Q & A with Lisa Ivany

1. If you could live during any time period and in any place, when and where would you choose?

I think growing up in the late 50’s and early 60’s would have been a blast, mostly because of the fabulous music during that time. My ideal place to grow up would be somewhere tropical where snow shovels would never be needed.

2. What is your favourite movie(s)?

At the moment, it would have to be Secret Window starring Johnny Depp. That’s the first one that comes to mind, but there are many movies I have in my DVD collection that I’ve watched repeatedly. The one I’ve watched the most is The Thorn Birds and even though that was a mini-series rather than a movie, I had to mention it because I think it’s the best drama ever filmed.

3. What kind of music do you listen to?

Country, pop, classical, easy listening, and rock ‘n’ roll (especially from the 50’s and 60’s).

4. Who is your favourite author(s)?

Robin Cook (he’s a writer of medical suspense novels). I also love William Shakespeare.

5. What are you reading now?

Nothing at the moment. I’ve just completed a cooking course and spent a lot of time studying, so I’m taking a little break from reading for the time being.

6. What was your first piece in print (book, review, or article, etc)?

I’ve had many poems printed over the years, but my first article was printed in the Newfoundland Herald in March of 2002. I had the exclusive interview with Don Bartlett, who was curling at the Winter Olympics in Utah at the time, winning a silver medal for Canada.

7. When do you like to write (time of day, day of week)? Where do you do your writing (location)?

I work at another job from Monday to Friday on a full- time basis so my time to write is limited to night time and weekends. My favourite time to write is on Saturday and Sunday mornings, after I’ve had a good night’s sleep and my mind and body are rested. Of course, once I get started, I lose track of time and often will still be writing into the night. During the winter, I write at home, but once the snow is gone, most weekends I pack up my laptop and head to my cabin in the woods. It’s the most peaceful place I know, and that’s where I wrote all the stories in my second book in their entirety.

8. What character from your stories is the most like you? What one would you most like to be?

The character, Lucky, is very much like me in so many ways. When you get to know Lucky, you get to know a lot about me. She’s actually a character in two of my stories. The first story is called “Lucky’s Surprise” and it’s in the book entitled Christmas Memories. She was someone I needed to bring back to life and I did that in the sequel called “Lucky’s Landing,” found in my second book, entitled At Heart. Even though I can relate to Lucky on a personal level, I would most like to be Melanie Leyte. She’s the heroine in “Stand-off At Widow’s Peak,” another story from At Heart. She’s an independent woman whose job involves mountain hikes and communing with nature. She has the genuine ability to see the best in people and to see hope in the face of adversity.

9. What other jobs have you had besides being a writer?

I’ve worked at the James Paton Memorial Hospital in Gander for over twenty-four years and currently hold the title of secretary for the psychiatry department. I also work part-time for Dr. Joseph Tumilty, Orthopaedic Surgeon, as his executive assistant.

10. Make a question of your own and then answer it.

What has been the biggest reward in your writing career?

All the positive feedback from readers who have been so gracious with their praise. I’ve co-written both books with Robert Hunt and I’m sure he feels the same way. We’ve not only received wonderful comments from people we know, but complete strangers have made a point to tell us how much they’ve enjoyed our stories, either in person, by phone, or through the mail. I remember one particular phone call I received from a man on the West Coast who said our book was the best book he had ever read. He was seventy-seven years old and told me he was an avid reader, so that really meant a lot to me, especially coming from someone I had never met. That just made it all worthwhile.