“With the pandemic and all the suffering and stress of jobs and school and injustice, I think Jane Austen is a much-needed temporary escape these days.“
— Lori Ann Stephens
A member of the Writers’ League since 2021, Lori lives in Richardson, TX.
Scribe: Welcome, writer! Tell us — what do you write?
Lori Ann Stephens: I’m a Girl Friday to my muse: I write across genres. I’ve written literary fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Romance. I also write libretti for composers, something I unexpectedly fell into a few years ago. Right now, I’m back to literary fiction.
Scribe: If you could choose one author to blurb your book, who would it be, and what would you want it to say?
LAS: If I could hand-select an author to blurb my book? I suppose it would be hard to choose between Michelle Obama (because she is Greatness) and Margaret Atwood, but I’d definitely hope they’d say something about my main characters as strong feminists in the making, saving themselves and each other from a society that routinely wants to control their souls and bodies.
Scribe: You have one book you’re allowed to push onto all of your friends, and they’re forced to read it to remain your friend — which one would you choose?
LAS: I’d probably require all my friends to read Pride and Prejudice, simply because I love Jane Austen so much and can happily talk about her books any evening, but never seem to have the opportunity. With the pandemic and all the suffering and stress of jobs and school and injustice, I think Jane Austen is a much-needed temporary escape these days.
Scribe: Tell us your WLT story.
LAS: I remember attending a WLT conference in Austin years ago — recommended by my critique group — and it was such a great experience. For years ever since, I’ve been getting weekly reminders about classes offered by WLT with tempting topics. The conference this year — finally in person again — was the carrot to my bite. I signed up for both the conference and the membership.
Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?
LAS: I’ve been published by both small, traditional and very small indie presses. Although I hope my writing will find its way into another agent’s heart, I also hope it takes me to more daring places, cerebrally and emotionally.
Scribe: Here at the WLT, we love sharing book recommendations. What’s one book that has come out within the past few years that you couldn’t put down? (Bonus points if the book is Texas related!)
LAS: I just finished In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, a mystery by Ashley Winstead, who lives in Houston. Wow, was it a fun, fast-paced read. Mysteries are not typically my genre, so the pleasure packed in reading this page-turner was a welcome surprise.
Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion!
LAS: My first international book came out in the UK on December 2, 2021: Blue Running. (Moonflower Books) In hardback, which is very exciting! It’s a coming-of-age feminist novel about a young woman’s race to escape a violent, post-secession Texas. Set in modern times, it’s a Thelma and Louise journey for a younger generation.
Scribe: Where can our readers find more of you?
LAS: Facebook: @LoriAnnStephensWrites Instagram: @jolietexas Twitter: @lorifromtexas
