Authors On The Air Global Radio Network

In this episode, I sit down with #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson for a candid conversation about building a decades-long writing career. Lisa shares how she got her start in 1980 after a Time magazine article sparked the idea to write romance with her sister, Nancy Bush—back when manuscripts began on a manual typewriter. Together, we talk about rejection, shifting editors, changing publishers, and the mindset required to keep going when the “wolf is at the door.” Lisa also breaks down her writing approach, why she needs strong character motivation, how she handles editorial feedback without losing her voice, and the best advice she’d give her younger self. Chapters: 00:00 Intro + Lisa’s career longevity 01:10 The Time magazine spark and starting with Nancy Bush 02:28 The typewriter origin story and the first pages 03:22 Rejections, breaking in, and targeting new lines 04:50 Money pressure, the embezzlement irony, and first sale 05:49 40+ years of ups, downs, and persistence 07:16 Advice f