Writing What You Know: A Conversation with Lisa C. Bailey
Lisa C. Bailey is the award-winning author of Simply Mystical and Downright Unearthly. It was a pleasure to be able to talk to Lisa about the fantastic, building characters, and, of course, her Secrets of Edgemont series.
Bradley Sides: Thank you for spending some time with us over at the AWC, Lisa. We’ll talk about your Secrets of Edgemont series in just a moment, but before we do, I want to ask you about magic—the supernatural, the strange, the fantastical. What draws you to writing this genre of literature?
Lisa C. Bailey: Thanks for having me on the blog, Bradley!
I’ve always been a big fan of books, movies, and TV shows that are either set in fantastical worlds or contain supernatural elements, so writing in the contemporary fantasy genre came naturally to me. The characters that inhabit these kinds of worlds may have supernatural powers or be based on mythical creatures, but it’s through the emotions they experience that readers connect with them, as is the case with any other genre. The stories and settings may be strange or otherworldly, but the themes are universal.
I enjoy writing literary fiction and nonfiction as well, but writing in fantasy worlds allows me to truly unleash my imagination. It’s also just plain fun to write!
BS: What books do you remember as being landmark kinds of books on your writing life? I imagine many of them, too, are fantastical, right?
LCB: I enjoy reading across genres—from fantasy and science fiction to romance and historical fiction to memoir and essays—and have favorite authors in all of them. But those books that hint at otherworldliness—magic within our own reality or other dimensions that exist just beyond our physical world—have had a huge influence on my foray into writing about the fantastical.
When I was a child, The Wizard of Oz and The Wind in the Willows were favorites, as well as classic fairy tales full of magical creatures and mystical lands. I made the jump from there to Stephen King in high school. I have no desire to write horror, but King is a master at the fantastical and at storytelling in general.
I’ve long been a J. R. R. Tolkien fan, and I adore Peter Jackson’s movie adaptations of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I came to love the books of Anne Rice in college, especially The Vampire Chronicles. I was an adult when J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series came along, but those books were immediate favorites, and I love the movies, too.
I’ve also been influenced by science fiction authors such as Ray Bradbury and Jules Verne. Within the science fiction realm, I’m also a big Star Wars, Star Trek, and Battlestar Galactica [the original 1978 TV show] fan. They’re not books, but they certainly deepened my love of the fantastical and influenced my fantasy writing.
BS: I mentioned your series, Secrets of Edgemont, earlier. Did you know going into the first book that you had a multi-book project you were going to write? Or did the story grow into a series as you were working through the first book?
LCB: As evidenced by my previous answer, I love a good series. I always like to spend more time with characters I’ve come to know and love, whether I’m reading about them or writing about them. I think a lot of readers feel that way.
The first book in the Secrets of Edgemont series began as a standalone paranormal romance with the potential to grow into a series. The idea was that each succeeding book would be set in the same town but feature different main characters. But after writing what was basically the first draft, it became evident that it fit more into the contemporary fantasy genre and that I wanted to stick with these characters and tell a larger story for them. From there, a trilogy took shape in my mind. The original love story is still important and is a central element of the books, but the series is just as focused on the adventures, both earthly and otherworldly, of the main character, Gina Palmer.
BS: For those readers who aren’t familiar yet with your series, how would you describe it? Your elevator pitch, if you will…
LCB: Secrets of Edgemont is a contemporary fantasy series that features romance, mystery, humor—and a dash of Southern flavor.
And for each of the first two books that have been published so far in the trilogy:
Simply Mystical:
Gina Palmer’s illusion of being ordinary among the extraordinary is shattered when an unexpected reunion with a man she’s loved through many lifetimes sets her off on a journey to unlock her true identity.
Downright Unearthly:
Just when she and her otherworldly powers finally fit in, Gina Palmer is torn from her deceptively sleepy hometown and thrust into a world beyond her imagining, where she must face her ancient past and embrace even greater supernatural strengths to save those she loves.
BS: I am primarily a short story writer, and I’m working on my first novel. So, I’m particularly interested right now in how my characters are staying with me. I can only imagine that with a series those characters become like people you’ve known from long ago—like that connection really starts to run deep.
LCB: That connection truly does run deep. I have lived with some of my characters for many years now, but the newer ones have become just as beloved to me. They often lead me in surprising and delightful directions—sometimes planting ideas in my head in the middle of the night—and I care about what happens to them. They are like old friends. The villains are less lovable, of course, but they stay with me, too. They all keep me entertained and on my toes!
BS: I really love how your fantasy series is rooted in Alabama. Do you mind talking about your decision to include that southern backdrop?
LCB: Talk about writing what you know! I was born and raised in a small town in Alabama and have lived in and around Birmingham all my adult life. Edgemont is a fictional town, but it’s based on towns and neighborhoods I’ve either lived in or visited throughout my life. So, for me, the setting was a no-brainer. Showcasing fantastical elements against such an ordinary backdrop is quite delicious to write, and I think it’s fun for the reader as well.
BS: Did you find any limits, as you were writing, to having an Alabama setting?
LCB: I found it rather freeing. Because I’m so familiar with the setting, I didn’t have to do any extensive research about the terrain or the flora and fauna. It also provided a platform in which to highlight the good things about living in Alabama—the beauty and breadth of its biodiversity, the warmth and humor of its people, and so on.
Without giving away any spoilers, I’ll just say that not all the scenes in the second book take place in Alabama. Because this new setting is completely made up, I still didn’t have to do any major research, and I really let my imagination run wild! But readers seem to love Edgemont, Alabama, and it will remain the home base for the series.
BS: You told me the other day that you are working on book three. How’s it going? Any idea when it might be releasing?
LCB: Book three is starting to take shape. I don’t outline, but I do make what I call a plot summary—a sentence or two about what will happen in each chapter. Things usually evolve as I write the first draft, but having that loose structure helps me stay on track and not get too bogged down in the middle. So, the plotting is done for the third book, and I’m writing the first draft now.
The series is rooted in the otherworldly, and the second book literally visits another world. The third book will go beyond even that. It’s tentatively scheduled to be released in the spring of 2024.
BS: Best of luck, Lisa, as you continue your series, and congratulations on all of your writing successes so far!
Award-winning author Lisa C. Bailey writes about people—and animals—who tend to find themselves in fantastical, sometimes perilous, and often comical situations. Her first novel, Simply Mystical, was published in 2021. She holds a degree in journalism from The University of Alabama and has worked as a writer and editor for national consumer magazines and university publications, both full time and as a freelancer. When not writing, reading, or streaming movies and TV shows, she likes to explore the natural world through hiking and bird-watching with her husband and their two dogs. For more, visit lisacbailey.com.