Meet and Greet is a regular feature on my blog. Be forewarned…Unlike the typical interview, these brief questions will get to the true heart of my guests…or at least the heart of what’s in their kitchen. Grab a latte (or other beverage of your choice), find a comfy chair, and prepare to make a new friend.
I’m thrilled to welcome Lisa Wingate to my blog today! I met Lisa at a writers conference last year, and the first thing I noticed about her was her smile. Absolutely radiant. And as you’ll see in her interview, she has a fabulous sense of humor to go along with it.
Lisa Wingate is an award-winning journalist, magazine columnist, popular inspirational speaker, and a national bestselling author. Lisa is one of a select group of authors to find success in both the Christian and general markets in mainstream fiction. Her works have been featured by the National Reader’s Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Women’s World Magazine, Family Circle Magazine, and have been short-listed for various awards, including the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Award, which her book Never Say Never won in 2011. Lisa also spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via Internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women’s literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteers teach adults to read. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa for the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.
She loves visiting with readers and new friends online. You can find her on:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lisawingate
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Wingate-Readers-Circle/132187520154779
Blogging Mondays at: www.SouthernBelleView.com
Her website: www.Lisawingate.com
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Welcome, Lisa! You are one busy lady, so let’s get straight to the questions.
Opener Question: What seven words best describe you?
Seven… wow! Okay, thinking… thinking… Searching for something not too deep, not to shallow…
Wife, mom, believer, writer, chocolate-lover (do hyphenated words count as one or two?), dreamer, goofball
Since your hyphenated word includes chocolate, I’ll let it slide. 
Either/Or Questions:
1) Honolulu or Alaska? Alaska by way of Honolulu. That question is too hard. I want it all!
2) Take action or take it as it comes? Eh, take action. I do tend to try to manhandle life into place.
3) Convertible or pick-up truck? Pickup truck–convertibles are not good with big Texas hair.
4) Sausage or pepperoni? Canadian bacon — why eat domestic when you can decorate your pizza with exotic foreign toppings?
5) Finger paint or fingernail polish? Finger paint, although I think that may still be on my mother’s list of Stuff Lisa Shouldn’t Have ;o)
6) Sleek and modern or Shabby chic? Shabby chic. Old things are beautiful to me. I am the keeper of family heirlooms and rescued antiques someone else left out by the curb. Trash men fear me.
7) Pepsi or Coke? Dr. Pepper–the official beverage of Texans. We are still mourning the fact that they’ve discontinued the kind with the real cane sugar in it. What is this world coming to, anyway?
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Too funny, Lisa! So I’m guessing you don’t touch the diet stuff? It could go great with that exotic Canadian bacon. And I loved your shabby chic answer. I’ve seen people poking around in my garbage can on trash day. Should I call you up if I’ve got something extra-good next time?
Thanks so much for being my guest and sharing the smiles!
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Booklist called Blue Moon Bay “A warm and expressive modern twist on the parable of the Prodigal Son, or, in this case, Prodigal Daughter.” That’s a pretty good nutshell for this story (I [Lisa] just found out that the book got a starred review from Booklist, by the way. If you heard squealing from Central Texas last week, that was me).
When Heather Hampton’s family falls into conflict over the sale of the family land, she is forced to return to the family funeral home in tiny Moses Lake, Texas to sort things out and deal with a family mystery and the unresolved wounds of the past. But when local banker, Blaine Underhill, and Heather’s crazy family get involved, all bets are off. Suddenly, Heather’s quick trip to Texas leads to Valentine’s Week in the family funeral home, and a revelation that could change Heather’s life forever.
**Right now, we have something brand new going on – a contest in which one reader can win the chance to “Join the cast” of the next Moses Lake book (Firefly Island, 2013) by becoming one of the townsfolk in Moses Lake. I think it will be so much fun to write a reader into the story! For more information and entry form, go to: www.lisawingate.com/jointhecast.
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What a fun idea, Lisa!
Blog Readers: Let’s talk…Are you a treasure hunter? Anyone known to go dumpster diving on occasion? What’s the most exciting purchase you’ve made or discovery you’ve found for next to nothing?
*Giveaway Details: Lisa has offered to give away a copy of Blue Moon Bay! All you have to do is leave a comment. (For extra entries, you can Tweet or share this post on Facebook…I’ll add an extra entry for each. Just make sure to mention it in your comment.) Winner will be announced in next Monday’s post. Good luck!
**The winner of last week’s Ramona Cecil giveaway is Susan Reinhardt! I’ll contact you this week with details.
The closest I have come to treasure hunting is when I beach-comb. All sorts of wonders are washed in on the tide.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Hi Mary! Beach-combing sounds wonderful, especially since I’m landlocked where I live.
The trashmen comment is absolutely hilarious!!!
No, I don’t treasure hunt or dumpster dive. I pretty much hate shopping in all its forms, but my sister and step-sis are both big collectors. They find all sorts of nifty, free things. lol
I’m with you, Jessica. I’m not much of a deal-finder, but my mother-in-law is the queen of clearance racks. She finds tons of awesome clothes for my kids for practically nothing.
My husband is the dumpster diver of the family! He rescued a man’s bike out of the dumpster a year or so ago. He put a little elbow grease into it and spent maybe 6 or 7 dollars and it is good as new!
