I’ve always had my nose in a book—I love learning. When I was a kid, my mom was very strict about the kinds of movies I was allowed to watch. I didn’t see my first PG-thirteen movie (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, if you must know) until the year I turned thirteen. But even though she was strict about movies, she told me that she would never censor my reading, no matter what. Horror, romance, classics—if I could get my hands on it, I could read it. And I think I’m a better person for it because I learned not only to love reading, but I learned that the worlds of the imagination are far more expansive than any real place on earth. I hope that when people read a Lisa Dale book, they can enjoy a great story while learning something interesting at the same time.

What would you be doing if you weren’t writing?

I’d probably be acting, because it’s like writing without paper. Sort of. I used to keep a handwritten “avowal” thumb-tacked to my wall as a promise that I’d one day be on Broadway. As it turns out, I prefer writing over acting. It’s everything wonderful about creating characters on stage, but more intense because you’re in charge of the whole process and you can immerse yourself more deeply in it. Plus—you can do it in your pajamas.

What is something not many people know about you?

Well—once I write it here, everyone will know! But I’ll put it out there. Last Christmas, my brother and sister dragged me to the tattoo parlor because they decided we all needed matching tattoos. The design they chose was an outline of New Jersey. I now have a tattoo of the Garden State on my butt (because where else would you put a tattoo of Jersey?). We tried to get Mom in on the deal, but she’s not having it.

You used to work at a literary agency. How did that influence your writing?

I learned a lot about how you market a book—from that initial spark of an idea to the final product. I began to understand selling books—which is a much different thing than writing them. Then, when I got my MFA in fiction, I fine-tuned my craft. Successful stories are 50% art, 50% business. I worked hard to learn both.

What do you do in your free time?

Other than read? Or write? My boyfriend and I are big Revolutionary War buffs. We’ve traveled up and down the coast following in the footsteps of Washington’s army. In the fall, I like to knit—my poor friends are going to suffocate in all the scarves I foist on them. I also love to watch tasteless movies, drink expensive beer, and eat pizza. Life in the fast lane, baby.