My Review:
As a book editor Clay is always looking for the next big thing to publish. A man named Lucian approaches Clay out of the blue with a unique publishing opportunity, and at first Clay is skeptical. Lucian claims to be a demon and he wants Clay to write and publish his memoirs. As Clay spends more time with Lucian, not only does he begin to believe Lucian’s outlandish claims, but he begins to sense a connection between himself and the demon that may change his life forever.
Tosca Lee shines in this debut novel that is unlike anything I have ever read. This is a modern-day parable that effectively re-tells the story of God’s love for man that is woven throughout the Bible. Not only is this a highly entertaining read, but it is also extremely challenging and thought provoking. Lee pulls back the veil and reveals the spiritual struggle that all humans face. Clay is a remarkable character because his story is our story and his struggles are our struggles.
Rather then leave us with perfect answers and solutions, in the end we are left with life-altering challenges and choices that we must come face to face with.
Armchair Interviews says: An excellent novel that will hold your attention and stretch your perspective on life. (Originally published at www.ArmchairInterviews.com)
Tosca Lee Interview
Thanks so much to Tosca Lee for taking time out answer these questions!
I first read a review copy of Demon: A Memoir back in January, and I knew then that it was something special. It is such a unique novel with an original plot. Where did the idea for the story come from?
TL: Thanks, Jake! Well, in the 90s, I was into online, collaborative storytelling. By “into,” I mean totally addicted. My group and I loved writing up stories for new characters and playing them off one another. Actually, we were obsessed. Anyway, around 1999 I was trying to come up with a new story character—something different. An angel. No, an expatriate angel. What would that be like? Would she go around tempting people to smoke? To shoplift? To lie… to eat carbs?
Definitely to eat carbs. But the other stuff… it seemed really petty. It didn’t fit with the wider and serious scope that I think beings in the spiritual realm really fill. So I started thinking about the world—and particularly humans—from a fallen angel point of view. And I realized that the demonic vendetta wasn’t about being petty, but about being vindicated.
One of the things that make Demon such an engaging read is Clay’s first person narration. How challenging was it to write, not only from one character’s perspective, but also from the perspective of a man? How much of Tosca Lee can be found in Clay?
TL: Let me tell you, writing from a man’s perspective was hard. I am a girly-girl. I like high heels and fake eyelashes (obviously, if you’ve seen my back cover picture). Trying to get into a man’s mind… well. Women have been trying to do that for ages. If it was easy, we’d understand you guys by now. 
As for how much of me can be found in Clay’s life… that’s something people often ask about, especially if they know me. It’s no secret that I got divorced last year, and there are definite echoes of that pain and anger in Clay’s life. But it’s not at all a perfect parallel. I MacGuyvered Demon together with all kinds of details not only from my life but from others’—along with a little duct tape and a few rubber bands.
One aspect of the novel I loved was how relevant it was. Clay’s story is really our story and we can all relate to his struggle. How challenging is it to not only write great fiction, but also challenge readers on a spiritual level?
TL: Well, writing is ugly work—at least to me. Producing something people will resonate with—and then pay for—is a lot of pressure. But I think if you have a perspective that lends new insight to life or some situation, that part alone makes the writing easier. From there, it’s really up to the readers to challenge themselves based on the perspective you’ve offered them. That’s why we read books, right? To check out the world through the pair of goggles the author has put together for us.
You have such an interesting background: Mrs. Nebraska-America 1996, Mrs. Nebraska-United States 1998, and First Runner-Up Mrs. United States. Not to mention a successful career as a Leadership Consultant. Have long have you been writing? What led you to write fiction? How has your background helped shape you as a writer?
TL: It really is a weird background, isn’t it? The only one of these avenues I didn’t just sort of fall into by accident is writing. I was writing poetry in grade school and published my first article in the fourth grade, but it was some time around the eighth grade that I really fell in love with the idea of writing. I had just read Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Mists of Avalon. Realizing what an extraordinary imaginary ride she had just taken me on made me want to manufacture such rides for others. The next year I won my school’s 9th grade short story contest.
