Saturday 2 November 2013

Introducing you to .... Laurie Lyons.

It's launch week for Night Shade Volume One, and the LBPH are so proud of the first Night Shade Volume. It has some really fabulous stories written by some genuinely talented writers. Today it is our pleasure to introduce you to Laurie Lyons. Well actually, it might be more accurate to say, 're-introduce' you, as we had the great pleasure of hosting Laurie's work in 'Dark Heart Volume One.'

Laurie's story

Laurie's contribution to 'Night Shade' is the seriously creepy and sad story of 'The Gatherers'. Set in the close knit community of the Fire Fighter's families, 'The Gatherers' is the tale of the newly widowed Emily and her daughter Ava. Fire was a part of their families life, and it seems tragically that it is now defining their deaths. In a tale that blends traditional ghost elements with more contemporary paranormal. you're sure to find yourself doing a double check of the fire-alarm.

About

Laurie Lyons wrote her first story at the age of 8 and hasn’t really stopped since. She lives in Calgary Alberta, Canada with her husband Trevor and their two clever children. She loves writing, reading and spending time with her brilliant friends. One of which is her friend Scott Walker who played a huge part in clarifying a great deal of the Firefighter facts for this story. ‘The Gatherers’ is her second story with Little Bird Publishing House. Laurie is the author of The Feather Trilogy with Ring of Fire Publishing. 


Interview


Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in Calgary Alberta Canada. I have a terribly handsome husband and two crazy, clever children that love roller coasters. When I am not writing, I am a teaching assistant at a local preschool and visit local school to talk about being a writer. I do yoga most days and drink wine on the others. I also have Celiac Disease and write a foul-mouthed blog about my adventures. Favorite things include, reading, writing, chocolate and my snake-skin pumps.


When did you start writing ‘seriously’?

About four years ago. I have always written short stories, have started a few novels but never got too far. I got the idea for FEATHER and wrote it down in notebooks over six weeks. I knew I had something special, I knew that this was what I should be focusing my time on.


What is the favourite thing you have ever written? Tell us a little about it.

My newest book FAITH is coming out soon and its final chapter is one of my favorites. It took me weeks to craft every sentence. It was so important that the trilogy ended perfectly. I wanted the reader to feel like the story was complete and yet that they had gone through the ringer to get there. I wanted the journey to feel worth it. Its beautiful and I am so proud of it.

Tell us a little about your book / series?

I have written ‘The Feather Trilogy’. In FEATHER, we meet Lucy, a college student with a fairly normal life except for the fact that she has a photographic memory. On the night of the Spring Equinox, she runs into a man named Nathaniel who at first appears to have amnesia. Lucy feels deeply connected to Nathaniel but soon falls into a spiral of confusion as she discovers that Nathaniel is invisible to everyone but her. Determined to find answers, Lucy seeks answers and ultimately learns that Nathaniel is a fallen Angel. His time on Earth is limited though and Lucy and Nathaniel have to battle Heaven and Hell to stay together.

In GATES, Lucy and Nathaniel are together and at first everything seems perfect. A series of terrifying events leave them wondering if something evil is lurking below the surface. They must find out who, or what is behind the attempts on Lucy’s life. The story builds to a breatheless ending that will leave the reader wanting more.

FAITH, the final installment of The Feather Trilogy, picks up seconds after GATES ends and Lucy is struggling to find a way to save Nathaniel and her friends. Little does she know though, that far more is riding on her decisions. The entire human race is depending on her to do, not necessarily the right thing, but the right thing at the time. FAITH carries the reader through a story of love, heartache and terror that is worthy of Lucy and Nathaniel’s love.

Who is your inspiration?

I am inspired by the authors who fought and perfected their craft over time to make their word read and succeeded.

What are your hopes and ambitions for the future?

I would love to see my books in every book store in the world. However, I get people telling me how much they love my work all the time. Students listen to me speak and want to become a writer. Fans read my work and give me five stars and a rave review. If all that continues to happen for the rest of my life, I will die a happy old lady. My writing has been a great blessing and I just want to be able to keep doing it.

What would be your advise to aspiring writers?

Don’t stop writing, no matter what you do. Keep working because you will get better when you do. Develop your voice, perfect your craft, use the written word to make a difference and you will be happy with the result. No matter what though. Don’t….stop….writing.