A Work In Progress: Lily Carlyle, #Romance Author #Giveaway

Welcome to my week-long author spotlight focusing on my fellow 4 authors of the Winter's Sweet Kiss anthology!

Each is going to share a bit about their own scribbling sojourn.

Today, I have Lily Carlyle telling the truth of her so-called 'boring' life. (HER words, not mine!)

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First of all, thanks for hosting me today, Terri! A few weeks ago, I complained to Terri that I was boring, and since Lily Carlyle is a pseudonym, couldn’t I just make something up instead of telling the truth about myself?

This, I fear, is also the dull truth. Like many other writers, I decided I wanted to be an author back in elementary school. My second grade teacher, Mrs. Watkins, was impressed by the stories I wrote (not so much by my accompanying illustrations!) and encouraged my early love of reading and writing.

Someone who was close to my family at the time, and whose opinion my father had tremendous respect for, told us that writing couldn’t be taught, so I foolishly never took a creative writing class in high school or college. I wrote—intermittently—when I had nothing better to do or adolescent angst got the better of me and I vented in tortured poetry.

Convinced that unless one had the great talent of Ernest Hemingway or F. Scott Fitzgerald, it was impossible to earn a living as a writer, I didn’t study English or journalism in college. Instead…I majored in history. And when I graduated and found I couldn’t get a job with a B.A. in history, I did the most logical thing and got a master’s degree—in history!

Fortunately, I found a career I enjoyed and excelled at (and that even, barely, supported me!) and worked as an archivist for many years. In fact, I still do have a fabulous part-time archival job.

In 2001, my first daughter was born and I stopped working full-time. Although she kept me occupied, I reconsidered my childhood career choice. I participated in NaNoWriMo in 2003, and failed miserably. Still, I kept writing, but only when the laundry was done and my children or husband didn’t demand my attention.

Over the years, I’ve had several short stories published in the now-defunct True Romance, a graphic novel (Picture Perfect) published by Arrow Publications in 2006, and many, many book reviews published. I am thrilled that “Santa Bebe,” one of my own favorites, has been published in Roane Publishing’s Winter’s Sweet Kiss.

As a writer, I’m still very much a work in progress, trying to find my voice and my ideal genre—not to mention the time to write!

p.s. My younger daughter wanted me to add that my favorite author is Juliet Rose--her, of course!

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Santa Beebee

by Lily Carlyle

Beautiful, curvaceous Bebe is disillusioned by men and her belief that they see her only as an object. She thinks marrying a man with money is the answer, but her kind, but geeky, next-door neighbor, James, tries to convince her that real love is out there, even as she reveals to him the troubled childhood that made her so cynical about relationships. When her mother dashes her hopes for a perfect Christmas, Bebe turns once again to James, never suspecting that what she’s been looking for has been right there all along.

Purchase Links:

Print Copies
Createspace (Print - Best Option)
Amazon (Print)

eBook Copies
Amazon
Amazon (UK)
Barnes and Noble
Kobo
Smashwords
All Romance eBooks

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About Lily Carlyle

Lily Carlyle decided she wanted to be a writer when she was seven years old, but convinced of the impossibility of earning a living that way, she studied history instead (a decision she still can’t explain). In between working as an archivist and book reviewer and trying to keep her two daughters fed, Lily tries to find time and inspiration to realize her original dream.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LilyCarlyle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writerlilycarlyle?ref=hl

 

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