I enjoyed the interview with Lisa. Her answers were nearly the same as mine except for the Pepsi or Coke answer! I prefer Pepsi hands down!
I love Lisa’s books and I would be delighted to win a copy of her book, Blue Moon Bay.
Blessings!
Judy
judyjohn2004[at]yahoo[dot]com
Hi Judy! Wow, that bike sounds like an awesome find! Men and elbow grease sure come in handy, don’t they?
I love poking through antique stores, flea markets, and yard sales for some little treasure! I’m writing down Lisa’s name and checking on her books. Fun interview.
Oh, oh – I just saw that I won last week’s giveaway! Woohoo! Thank you, Sarah.
susanjreinhardt AT gmail DOT com
LOL, You’re welcome, Susan! And I imagine you’ve found quite a few great treasures in your hunting.
Love these interviews! They help us get to know authors in a fun and real way. Enjoyed getting to know Lisa a little more.
Congrats to Susan! Thanks also, for doing this giveaway.
Blessings,
Karen
karenelangeATgmailDOTcom
Isn’t Lisa so fun? I loved her interview too, Karen. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for the interview, Sarah! It was nice getting to know you, Lisa!
I’m not a big treasure hunter, but my husband and I did find a hutch on the side of the road one day that we brought home and refinished. It has so much character–it’s one of my favorite furniture pieces!
Sounds like you need to treasure hunt more often, Heidi! What an awesome find.
“Trash men fear me.” I giggled so much at this comment! Too cute.
Great interview.
I like bargain hunting for clothes and anything else I need. Black Friday is my best friend. *grin*
Oh man, Lindsay, I’m scared to death of Black Friday. (Okay, that was a really horrible pun.) But it’s true. Kudos to you for being brave!
Fun post to read and am now following Lisa on Twitter.
Thanks, Holly!
Thanks for the great interview. I love Lisa’s answers. So fun!
I’m not into dumpster diving, since I’m short and am not sure I’d be able to claw my way out, but I have found a few “treasures” at thrift stores through the years. =)
LOL, Keli, That would be quite the conundrum to be stuck in the dumpster, wouldn’t it? I guess you’d need a couple accomplices to make it work.
Fun interview, ladies! Nice to know you, Lisa.
I love antique stores, and stop at the occasional yard sale. I have specific things that I look for, but will always look for treasure in the midst of the junk. I’ve never been dumpster diving.
Sounds like you’ve got a great strategy for yard sales, Loree. I tend to skip past them because I get too overwhelmed. Maybe I should learn your secrets.
I enjoyed your interview!! I would love to win and read this book!!! Thank you for the chance!!!
You’re welcome, Molly! Good luck in the drawing.
Yay, I love Lisa Wingate’s books! And I loved getting to learn more about her.
Also, I can’t help but LOL at your dumpster-diving question because I mentioned literal dumpster diving on my blog today. Hehehe. But to answer your question, I love it when my parents have given me hand-me-downs and I’ve been able to do a little sprucing and turn things into my own little treasures.
Haha! I noticed that when I read your blog post, Melissa. But then I got distracted by the ice cream.
Oh my gosh, what a fun thing to come home to after a day on the road (no, I was not doing any dumpster diving. It’s wet out today ;o) Anyway, I love everyone’s comments. I’m not sure I’ve ever actually taken something out of a dumpster, but if there’s stuff sitting out by the curb, I’ll be the one trolling by at low speed, then circling the block…
Sarah, thanks for having me here. I really loved your interview questions. They were so much fun!
Lisa, It was such an honor to have you here! Glad to hear you made it home safely. (Oh dear, now I sound like your mother.)
What a fun story. The best deal that I ever found was a great little table top popcorn machine, practically brand new. Found it at a yard sale for 3 dollars. My dad is a popcorn buff so i gave it to him. Found out later they still sell them online for almost 90 dollars
A table top popcorn machine? Wow, does it still work?
Big big fan love ur books!!
Lisa’s books
Thanks, Melinda! I appreciate that so much!
Love the story of the yard sale popcorn machine, too. Now that’s a shopper after my own heart!
Great interview with Lisa. I first read Tending Roses years and years ago. I loved it as I do all of Lisa’s books.
Thanks for stopping by, Kathy! I’ve got you entered in the drawing.
I love your interviews, Sarah, and Lisa is such a special, encouraging lady! And here we say “I want a Coke”, they say “What kind?”, we say “Dr. Pepper.”
P.S. I’m a dumpster diver, too. Once a year we have “big trash day” for furniture pick-up on the curb. It’s like Christmas.
Regina, I knew I loved you from the very beginning. Curbside trash trollers unite!
I learned to treasure hunt from my dad, though with him it was more practical things…such as the bungee cords on the side of the road.
There’s nothing like passing it on the to next generation. My kids weren’t very old before they started watching the output from the ranch across the street. Everything from little red wagons to we-can-fix-this lawnmowers came home that way. There were a few times when I was like, Oh no… take that back.
I like the way Lisa thinks: Honolulu by way of Alaska. Works for me!
Would love to add her book to my To Be Read pile — at the top!
I agree, Beth. I’d love to take that Alaska/Hawaii trip too!
loved this posting…
thanks for the chance to read lisa’s novel…sounds great
You’re welcome, Karen! Hope you’re enjoying your weekend.