Blogger Interview with Lisa Thomson / The Great Escape

I am so happy to have Lisa Thomson on my blog today. She is a wonderful friend who I met through our blogs and a great writer. On The Great Escape, she blogs about divorce and relationships. Even though I’m not going through a divorce, I always enjoy reading her posts because of their truth. They help me to deal with other hard spots in my life and especially my past. 
Welcome, Lisa!

Lisa: Thanks for having me as a guest on your blog, Chrys. Yours is one of my favorite blogs to read!
Chrys: That's very sweet of you to say. Let's  begin, shall we? :)

1. Can you tell us about your blog The Great Escape?
Lisa: The Great Escape blog began as an extension of my self-help book of the same name; the goal being to help women starting their divorce process. I started the blog in October, 2011. It was (is) a way to communicate with my potential book readers. I was told that I had to have a blog if I was an author and you know what? I didn’t know what a blog was earlier that year. I share tips for divorce navigation, health and recovery as well as inspirational stories. My goal is to educate, entertain and show women they can come out of this experience a strong and healthy woman.
From Lisa's recent blog post. Click Image.

2. On your blog and in your book (A Girl’s Guide to Leaving a Marriage), you openly talk about your divorce. What made you decide to be so candid about this private and emotional time in your life?
Lisa: Sometimes I ask myself that same question, LOL. Seriously though, I was going through so much crazy stuff at the time and my divorce was turning out to be a complete nightmare. I had hoped to remain friends with my ex and get through the divorce without high conflict. What I was learning early on is, divorce is an extremely difficult process and we feel very alone in it.
I started journaling so I could channel my frustration. After a year of journaling, I had an ‘aha’ moment. I thought, why not write a book to help women who have decided to end their marriage but don’t know where to begin? That’s who I was initially and I remember I couldn’t find any helpful books. Most of the books talked about recovering your broken marriage etc. Plus, women who decide to end their marriage don’t get as much support from family and friends. There’s this underlying attitude that says “That’s what you chose, so too bad…” For example, I experienced many questions about ‘why’ I left, and quite frankly, it’s no one’s business but your own. People still have this inherent belief that unless he beats you, why would you leave. You must be selfish. I say we stop waiting for a catastrophe, let’s value ourselves more than that.
On that same theme, we still expect men to leave and women to be the victim. Look no further than pop culture.
So, as woman if we decide to leave, we throw that stereotype on its head. My book aims to bridge that gap of support.
A Girl's Guide to Leaving a Marriage by Lisa Thomson

BOOK LINKS:
Amazon / Goodreads
3. What was your very first blog post? 
Lisa: My very first blog post was titled simply, “Welcome” Haha. It was a way for me to introduce myself and explain why I wrote my book. 
4. Many of your readers are all going through divorce or a hard time in their relationships, what advice do you give them most often?
Lisa: Most often I encourage my readers to take the chance to improve their life. I remind them to listen to their instincts. I also listen carefully to what people tell me in their messages. Some women are still in love with their husband but are very frustrated with where their marriage is at. I always recommend counseling for these couples because divorce isn’t always the clear cut answer. I also hear from women who are in mentally abusive marriages and they want out but don’t know where to begin. So, my advice is very personal to each woman’s situation.
5. What are the top 5 most-viewed posts on your blog?
Narcissist or A**hole, What’s the Difference?
Sexual Neglect
Scapegoating in Families-What we need to know
Stop Being Too Nice
5 Tips For Handling The Divorce Bully
6. You also write for Huffington Post, can you tell us your experience with that?
Lisa: Writing for HuffPost Divorce is really great exposure. However, that said they don’t always feature your posts, so you have to work the social media connections pretty hard to get the exposure you’re hoping for. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of amazing bloggers. On the other hand, when you’re featured you must be prepared for Trolls.
7. Share your number one tip to bloggers just starting out.
Lisa: Definitely visit lots of blogs in your niche. Those blogs are likely to have your target audience. That said, don’t be spammy. Be considerate, like you would at any social event.
Oh, and don’t take it personally when someone rejects your submission or doesn’t reciprocate your interactions. Just hold your head high and move on. You will find your tribe.
Escapee Badge
Hyper Round:
1. Favorite time to post blogs? Mornings
2. Blogger or Wordpress? Wordpress
3. Do you host guests? Not enough
4. Where are you when you’re blogging? At my desk that faces a bank of windows. It’s in the same room as the television which can be problematic.


BIO:
When Lisa separated from her husband in 2005, she found very few books that told her what divorce was really like.  In 2007, Lisa set out to write a self help guide for women ending their marriages and was sure to include her own personal stories and experiences, so women could get a realistic impression of what divorce is all about. Throughout the book, Lisa encourages you to “choose joy” and be a “hero in your own life”.  A must read for the economically dependent spouse thinking about ending their marriage.
Currently, Lisa resides happily in Vancouver, B.C. with her common law husband of six years. Her 3 children are in their 20’s and are wonderful humans, proof positive that children can thrive in spite of divorce. When Lisa isn’t writing you can find her at the beach, in yoga class, or at her painting easel with a glass of wine in hand. 

LINKS:Website / Twitter / Facebook / Google + / YouTube

Lisa: Thank you so much for hosting an interview with me, Chrys. 

Thank you for taking the time to chat with me, Lisa! I'd love to have you back.
Please leave Lisa a comment. :)

QUESTION: Do you have a divorce-related question for Lisa?