Meet Lisa Febre – An Author!

Lisa Febre is a professional musician. She’s lived and worked all across the country and performed the full spectrum of music from a Historical Bach Society in Massachusetts to shows on the Las Vegas Strip. Currently, she lives in Los Angeles now, where she has played in a few movies, television shows, and freelance throughout the area. She is married to a film/television composer, and they have a blended family—Lisa has one son and her husband has two sons.

What struck me, though, and I’m sure you’ll catch it as you read the interview, is her positive attitude. Finding something to work with in the toughest of times, seeing the benefit or the good in something negative happening in her life. It takes a strong individual to do this, especially when your life is in doubt.

Honestly, I’m impressed as hell with Lisa Febre, and I believe as you read this interview, you will be too.

What was it that made you decide you had a story to tell and to become an author? Although I am a trained musician and have focused my entire life on pursuing that, I have always enjoyed writing. When I was a child, my mother gave me her old Smith-Corona manual typewriter and taught me how to touch type. I was about 8 years old, and the stories were just pouring out of me! As I got older, though, I discovered I tended toward more critical and journalistic writing. I took a few writing courses in college, but never really thought anything would come of it.

After college, I just wrote more for my edification, posting essays on music and teaching on my personal website for my students and their parents to read. Eventually, I had a food blog—I’m vegan, and back in the early 2000s it was not only strange to be vegan, but it was still weird to take pictures of food for a website. I was “discovered” by a Canadian Publication called T.O.F.U. and for most of the 2010s I was a regular contributor to the magazine.

I guess I never “decided” to be an author, but sort of fell into it. I had been blogging about my cancer journey and had nearly 1500 followers—which to me felt like I’d hit the jackpot! But, I wasn’t exactly “baring my soul” on the blog. I was using the blog to reveal to myself what were the most salient parts about my cancer journey and was writing on the side what I imagined would eventually be a self-published book.

As an author or writer, what sets you apart from others?

I can only compare myself to other cancer memoir writers and say that mostly, the books out there have more to do with the logistics of having cancer—what the tests are like, what the drugs are, what treatments they got. Even if it’s a memoir, the authors rarely dive deep into the emotional side of having this happen to them. I don’t blame them, it’s natural to want to protect yourself during the most raw and terrifying time of your life.

How do ideas for your stories present themselves? How do you know what story lines to follow and which to ignore?

I know this question is meant more for fiction writers, but the memoir format has always held a bit of fascination for me. These are the types of books I like to read (most of them are not cancer memoirs) and I often wondered, “Why did they decide to have this secondary story winding through the main storyline?” And even more fascinating to me, “Did that really happen?” I always wondered how these people put together their own stories in such a way that it made their otherwise regular life seem interesting. I wondered if I could do something like that, and luckily the answer revealed itself to me as I was writing.

In the beginning, because I was literally writing the story as it was happening to me in a linear fashion—this happened in September, this happened in December, etc.—but then realized that this is not how you tell a story, even a true story. There has to be more to it than just “this happened and then that happened.” I discovered I could use flashbacks and essays effectively, so even though the main story of the cancer treatments flows through the book in the proper order, it’s punctuated with other stories so that the reader can learn more about me and why I am reacting or thinking the way I am. I also discovered it was useful to take the reader out of the intense cancer story, to give them a break, too. But it also challenges them to see the metaphors not just in my life, but in their own as well. I like to call it the “Babbling Brook” through my story.

What genre do you write, and why?

Right now, I’ve only had one book published, so I can only claim to write in the Memoir genre. But I feel like there is a fictional story kicking around in my head. Other than that, I tend toward more journalistic writing, and could see myself having a second career as a journalist.

Besides writing and telling a good story, do you have any other talents?

As I mentioned before, I am a professional musician, so that’s what I do “in real life.” I have been practicing Ashtanga Yoga since 1998 and through that practice have learned to never underestimate what can be accomplished with discipline and dedication.

If you were to name one or two books that you deem unforgettable and that had a major impact on you, what would they be, and why?

I can never get The Wall by Marlen Haushofer out of my head—what blows me away is that she wrote it by hand, just as her character does in the book. I love that there are so many theories about what the book is really about, and I guess I read it at a particular point in my life where it spoke to me as a woman. No matter how many years go by, I will find myself on a walk thinking about this book.

Of course, here is where I reveal my nerdy roots—I love the Lord of the Rings. I read it for the first time in high school and compared to all the dry required reading we had to do in AP English, this blew my mind. This was back in the “olden days” when the movies didn’t exist, so it revealed to me just how fertile my imagination was. All it took was for Tolkien to pull back the curtain and I was swept away into Middle Earth.

What authors do you read regularly? Why?

Stephen King has to be my number one because he’s my go to for a good time—my favorite book of his is, The Eye of the Dragon. My copy has been read so many times it’s falling apart. Other than that, I am very open to reading anything by anyone. If someone gives me a recommendation, I’ll read it!

If you were to have dinner with 5 individuals living or dead, who would they be and why?

Mark Twain—Imagine what a fun time this would be! I’d love to hear his commentary on our modern world.

Mr. Rogers—I’d like to thank him for being a part of my childhood. I’d also love to pull out my cello and have him sit at the piano so we could play together for the other guests.

Bill Nye—he makes being a nerd look cool!

Gilda Radner—Oh my goodness, this would be just a fantastic, good time with her there!

Michelle Obama—I may not be a little girl, but I still look up to her.

