Lily Briar

By age ten I was reading adult science fiction books by authors like Robert Heinlein, Issac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke. Yes, I';m that old. I continued reading sci-fi until I went to college where I took creative writing classes that pretty much destroyed my enjoyment of modern fiction. My professor was trying to write and American Classic, and taught the class that modern writers all used formulas and couldn't really write.

I did make a little progress while attending the University of Idaho. I was a finalist in the L Ron Hubbard Writers of the

Future Contest.

After college I worked for software companies and raised my five children. During those years I didn't read or write any fiction, but I couldn't help dreaming that some day I would become an author. I couldn't stay working for corporations for long--too independent minded. I quit after eight years and started my own business, a construction company that is still working today under the leadership of one of my sons.

I continued to learn. I became an herbalist and I learned about nutrition. Those things have been crucial to my continued good health and I have helped many people be healthy.

I retired and wrote a couple of science fiction books, but soon realized I didn't have time enough left to develop a strong following in that genre. I did some research and found that mystery books were popular. When i read my first cozy I was hooked.

The rest of the story is history. I now write cozy mysteries I try to lend a style all my own to my books, and it seems to be working. Most readers tell me they are refreshing, funny, and good reads. I'm finally building a strong reader following and achieving my life-long dream.