared bunny (Baked Bean) is seeking the friendship and company of another bunny. But to her dismay, her new interest (Snowshoe) brings both joy and heartache. Will she be able to overcome her struggles with her new friend? 

DL: What new projects are you currently working on?

LRN: I wrote a short story for a creative writing program at a university called On Newberry Road. I also started the second book in The Sweet Friendship series. My goal is to have a trilogy in this series. The books in this series would share many of the same characters and the themes, with the emphasis on friendship and loyalty. I may expand one of the books to include the importance of community.

DL: Where can readers learn more about you and purchase your book(s)?


LRN: Readers can learn more here:

DL: Thanks so much for being here with us today. I know my readers will enjoy getting to know you and your work.

LRN: Thank you, again, for including me in your blog! 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Interview with Jacqueline Seewald, Author of THE INHERITANCE

Author’s Bio: Multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald, has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English. She also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Sixteen of her books of fiction have previously been published to critical praise including books for adults, teens and children. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies. What inspired you to write your book? I enjoy writing romantic mystery fiction. The idea for this particular novel just seemed to evolve organically from my imagination. Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult? I would have to say reading the Bible was influential. As far as regular books go, I’m a big fan of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Is this your first book? How long did it take to start and...
20 comments
Read more

It’s A Book Thing Presents: An Interview with Debbie Stokes, author of The Stranger He Knew

Author’s Bio: Debbie Stokes was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She has always had a desire to be a published author of a fiction novel, but fear stopped her. She often shares how her story ideas come to her in her dreams, and how she jumps up to write them down. Finally, one day, she pushed past her fear and allowed her vision to come to past. She is now a published author, and The Stranger He Knew is her first book.  Debbie is a former CEO, blogger, and interviewer for her previous women's empowerment blog called, 3 Women Voices, where she shared empowering stories of how people overcame odds to live their best lives. She is also a former contributing writer for FEMI Magazine, a cultural lifestyle magazine, where she interviewed and shared people’s stories.  When not writing, she enjoys singing, dancing, inspiring others, and spending time with family.  Deliah Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book? Debbie Stokes: That is a funny story. One d...
10 comments
Read more

National Poetry Month’s Feature: Poet Jahi Trotter

Poet’s Bio: Jahi Minkah Trotter was born in Atlanta, GA, and moved to Alabama when he was six years old. He has been writing poetry since he was 11 years old. He has written two poetry books: It Was Already Written (2016) and Adapting To Life: Poems and Quotes by Jahi Minkah Trotter (2020). He developed a love for filmmaking while receiving his bachelor's degree in social science. Jahi decided to continue his quest for filmmaking at Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, GA.   During his final two years at SCAD, Jahi was encouraged by his professors to go into acting while continuing to work behind the camera as well. This was a crucial time for Jahi. He lost his father in 2019 a month before taking an elective acting class that lead him into acting. He lost his mother in 2021 and continues to act and create films, including his thesis film "The Last Job," in which he acted and starred in. Jahi graduated with a master's degree in film and television from S...
2 comments
Read more