L. R. W. Lee
USA Today bestselling author L. R. W. Lee has authored 20 books and counting!
She loves writing fantasy because her characters are everything she’s not in real life. For example, she can’t handle scary movies, Stephen King novels, or cockroaches. And she knows she wouldn’t last long in one of her books. But give her a drink and a Hawaiian sunset and she’ll be just fine.
She lives in scenic Austin, TX with her husband. Their two children have flown the coop and have not rebounded, for which she cheers their successes.
She started writing in 2012 after selling the dot com company she co-founded. Since age 8, she had wanted to write a book patterned after The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, her first and favorite childhood fantasy read.
Facebook: @LRWLee
Instagram: @LRWLee
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
Hands down, The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe. I well remember reading the book, the first in C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia growing up. I was fascinated by Lewis’s multi-layered approach to telling stories. He wrote of 1) then-current day London, 2) the magical fantasy world of Narnia and coupled it with a 3) significant meaning layer under girding the whole. My brain latched on to this way of writing and took it in a myriad of directions beyond “normal” fantasy, applying it to writing about difficult topics in sensitive ways.
Because of this beginning, I write genre-bending stories in vivid worlds with sweet romance and stunning plot twists that do more than just allow you to escape, but actually help you live better.
Have you ever experienced Imposter Syndrome?
I haven’t suffered from imposter syndrome that’s led me to say I’m not worthy of praise for my writing. No. I wrote every word and I am proud to take credit when someone sends me an encouraging word. That said, I “suffered” from a much bigger issue for writers, that being not knowing how my writing is unique; until recently I could not say what made me different from any other fantasy romance author. And not knowing meant all I could do is do the tactics that every other author is doing and hoping for a big result. I must tell you that is a recipe for an average result.
So what did I do? I worked with a good friend who helped me figure out how my books are unique. From this understanding, I now know my value as an author. My books are still not for every reader, but I can now ask potential readers if they would be interested in genre-bending stories in vivid worlds with sweet romance and stunning plot twists that not only help them escape, but actually live better. If they say, no thank you, I move on. But if they’re interested, then we can engage.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
I can’t say I differentiate between writer and author. After writing twenty books, I believe that at the heart of things I am a story engineer constructing an engaging tale that effectively uses conflict to facilitate character growth. Because that’s what every reader wants to experience through the safety of a character rather than going through trials personally.
What brings you great joy?
Hands down, I get huge joy hearing from readers that my stories have not just entertained them, but helped them live better. Talk about jet fuel! I can go weeks knowing that I have had a positive impact on one of my readers.
Why? From writing my earliest book I was aware that I have an opportunity to positively impact every reader. At my core, I cannot settle to just entertain a reader—that doesn’t satisfy or create meaning for me. If I am to spend the time and energy that goes into writing a book, I have to accomplish more. That “more” is helping each reader live better from the narratives I include in my books.
What narratives? I’ve addressed sensitive issues ranging from overcoming #MeToo to building a positive self-image to overcoming frustration, impatience and so much more as part of my characters’ struggles. So when I get feedback from a reader that a book bettered their life in any of these ways, I feel fulfilled. Yes, for me, writing is about producing meaning.
Is there a work of art that you love? Why? Have you ever visited it in person?
Michelangelo’s The David.
In 2012, I went to Italy. But before going, I read The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone about the life of Michelangelo. From that reading I had a pretty good appreciation of the trials and difficulties Michelangelo faced when creating The David, anything from a crack in the marble block that he had to envision his design around, to ensuring the sculpture would stand despite that crack, to having to learn how the human body is organized by dissecting cadavers (he is one of the first artists to do so) so he could bring that into his work, to public sentiment that had not yet embraced nudes.
With that background, I remember walking into The Academy in Florence and literally gasping the instant I set eyes on The David. I’ve never had a visceral reaction to any other piece of art in all my life, but it is beautiful.
