Interview with Lilliana Anderson, author of 'Phoenix: The Beauty in Between'

Bestselling Author of the A Beautiful Series, Alter and the Confidante Trilogy, Lilliana has always loved to read and write, considering it the best form of escapism that the world has to offer. 

Australian born and bred, she writes New Adult Romance revolving around her authentically Aussie characters as well as a biographical trilogy based on an ex-Sydney sex worker, named Angelien. 

Lilliana feels that the world should see Australia for more than just it's outback and tries to show characters in more of a city setting.

When she isn't writing, she wears the hat of 'wife and mother' to her husband and four children. 

Before Lilliana turned to writing, she worked in a variety of industries and studied humanities and communications before transferring to commerce/law at university. 

Originally from Sydney's Western suburbs, she currently lives a fairly quiet life in suburban Melbourne. 

Visit her website at www.LillianaAnderson.com.

Connect & socialize with Lilliana at Twitter: https://twitter.com/Confidante_Lili

Like her on Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/LillianaAndersonAuthor

Add her as a friend at Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6533406.Lilliana_Anderson

About the Book:

After being unceremoniously kicked out of home at a young age, Paige was forced to fend for herself.

In a bid to survive, she did things that most people would never dream of, and stopped caring about herself as a result.

When the fastest way to get food and shelter was to sell her body, and the fastest way to forget was to take drugs, Paige embarked and a steady downward spiral. Until, finally she hit rock bottom…

In A Beautiful Forever we got to know Paige as she battled the demons of her past to move forward with her future and find her happy ever after. Now, in Phoenix, we get to see the moments those demons were created and how she managed to get her life back on track.

Purchase your copy at AMAZON.

Q: Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning?  Where did you come up with the idea to write your book?

My inspiration came from readers of my Beautiful series. They met Paige in ‘A Beautiful Forever’ and were so involved in her story that they wanted to know more about her past.

If Phoenix is the first book you have picked up from my Beautiful series – fear not – you don’t need to have read any of the others.

Phoenix follows the life of Paige when she is ejected from her home, by an uncaring mother and father, at the impressionable age of fifteen.

Q: How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

It was very emotionally draining. I found that I was feeling very nervous and depressed whenever I had to start writing.

I had to do a huge amount of research for it, which is what I can’t recommend enough.

The biggest thing I can say is know your characters. You need to feel them inside you so you can accurately explain their feelings and their situation. Telling someone what’s going on isn’t good enough. A reader wants to feel like they just got slapped in the face, or just feel in love with someone.

Q: Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

I self-published. I found that was the best solution for me when I had finished my first novel.

Q: Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

How easy the whole process was. I still can’t believe that anyone can write a book and put it online. It’s a wonderful opportunity for those of us who couldn’t afford to go down the path of finding an agent and a manuscript vetter.

Q: Can you describe the feeling when you saw your published book for the first time?

Pure, unadulterated pride! It’s a beautiful thing, flicking through the pages of an actual book that you wrote out of your own mind. It’s almost magical.

Q: Fun question: How does your book contribute to making this world a better place? 

I think it makes the reader feel compassion, which is important in this world. We need to spend a bit more time caring about one another.

It will also make the reader look at their life and be thankful for what they have.

Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your book?

I want the reader to understand that no matter how dark your situation, there is always hope.