Welcome to my weekly Author Spotlight. I’ve asked a bunch of my author friends to answer a set of interview questions, and to share their latest work.
Today: Lisa Oliver started self-publishing her MM Paranormal Fated Mate stories back in 2014 – and she is still growing strong. Now, with over a hundred titles written under her own name and numerous collaborations as well, Lisa has branched out a little bit from the Fated Mates genre with her Another Arranged Marriage Series, but every single book Lisa writes comes with a “you will smile at the end of it” guarantee.
Living in New Zealand, Lisa is often distracted by the goings-on at the dog park she can see from her office window, but she’s still writing full-time and loving every minute of it. Her grown children and grandchildren pop in often, tempting her away from her computer with lots of hugs. Lisa is still addicted to chocolate, so that works as well.
Lisa Oliver is one of those authors who loves to hear from her readers and other authors. Recently, she’s repurposed her YouTube channel to help others make a living from self-publishing the way she does. Her readers can contact her through various social media platforms and email (yes, you can just email me, and I will respond). For a full list of where you can find Lisa Oliver, check out the “master Link” below.
Author Links: https://linktr.ee/lisaoliverauthor
Thanks so much, Lisa, for joining me!
J. Scott Coatsworth: How would you describe your writing style/genre?
Lisa Oliver: I always write MM romance stories (or MMM…) and for the most part they have been paranormal Fated Mates stories. Although a year or so ago I did branch out and started creating my own world, and made up an Arranged Marriage series which I have really been enjoying. The Arranged Marriage concept, especially in such a polite and well-ordered world, allows me to explore how two men might learn more about each other and come to enjoy each other’s company organically. Very different from the fated mates concept, although in my fated mates stories I always say that while the lust might be instant, the love is still a journey.
JSC: How long have you been writing?
LO: I started writing my first book for NaNoWriMo back in 2013, published that in February 2014, and basically haven’t stopped. I did find with NaNoWriMo that it created a really good habit of writing a minimum of 3,000 words a day, and now I use a Dictaphone, I can have 5,000 and 6,000 word days which is always a good feeling as it means the story is flowing well.
JSC: Are you a full-time or part-time writer? How does that affect your writing?
LO: I have been a full time author since 2014, and I think I’m really blessed in that. My marriage broke down not long after I started writing, and my children had grown and left home, so I really needed something to do. So I always say how lucky I am that I don’t have distractions and focus a lot of my day on my stories. It means I get a lot done.
JSC: What does success mean to you?
LO: My writing has had to fund my life since the start back in 2014, so to me success is being able to pay the rent every month, pay for my utilities, and keep my pantry full. I am truly grateful to my lovely readers – many of whom have been with me since day one – who make that possible. I never take that success for granted.
JSC: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
LO: This story was never supposed to see the light of day. Over the 2025 holiday season I spent a lot of time alone, and I was meant to be taking a break from writing. But – as I do if I get bored – I decided instead to write something completely different to my usual genre. Still MM. Still a love story. But my original intention was to write a dark romance story – which is very much not part of my brand. However, my daughter (who is also one of my editors and my PA) read this one in January and said, “Mom, this has Lisa Oliver written all over it.” So it went on my new release schedule.
I don’t think it hit the goal as a dark romance, although my MC is definitely a morally gray character, and there is a spot of stalking involved, and a lot of blood and gore. But the romance angle turned more into fluffy slippers rather than hot and spicy, so… I don’t think I hit the dark romance goal, but I absolutely loved that story, and I really hope my readers do, too.
JSC: What inspired you to write this particular story? What were the challenges in bringing it to life?
LO: My muse can be a fickle creature, and the original idea was for me to write the one story that would be shocking, and rude, and fast, and… all the things my books normally aren’t. And, honestly, that didn’t happen. I was able to write a character who would remake the world for their mate and that was intentional, but I think I’m also quite set in my ways and I did wonder when the story was finished, if I had pushed myself as far as I can go… I guess we’ll wait and see.
