The Writer's View: Suzanne Lilly

The writer’s space is a magical place. Some of us are fortunate enough to have a room to call our writing room. Others must write wherever they can find a spot, even if it’s on the couch or in the local café. In January 2011 I wrote a blog post about creating a writer’s space you love. It had some creative ideas for places to write.

For many years when my children were small, we needed every inch of our living space. In those days I wrote at the kitchen table and kept all my files in a box. Though I have more room now, I still drag my laptop out to the kitchen to write whenever I need a change of view. In the winter, when it’s chilly, I’ll even take the laptop to bed and write while I cuddle under a quilt.

However, I feel very lucky to have a room to call my own. It’s filled with my books and magazines about writing and teaching. I used my writing income to buy the desk, the loveseat, and the bookshelves. I didn’t include a picture of the bookshelf because it’s so messy. Believe me, you don’t want to see that.

Here are three pictures of the desk in the corner of the room, under the window that overlooks my backyard. I love being able to work next to a window with natural light. I tend to get distracted when birds stop by and flutter about outside the window, but they usually don’t stay long. However, most of the time I’m writing before dawn, so I keep the blinds closed.

The next photo is of my loveseat where I edit work. The picture is one my son painted, so it’s very special to me.

Thanks for visiting my writing room. The quiet space helped me create Shades of the Future, my debut novel.

What would you give to see the future? Would you make your dreams come true? Would you change the things you didn’t like? Mariah Davis loves animals, running, and her hunk of a boyfriend, Kevin Creamer. Everything looks bright for her until the day she finds a pair of sunglasses that allow her to see the future.

When she glimpses a disaster looming, she tries to avoid it but fails. She has a car accident that lands her in a wheelchair, smashing her hopes for a running scholarship to the veterinary program at Ohio State University. She pushes Kevin away, thinking he’ll want to end their relationship now that she can’t walk. Will she ever learn to trust and love again? She could search for an answer in the sunglasses. But she’s afraid what they reveal might destroy her.

Here’s a short excerpt:

Mariah scooted closer to the inside of the booth to read the digital display. As she slid across the red vinyl seat, something poked into her thigh.

“Hey, somebody left a pair sunglasses here.” She picked them up, rubbing her leg where the frame had made a dent in her skin.

“Those are nice,” Hayley commented between fries.

“These aren’t random sunglasses. These are Dita Aviators.” Mariah turned them over, checking the thin metal frame to make sure she hadn’t bent it. She held them up to the overhead light. The lenses were clean and unscratched. “Plus, they’re like brand new.”

“Let me see them.” Hayley took the glasses out of her friend’s hands and started to put them on.

“Give them back,” Mariah told her. “Your hands are all greasy and cheesy. Not to mention saliva-y.”

Hayley laughed and handed the aviators back across the table to Mariah. “When I have clean hands, I’ll try them on. They’ll look good on me.”

“You think? How do they look on me?” She put them on and a warm tingle of fun washed through her veins.

You may download sample pages or buy a copy of Shades of the Future from these online retailers:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Shades-Future-Honey-Creek-ebook/dp/B008L1PQ0Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1342622859&sr=8-2&keywords=shades+of+the+future
B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shades-of-the-future-suzanne-lilly/1112092900?ean=2940014608800
Turquoise Morning Press http://www.turquoisemorningpressbookstore.com/products/shades-of-the-future
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=shades+of+the+future

I’m close to the end of my blog tour for August, but please feel free to go back and visit the other blog tour stops. I’m celebrating at the end of August by giving one commenter a pair of designer sunglasses from Shoebuy.com. You’ll find the schedule of the blog tour at my website, http://www.suzannelilly.com/blog-tours.

About the Author:

Suzanne Lilly writes lighthearted young adult stories with a splash of suspense, a flash of the unexplained, a dash of romance, and always a happy ending. Her short stories have appeared in numerous places online and in print, and she has placed and received honorable mentions in writing contests. Her debut novel is Shades of the Future, (July 2012, Turquoise Morning Press) followed by Untellable, (February 2013.) She lives in Northern California where she reads, writes, cooks, swims, and teaches elementary students.

Where to find Suzanne Lilly online:

Suzanne Lilly Website: http://www.suzannelilly.com
TeacherWriter Blog: http://www.teacherwriter.net
Suzanne Lilly Author Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SuzanneLillyAuthor
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5258804.Suzanne_Lilly
Twitter: @suzannelilly http://twitter.com/suzannelilly
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Suzanne-Lilly/e/B006HY79IY
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115758832631616324955/posts