I’m not sure how my background really shaped me as a writer, but it has definitely given me a plethora of experiences to draw from!
What authors have inspired you? What types of fiction are you into? What are you reading now? Who are some authors we should look out for?
TL: Any author with an extraordinary voice. Anita Diamant. Marion Zimmer Bradley. Anne Rice. Anne Lamott. Margaret George.
Hmm. I just realized these are all women. So let me add, for his pathos, Steven Pressfield; for his hilarious auto-biography in On Writing and sheer proliferation, Stephen King; and, for his amazing powers of irreverent observation, Anthony Bourdain.
Your next novel, Havah: The Story of Eve is due out next year. What can you tell us about the new novel? When can we expect it out?
TL: This novel is kicking my ass. I think it will offer the same kind of new perspective and insight in some areas that I hope I provided in Demon. It’s set to release July 2008. The question is whether I’ll survive to talk about it.
What other future projects do you have in the works?
TL: I’ve got a third book contracted after Havah, and a couple little ideas taunting me from the corners of notepads and backs of envelopes, but I’m not sure what it’ll be yet. If you have requests or suggestions, let me know!
Demon is categorized as Christian Fiction, but I believe the story is equally challenging and entertaining for non-Christians as well. Has writing Christian Fiction always been a goal for you?
TL: No. This was one of those unplanned venues. And frankly, I don’t see a huge separation between Christian fiction or mainstream fiction. Or whatever kind of fiction. Fiction is fiction, and any author is going to portray whatever message or sentiment is closet to their heart at that time. Just as I don’t have to be a Muslim to enjoy a story about a Muslim character, a person needn’t be a Christian to enjoy Demon or my story of Eve in Havah. The only main difference is that in Christian fiction you have to avoid things like expletives or explicit sex; Christian readers who recognize the imprint on your book expect and trust the publisher for a cleanly-presented message. I don’t think that life is very clean, but these are the rules.
Many Christian Fiction authors don’t like having that label attached to their name. How do you feel about the Christian Fiction label? What other genres would you like to write in (if any)?
TL: I consider myself a writer. I’m also a Christian, but the two are not mutually inclusive to me. I’ve got ideas for some more speculative fiction and some general fiction—some Christian, some mainstream. I don’t rule any genre out.
How long does it take you to complete a novel? How much do you write each day? Do you plot extensively or do you just write and see where it will take you?
TL: I’m so busted.
The actual writing part doesn’t take very long. A few months. It’s the planning and research that can take a lot of time—usually another few months up to a year.
I like to have a decent list of events (“outline” is too organized of a term for what I use) to work off of. The hard thing is that I’m trying to work all of this around my work and travel as a consultant. So in those few months of writing, I might be at my desk 12 or 14 hours a day because I have to capitalize on that time at home when I’m there and facing a looming deadline.
Some days I don’t write at all. Some days I blog my latest trip—many of my travelogues are posted at: http://toscamoon.blogspot.com/ (consider this my parental warning of the occasional unapologetic expletive). Some days the only thing I write is a grocery list. I know writers are supposed to write every day. This writer doesn’t.
What are some words of wisdom you would give to aspiring novelists? What are some pitfalls of publishing that writers should be aware of?
TL: When I was still working at Smart Computing, where I used to write on staff, I interviewed these two brothers who created a video game called “Myst.” And the thing I always remember them saying to me in the interview is that they wanted to make games that they would want to play. That just always stuck with me. So my advice is to write a book that you would want to read. So for instance, if you’re writing your life story, would you want to read it if it was some other poor schmuck writing what you’re writing? And why or why not? I think that’s the litmus test.
The main pitfall is that every time you publish something, you set yourself up. For more work to promote it. For criticism. For self-criticism because you see now how you could have done it better. For misinterpretation. For judgment. For people to wonder just who you think you are, becoming this author and achieving your dreams. And some people will die a little bit upon seeing you doing the thing that they’re scared to do.
But for every one that does, there will be three more inspired by your example.
You can find out more about Tosca Lee at www.demonamemoir.com
Posted by jachism 
Posted by jachism 
Posted by jachism 
Steven James