JSC: Who has been your favorite character to write and why?
LO: In this book it was Julian. I remember, when my daughter was talking to me after reading this book, she said at first she didn’t understand Julian, and the story opens with him. But she continued reading, got caught up in the story and then went back and re-read it again. It was then she understood why I wrote Julian the way he is.
Julian is very definitely neurodiverse and someone who struggles to fit in with other people’s conception of how society and work life for example should go. But Julian doesn’t see things the way you or I might see them. He sees things exactly as they are and I found him fascinating that not only does he have the confidence to express his views in his way, but he also has the awareness that other people might not perceive a situation in the same way as he does, but he doesn’t change his opinion. He’s not belligerent, or arrogant at all – he is just Julian and I love him for it.
JSC: Could you ever quit writing? Do you ever wish you could? Why or why not?
LO: No – I have always said that I am so lucky to have found and built my writing career, that even if I won the lottery, I would simply buy the house I am currently renting and just keep going. Maybe do a cruise, but I believe I can write on a cruise as well, so I would do that. I genuinely love what I do.
JSC: If you had to write an entire story without either action or without dialogue, which would you choose and how would it go?
LO: If I had to choose, then I would write a story without action. I actually struggle with action scenes, and find it far easier to imagine conversations between people than a fight scene for example. So if I had to choose, I would definitely keep the dialogue and let the actions be imagined from the dialogue offered. It would be an interesting way of writing a book and the more I think about it, it could be a fun writing exercise.
JSC: What other artistic pursuits (it any) do you indulge in apart from writing?
LO: A couple of years ago when the news of the world started getting really depressing, I started fluid art painting and my love of bright colors bloomed from there. I now have an art journal I work in every week, I make resin pieces, I play with paints, and am learning to draw… if I get depressed there is nothing more likely to boost my mood than throwing some paint around, which is really helpful when it comes to writing.
JSC: What are you working on now, and what’s coming out next? Tell us about it!
LO: My May release will be Flint’s Arrow from the Assassin’s Alley series. My readers will know from the epilogue of the previous book that Flint met his mate while out on a job, and his mate was rude with a capital R. But as I insist on HEA, that means Arrow has got a bit of groveling to do, and some changes to make to his life. Flint’s Arrow will go on preorder on May 6th and will go live on Amazon on May 20th.
Thank you and have an awesome week.
And now for Lisa’s new book: Something Worth Keeping:
Introducing the first ever whimsical slightly-gray but still a bit fluffy romance book by Lisa Oliver.
“suspended pending a review of attitude and workplace conduct.”
Julian Purdy, archivist, knew his eidetic memory would get him into trouble eventually. But after being suspended from his job, his trip home was interrupted by a being who shouldn’t exist. The corpse the being was holding was irrelevant, it was the creature who fascinated him. And maybe the fates were watching him, because now Julian had the time to research what this creature actually was.
“I remove problems…I have done so for a very long time.”
Cillian, Eldritch guardian, feeds on evil souls, and there were a lot of them in Madison. When his feeding one night was interrupted by a slight man with an interesting personality, Cillian finally had another purpose – find out everything he could about the man who called to his soul… and shadows. He only hoped he could do it without causing Julian to run away.
“This has to be a lavish courtship gift,” Julian said aloud. “You brought me a courtship gift.”
Neither Cillian nor Julian were used to courting or relationships, but they are both invested enough to keep trying. However, evil lurks in Madison, and Marcus Vane is the most evil of all. When he sets his sights on Julian, Cillian and his brothers pour all their attention into taking him down. But it seems Julian isn’t the only one reading ancient books, and when the confrontation comes, it could spell the end not only for Julian and Cillian, but for the Eldritch guardians completely.
Please note this is a darker romance book than I typically write with on-page graphic violence. There is also shadows that like to get into interesting places, a succulent called Gerald, and two misfits who don’t fit anywhere else, but do fit with each other. HEA guaranteed.