What is your writing routine? When you write, do you plan or outline ahead or are you a “pantser”?

Because I’m a musician, I already have the routine of a daily practice. Writing is just a part of that daily routine—even if I don’t have a word count goal, I feel like I’ve accomplished something if I can at least edit or add to something I’ve already written. Of course, if something inspires me, I just rush to the computer and start typing no matter what else might be going on!

When writing, how much do you read? Do you read in or out of your genre?

At first, I thought it would be really difficult to read anything while I was trying to write my book, but it turned out that it helped me quite a bit.Sometimes a phrase or an idea in another book would touch me in some way, which would then inspire me to try a different angle or idea in my own way. While I was writing my book, I mostly read memoirs so that I could see how they were organizing their stories. But when left to my own devices, I will read literally anything you put in front of me. I love horror, thrillers, romance, biographies, histories, you name it, I’ll read it.

Is there something you set out to do, but somehow, it didn’t work out for you? (In writing, or something else you felt was important to you at the time?)

I often feel like my music career has been a constant stream of starts and stops. I’ve moved around the country so much that it’s been difficult to get a professional foothold anywhere. There were so many almosts when it came to lost auditions or missed opportunities, but at the same time, I just picked myself up and started over again. I always wished that I had played in the recording studios here in Los Angeles—I played for a few movies, but then that seemed to be over. Maybe I did something wrong, maybe someone didn’t like me, but whatever it was, it was out of my hands. Rather than moan about it, I just figured there must be something else out there waiting for me.

What tips would you give to new or even experienced writers?

I am working with a new writer right now, helping them craft their own memoir, and without even thinking about it, I said to them, “Don’t worry about what it is, just write it down.” I heard myself say it and thought, “I should probably take my own advice!” It helped me take a step back from my own writing, to stop criticizing myself, and just write. It’s up to the readers, publisher, editors, and critics to decide if it’s good or not.

How did you “teach” yourself to write or did it just come naturally? What lessons would you pass on to others?

I suppose it just came naturally to me. When I was younger, I tended to imitate things I was reading. As I got older, of course, I had teachers who shaped what I was doing. Almost like my music teachers were shaping the way I played. You can’t teach musicality or creativity, you can only shape and direct the student to become the best version of themselves they can be.

How do you handle a negative critique?

Again, I think because I’m a musician, this is easier for me to deal with than it might be for others. I mean, I’ve been singled out and criticized in front of an entire orchestra, and that’s a lot worse than seeing something written on the screen that I can just scroll past or ignore. Sometimes what I think is “negative” probably isn’t at all when it comes to my writing, but I take it to heart and ask myself, “Is there something I can do to address this point?” One of my beta readers told me I used too many run-on sentences. I was initially upset, but once I dove in and made the changes, I saw that my writing was becoming better. And it was all because of that remark!

Is there a type of writing/genre that you find difficult to write? Why? 

I’ve tried writing some fiction, but I get bogged down in the exposition. It’s like I should be on a team of writers, where I just give the set-up and someone else writes the rest. I need to learn to get past that point and trust the characters to direct the story.

How important are the elements of character, setting, and atmosphere to a story, and why?

Because my book is a memoir, I think it was important to really describe things carefully—everyone lives in a regular house with regular people, just like me. But why does my story seem more interesting to people than their own? I just describe it in a more colorful way. There’s nothing inherently “special” about me. I’ve just figured out the right angle for the mirrors to reflect the smoke.

Is there an unforgettable or memorable character that will not leave your head, either of your own creation or from a book you’ve read?

I first read Black Beauty when I was very young because I loved horses (and still do). The character Ginger really touched me, going from a sassy steeplechaser to a broken cab horse. She had a traumatic life from start to finish. I remember breaking down into tears when the cart carrying her body passes by Beauty in the street—I was so young, and so this affected me deeply. But, then again, I think that’s what Anna Sewell had intended with the book. She definitely solidified my love and respect for horses and all animals.

Tell us about your most recent book.

My first book is titled: Round the Twist: Facing the Abdominable—it’s a memoir about my diagnosis of stage-4c colon cancer.

When I first received the diagnosis, I started combing the internet for information on cancer diagnoses in people under 50 (I was 47 at the time), and it seemed like there just wasn’t any good information out there. Colon Cancer is historically a disease for older people (the average age is something like 72!) so a lot of the information was geared towards them. This didn’t help me emotionally. I realized I was not the only younger cancer patient out there who felt unseen. So I set out to write the book that didn’t exist.

Gone ‘round the twist’ is a saying that basically means someone has been driven to the brink. “You kids are driving me crazy!” kind of thing. The Abdominable, though I wish I were the one to have made up that word, came from a little boy. I tell the story in the book!

My favorite character in the book has to be my surgeon. He only makes a few appearances, kind of like a secret agent. But everything he does in the book is 100% true. Even now, reading what I wrote about him, I am amused and delighted by his quirky personality! My least favorite is the cancer itself.

Did you see what I meant when I wrote she is a positive and strong individual? Lisa, our paths will cross again, and I look forward to it. Until that day, God Bless, keep writing, and remain the strong, positive individual I’ve come to know doing this interview with you.

Author/Media Contact Information:

Website: http://lisafebre.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisafebreauthor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisafebreauthor/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/D6X_-49jZH8

Links for Book:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Round-Twist-Memoir-Cancer-Survivor/dp/1685132669

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/round-the-twist-lisa-febre/1143712533