When I set out to write fiction in 2016, I had no idea the journey that would be waiting for me. It has been quite a ride over the last eight years. And as much as I love being a writer, I’m also still very much a reader! And I’m a huge fan and listener of audiobooks! I started listening to audiobooks when they were on tape cassette, then eventually CDs, and of course, now, [...]
So excited to have reached the line editing stage for my debut novel, EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WAS TRUE! There have been so many signs that this book is supposed to be “birthed” into the world. First, I got my publishing deal from Red Adept Publishing on my birthday, then I got assigned my fantastic developmental editor, Angie Gallion, on my mother‘s beloved birthday, and I just recently got assigned my awesome line editor, Sarah Carleton, [...]
So excited to share the official new title for my debut novel... EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WAS TRUE. Woot!! It's getting real. (FYI: The book cover graphic is merely a mock up I did for fun as a holding spot… the real one will be designed over the next few months by Red Adept Publishing.) I've been working on the book description, which will appear on the back cover, as well as on Amazon and Goodreads. [...]
Everything is blooming here in NorCal! Our garden is bursting and I love seeing all the beauty. I also love the delicious scents of star jasmine, orange blossom, and roses. And fun fact… star jasmine is featured in a scene in my upcoming debut novel, Everything We Thought Was True! It’s a mother-daughter scene, so I thought of is a lot this past Mother's Day weekend. My mother passed away in 2010, before I moved [...]
I connected with this group of fantastic local writers about 7 1/2 years ago in Davis, California. We’ve been toiling away at this writer journey on Monday nights at Starbucks, sometimes on weekends or weeknights at each other‘s houses, and attending writer retreats together when we can. On April 30th, one of our own, Lally Pia, published her memoir, The Fortune Teller’s Prophecy: A Memoir of an Unlikely Doctor. And we got together to celebrate! The evening [...]
Big news!! Announcing my new author page on Facebook. Facebook.com/LisaMontanaroAuthor For those who have been following my previous Facebook business page, you will notice that it has shifted to my new author page. If you are interested in continuing to follow my journey as a productivity consultant, executive coach, and speaker, head on over to my business website, where I hang my professional shingle (www.CenterStageSuccess.com) or connect with me on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/lisamontanaro). For those who [...]
At what point does a New York gal living in NorCal get to officially become a California girl? I’ve been living in this beautiful corner of the world for 12 years come this summer. And I still pinch myself that I get to live here. Years ago, in 2010, when Sean and I were living in the Hudson River Valley of NY and I lost my beloved mother, he asked me what I needed. I [...]
Throughout our lifetime and careers, many of us join organizations, associations, clubs, and groups to connect with people over a like-minded interest, passion, practice, or cause. Some people do it as part of their professional path, others, as a form of volunteerism, and others, just for plain old fun! And sometimes these associations can change our lives. I've been extremely fortunate that many of the organizations that I’ve joined throughout my lifetime have been game-changers. [...]
