Lisa Roe returns to the Author Spotlight to chat about her latest novel, Big & Lily
Author Name: Lisa Roe
Book Title: Big & Lily
Book Genre: Contemporary/Women’s Fiction
Release Date: August 11, 2026
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Welcome back, Lisa! Please tell us about Big & Lily.
BIG & LILY is about two very different, but very codependent suburban sisters who accidentally sign up for an extreme Alaskan survival trek, and are forced to confront the elements, their tangled past, and the realization that the only way forward is together. Think WILD meets HAPPINESS FOR BEGINNERS.
What inspired the idea for this book?
A few years ago, my adventure-junkie husband and I took a very similar Alaskan trip. I’d been on nature vacations with him before, but this one was going to be a challenge. It had all the elements that scared me; heights, ice, teeny tiny aircraft. And all the elements that made me incredibly anxious; hiking on rocks, outdoor plumbing, sleeping outdoors. Although, in the end it was spectacular and I got to see a part of the world in a way that many people don’t, I spent most of the time becoming the main character in my own slap-stick sit-com!
When I came home my first thought was, phew I survived. My second one was, this needs to be a book! So, Alaska became the perfect backdrop for my two very enmeshed sisters with a lot of sh*t to work out. I mean, why not throw a wilderness trip at them while they do it?
What’s your favorite part about writing/being an author? What do you find challenging?
I love the world building and character creation that starts off a manuscript. The ideas generally come to me in bits and pieces—in the car, the shower, on a walk. I jot everything down and then I start to put it together like a jigsaw puzzle. I’m a huge fan of dialogue so when I finally get to know my characters, I love to hear what they have to say!
Adding enough conflict and tension into a humorous story has always been a challenge for me. I guess I’m just too nice—I don’t want to see anyone upset! But one of the best ways I’ve overcome that is by watching Brit Box police procedurals (and then graduating to all out murder thrillers.) The pacing and ratcheting up of the danger and mayhem in those shows has taught me a lot.
What about the writing/editing/publishing process has been the most surprising to you so far (or how has it changed for you over the course of your career)?
It continues to surprise me how much non-book writing work is required to bring a novel into the world. In-person events are challenging for an introverted homebody like me. (Thank you, Sarahlyn, for the written interview!) In addition, I’m working on building my social media, making graphics and videos and cute swag to give away, walking into bookstores and chatting with booksellers, writing essays, and shopping for event-worthy outfits. And I have a wonderful marketing team and publicist—I am in awe of indie authors who do all this and more themselves.
What advice would you give to writers just starting out?
If you are just starting your writing journey, I say find your own voice. I know some beginning writers will read a favorite author and try to mimic their style. I agree that’s it’s important to read successful books to learn your craft. But make your voice uniquely your own. You not only have a story to tell, but a way to tell it that will make it special.
For writers just dipping their toes into the publishing industry, I say build up those biceps and keep pushing that boulder up the hill. Publishing is a rollercoaster at every stage, no matter how long you’ve been in the game. But take a deep breath through the parts you can’t control, the frustration, the rejections, the doubts, and keep going!
What’s capturing your imagination these days outside of reading and writing?
My husband and I recently renovated a money-pit of a house on a small lake in northern New Jersey. Since moving in I have a hard time pulling myself away from my office window that overlooks the water. I’m obsessed with the wildlife here. My favorites so far are the turtles, swans, cormorants, and the heron. I just downloaded the Merlin app, so I am learning to identify the birds by their song. Next up, one of those bird feeder cameras! I think turning into a bird nerd is a requirement at a certain age.
Can you tell us about what you’re working on now?
I just sent my agent the final draft of what we hope will be my next book! It’s a humorous yet emotionally charged story about a woman and her grown son who find themselves living together again. Think Amy Poeppel’s MUSICAL CHAIRS meets Sara Confino’s GOOD GRIEF. Keep your fingers crossed for me everyone!
Any books you might recommend?
My Summer TBR list includes Mary Kay Andrew’s ROAD TRIP, Steven Rowley’s TAKE ME WITH YOU, Jackie Friedland’s BREATHING UNDER WATER, and Kyleigh Leddy’s WORSE THAN STRANGERS. But first I’m finishing Maria Semple’s GO GENTLE and Kat Rosenfeld’s HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE WOODS.
Where can readers find you?
Please find/follow me at lisaroe.com, on Instagram at @lisaroewrites, and on Facebook at Lisa Roe Author. You’ll get all the info on upcoming events, giveaways, and every random thought I have about books, writing, my three difficult dogs, #vanlife and #lakelife!
Thank you, Lisa! Big & Lily is out TODAY.
Big & Lily
A sharply funny, deeply heartfelt novel about two sisters who discover the best way to find yourself is by getting lost.
For her entire life, Bridget “Big” Ackerman Petty has struggled to hold everything together—her kids, her husband, her demanding mother, all in dizzying orbit around her. While the kids are grown and her husband is retired, every day still feels like a to-do list she can never quite finish. Why is everything so effortless and easy for her sister Lily—a woman blessed with a magnetic personality, a thriving business, and a husband who adores her.
But when Lily discovers her husband’s been cheating, her “perfect” life implodes. Devastated and overwhelmed, she decides to run as far away as possible: to Alaska to lose herself on a hardcore survival trek—and she’s dragged her reluctant sister Big along.
No cell service, no easy exits—just grizzlies, outdoor plumbing, and a group of strangers who know how to read a compass. As the sisters navigate freezing rivers, unmarked trails, and more than one near-death experience, the defenses they’ve used to protect themselves begin to crumble, and they’re forced to face everything they’ve spent decades avoiding: resentment, regret, envy, and the terrifying possibility that the other one’s life might not be as easy as it looks.
Big & Lily is a laugh-out-loud, emotionally rich novel about second acts, sisterhood, and the unexpected ways we find ourselves when we’re truly lost.
Author Bio:
Lisa Roe graduated from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and spent many years as an advertising creative director and copywriter in New York City before she accepted the tougher job of stay-at-home mom and turned to writing fiction—mostly to entertain her kids, but then to tell her own stories. A classic first born, reluctant empty nester, and Dr. Doolittle wannabe, Lisa lives in New Jersey with her husband, David and three incorrigible dogs. Big & Lily is her second novel.