Author of the Day: Lorena Angell

Lorena Angell

I've always told stories. Even as a child my parents would set a timer to try to limit the ramblings my brain was kicking out. I guess back then the stories were only intriguing to me. I love the unexpected twist, the ‘Snape’ characters who are not what you think, and good chemistry between the sexes. I try to incorporate these into my books basically because I write what I like to read.

Most of my book ideas come through my dreams. I feel sorry for anyone who says they don’t dream because my dreams are vivid and detailed. My “Scars of Defiance” series began as a recurring dream over 15 years ago. It took me until 2005 to begin trying to write the dream down which proved to be a bit difficult; I never excelled in English class. A Diamond In My Pocket was a dream also. However, it was a rare event for me because: 1)It was fantasy and I never dream in fantasy settings, and 2)The dream had a beginning, middle and end. I remember waking up and thinking, “Wow! I’ve got to write that down!” I spent the better part of four days typing 50,000 words and not much of the original storyline has changed. There were parts which didn’t fit into the story such as other powers and abilities, but those will be brought out in the books to come. My 20yr old son helped me immensely with the ‘lore’ of the magical diamond and possibilities of where the story could go.

My husband is very supportive of my writing. When I finally let him read my rough draft of The Dictator’s Daughter, (the first book I wrote), he was floored. He told me he had to keep reminding himself his wife wrote it. He also began to wonder, “Who is this woman I’m married to?” His favorite book is Scars Of Defiance and he feels everyone should read The Dictator’s Daughter before Scars of Defiance. I chose to go with chronological order when numbering my series, but now you have his recommendation.

Some tidbits about myself: I married my wonderful husband in 89’ and am still married to him. We have three kids, one son and two daughters.

Over the last 20 years I’ve worked the craft fair circuits selling hand-painted wall hangings, been a Pampered Chef consultant demonstrating over 250 kitchen shows and trade shows, I operated my own catering business specializing in wedding receptions and Christmas parties, I operated a State licensed home daycare for five years(gray hair from that one), sold Senegence cosmetics, worked a short stint at a juvenile detention center, another short stint at a grocery store bakery(4am shifts are for the birds), worked in a family practice medical office as a file clerk, and operated a jewelry business buying from bidz.com and selling on ebay(I love shiny things).

I love my little family and our close bond, and it is my hope to be able to help my children through college by selling my books.

Lorena Around the Web:   Website | Goodreads  | Twitter

     The Books     

A Diamond In My Pocket (The Unaltered #1). When Calli Courtnae breaks the World Record for the 100m, she is invited to Montana to prepare for National tryouts. However, upon arrival using her lip reading ability she realizes she’s been lied to, or at least not told the whole truth. She's a superhuman, a Runner, and her new world includes transporting packages for other supernatural groups. She’s paired up with an overly anxious Gothic roommate, is continuously glared down by the gorgeous top-dog, Chris, who feels she doesn’t belong, and is placed on a delivery team to transport a valuable magical diamond to a clan of terrorists who can kill with their thoughts. Chris, the team leader, is given the diamond, but Calli secretly receives the real stone along with a vision of the future and an explanation of why she was hand selected to carry out the mission. Almost immediately the hidden diamond oozes unprecedented additional powers and abilities in Calli making her more sought after than the diamond itself. Apple's iBookstore named A Diamond in my Pocket as a Breakout Book Feb 5th when they launched their new category of Breakout books on iTunes.            A Diamond in my Heart (The Unaltered #2). At age sixteen, Calli Courtnae learned that superhuman abilities and powers existed in her ordinary world yet had remained hidden for thousands of years. She became one of them through the course of events controlled by Maetha the Immortal and is now faced with trying to live in her ordinary world while secretly possessing extraordinary powers. Her task is complicated by the emergence of an unknown power in one of Calli’s classmates which requires her to befriend the boy in an effort to help him use his powers for good and not just for his own self-gratification. Calli is able to read minds, view the future, heal, and locate other Diamond Bearers she didn't know existed and in doing so she'll learn of traitors who've sided with the US Government and who threaten her new world and the lives of those she loves. She'll question her own loyalties and friendships, and ultimately be faced with the inevitable--the reuniting of the diamond shards.

See all her books on Goodreads


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With love,
Margaret

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