Rookie Wednesday: Lisa Mantchev (Redux)

You might remember that last Wednesday I posted some info about Lisa that I scrounged up, but today I have the lady herself here!


What's one random tidbit about yourself?

I have espresso running through my veins in place of blood.


What were you doing before you sold Eyes Like Stars?

Writing short fiction (I starting publishing speculative short stories in 2002) and being a mommy. Before that, I taught English at a bilingual elementary school (French-American) and before THAT I was a theater major at University of California, Irvine.


What is the best book that you've read over the last six months?

*feels the bright burn of the spotlight* I can't answer that! I have a fabulous group of friends who all have their debut novels out this year, so I've been reading ARCs and feeling like a very lucky girl, surrounded by so many shiny folks.


Was the process of writing and publishing your first novel what you expected it to be?

Yes and no... I expected the working bits, but never realized the depth or the amount of time everything would take. And having done theater, I understand nerves and stage-fright, but this is an entirely new nail-biting game.


Give us one embarrassing author moment:

Oh, I have plenty of them... mostly when I have to admit there's a book I haven't read that I probably should have. But "should-have" fiction is never as fun or engrossing for me as "must-have" fiction.

What would you most like potential readers to know about you and/or your book?

This is the sort of book that heaves the reader into the deep end and hopes they are up for the swim, I think. I think the worldbuilding is just funky enough that it might be confusing at first, but I really would rather have there be multiple layers of discovery and enjoyment for people who reread it.


What's your favorite thing about Eyes Like Stars?

Collaborating with insanely creative people on various book-themed projects.


List 5 characters from the novel and do word associations for them.

Bertie: Exuberant

Nate: Port (in a storm)

Ariel: Butterflies

The Fairies: Chaos

Mrs. Edith: Chaperone


What projects do you have in the pipeline?

Right now, I'm revising the sequel (Perchance To Dream) and then I will be drafting the third book in the series. I also have an unrelated (non-theater) series in development that's sitting in the corner, sulking, until I can get to it.

Thank you Lisa for the awesome interview!

Eyes Like Stars Synopsis from Amazon.com:

All her world’s a stage.

Bertie Shakespeare Smith is not an actress, yet she lives in a theater.
She’s not an orphan, but she has no parents.
She knows every part, but she has no lines of her own.
That is, until now.

Enter Stage Right

NATE. Dashing pirate. Will do anything to protect Bertie.

COBWEB, MOTH, MUSTARD SEED, and PEASEBLOSSOM. Four tiny and incredibly annoying fairies. BERTIE’S sidekicks.

ARIEL. Seductive air spirit and Bertie’s weakness. The symbol of impending doom.

BERTIE. Our heroine.

Welcome to the Théâtre Illuminata, where the actors of every play ever written can be found behind the curtain. They were born to play their parts, and are bound to the Théâtre by The Book—an ancient and magical tome of scripts. Bertie is not one of them, but they are her family—and she is about to lose them all and the only home she has ever known.

Lisa Mantchev has written a debut novel that is dramatic, romantic, and witty, with an irresistible and irreverent cast of characters who are sure to enchant the audience.

Open Curtain

The Théâtre Illuminata Site

Lisa Mantchev's Website

Lisa's Blog