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Seven Questions with Joie Lesin, Author of "The Passenger"

Writer's picture: ScribeworthScribeworth

Updated: Feb 7

SW: Welcome to this edition of Seven Questions, where we are delighted to be joined by Joie Lesin, award-winning author of The Passenger. She has long been fascinated by anything otherworldly including ghosts. She loves to write a good ghost story—especially when it includes a touch of romance.

Joie Lesin – author of THE PASSENGER

Originally from Massachusetts, at six years old, Joie moved to her mother’s birthplace, Minnesota. By eight, Joie lost her New England accent, however, it's gradually returning as the years go by. She grew up in Minneapolis but now resides in St. Paul with her husband and their blended family—which includes a rambunctious grand-corgi.


Joie misses the ocean, but she often finds herself walking by one of Minnesota’s many lakes and travels to one of the coasts as often as she can. In fact, she considers California her home away from home. When she’s not writing, reading, or walking, you can find her listening to music. She absolutely loves music—especially live—and songs have sparked most of her story ideas.

Shall we dive right into the interview?


Joie: Sure.


SW: Great! I know you're a music lover, so this first question seems fitting. If The Passenger had a soundtrack, what would be the top three songs on the playlist, and how do they capture the essence of your story?



Joie: I created a playlist for The Passenger, as I do for each of my stories. Music helps set the stage for me. It pulls me back in time—to the 1940s—and immerses me in the history. I can pick up a lot from the songs including what was important to people, the time, what and how they said it. The music is part of my research.


Now to the question, the top three songs for The Passenger’s soundtrack are:


`1. "Solitude" Billie Holiday

2. "Candy" Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford

3. "It’s Been a Long, Long Time" Kitty Kallen, Henry James


SW: Those are such evocative choices. Do you ever surprise yourself with the direction your characters take? Can you share a moment in The Passenger where a character completely defied your expectations?


Joie: All the time. I am not one to plot out my stories, but I know where I’d like the story to end. I usually write the last scene and use that original ending as my guiding post. Then I write the first scene and from there set on a mission of discovery. While I puzzle the story together, I am constantly surprised by the characters. In fact, when I talk about the story, especially with my sister who comes up with the best questions, I often say, “I don’t know. She (or he) hasn’t told me yet.”


One thing that surprised me while writing The Passenger was how much a part of the story Adriana Clemente became. As the story unfolded, I came to realize that it was as much Adriana and Paolo’s love story as Elizabeth and Gio’s.


THE PASSENGER, a paranormal fantasy, by Joie Lesin – available at Amazon

SW: That’s fascinating—when characters take on lives of their own. Moving on, what’s the most unexpected source of inspiration you've ever drawn from in crafting a scene or character, and how did it manifest in your writing?


Joie: I consider everything, every experience, a potential source of inspiration. I guess you could say I expect the unexpected. It’s not that I’m always on the lookout for inspiration either. It’s more like I’m open to finding inspiration at any time or place—in the mundane or the grand event.


A few summers ago, while at the Minnesota State Fair, I saw the words “Good at Bad Things” on someone’s t-shirt. From those words on that t-shirt, a character in my unreleased mermaid story came to life.


SW: It’s amazing how a simple phrase can inspire an entire character. You blend the supernatural with the deeply human in your work. In your opinion, what do supernatural elements reveal about real human emotions and experiences?


Joie: I write ghost stories. These are stories of loss on both sides—those that have passed and those they left behind. The characters in my stories have left things unfinished or unsaid like so many of us do. In The Passenger, I gave Paolo the chance to make amends to his family and pass on in peace. I gave the family he left behind a chance to say goodbye and to come to terms with his death. It is my way of saying that I believe those we've lost are never truly gone. Existence changes and they live on with us through our memories. Or in the scent of the cologne that hits us out of nowhere. And in that motion we catch out of the corner of our eye.


SW: That’s an intriguing way to explore human emotions. Now, here’s a personal one: What’s your writing kryptonite? Is there a particular scene type or story element that always challenges you, no matter how many books you write?


Joie: My writing kryptonite is not anything with my writing itself. It’s not a particular type of scene or story element, it’s actually something I haven’t talked much about before. In 2005 I had surgery to remove a rare, fast growing, non-cancerous brain tumor. It was a very traumatic time, and I was lucky to have the best care. However, once the tumor was removed, I found out the lasting effects. There are days I deal with pain in the area where the tumor once grew. I do have more good days than bad but there are times when the pain flares and I cannot think around it to write. Over the years, I have learned to take the breaks when I need them. Sometimes it slows me down or the length of the break frustrates me, but I’ve learned to pick the story back up where I left it.


SW: That must take a lot of resilience. I noticed on your website, you've published poetry alongside original photography. What inspired you to combine these two mediums?


Joie: It started with me posting my photographs on social media and wanting to share more than just a quote or brief description of the photos. It occurred to me that my photos were all of things—the ocean, birds in flight, a field of flowers—were all things that inspired my stories. It only made sense for me to combine the two mediums and use my own words.

 

It all began with this  picture and these words:


"The Silent Chair" a poem by Joie Lesin

Silent Chair


In the silent

solitude

of dawn

the empty chair calls.

With a whispered

exhalation

I sit

I think of you.




SW: That’s beautiful. Finally, what future projects do you have in the works?


Joie: My current work-in-process has the working title of Watch Over Me. This story is a stand-alone but that takes place on the Clemente Vineyard a decade and a half after The Passenger ended. Like its predecessor, Watch Over Me is a ghost story. It takes place in 1968 and tells the continuing story of Elizabeth’s daughter, Bella. First though, there are some disquieted spirits in need and a family of ghost whisperers who are ready—some reluctant—to help.


SW: Joie, thank you for sharing such wonderful insights into your writing journey. It was a pleasure having you with us.


Joie: My pleasure.


SW: To all our readers, don’t miss out on The Passenger. It’s available at all the major retailers. For more information, visit Joie at jlesin.com.



 

About the Book:


She's a 1940s ghost whisperer. He's the son of a ghost.


Burdened with her empathic gift, Elizabeth Reilly wants to be free of it and fit in with normal people. Nevertheless, when the spirit of an old man asks for her help, she travels across the country to help him return home. Gio Clemente is still angry with his father who abandoned him as a child. To help the father pass on, Elizabeth must persuade Gio to let go of his anger. Though he resents her intrusion, they are both stunned to find themselves fighting a profound attraction. Elizabeth can accept his headstrong brand of love, but can Gio accept her gift—and believe in her?

The Passenger, a 1940s ghost story set in the California wine country, tells a tale of family connections, life-changing choices, and love—lost and found.



The Passenger is available for purchase on Amazon and at major book retailers.

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

 

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