Missing Lily
“You don’t know who I am,” I whispered. He didn’t move—either away from me, or closer—and after an interminable moment, I stepped back and hurried out of the house.
He didn’t follow me as I fled into the night.
Lylin was not used to being alone—much less alone, hurt, and lost. So when she is separated from her guard and forced to abandon her horse, she counts herself lucky to stumble upon a manor house. Still frightened by those who chased her into the night, she keeps her identity a secret, calling herself Lily as she accepts the help of kind servants, and the compassion of Lord Fallon. When they fall into an easy friendship, she wonders if her secrecy was too hasty. However, as she gets to know the manor and its residents, Lylin discovers that she’s not the only one hiding secrets, and it may be a very good thing that her host doesn’t know her true identity as a member of the royal family.
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Welcome Annette for an interview!
Did you always know you wanted to
be a writer or did you want to be something else?
I pursued acting throughout high school and college. Creative
writing was mixed in, but not my main focus until later. I still love acting
and sometimes miss it like crazy. But I’ve found a tremendous amount of gratification in being able to
create my own characters and stories, and share them with others.
How long does it take you to write a book from start to
finish?
Just Ella took seven years. (Yeah…) Missing Lily took me two. So, hopefully I’ll just keep getting faster.
*crossing fingers*
Do you have a schedule of when you write?
Nope. I have four young kids, so I write during naps, play
dates, etc… And I write in the evenings, so
long as my brain isn’t
already fried.
How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with
your writing?
Balance is something I struggle with. Often I just have to force
myself to either sit down and write, or step away from the computer and leave
it alone.
What elements do you think make a great story line?
Relationships. I don’t care what kind of relationship it is (family, friend,
romantic), the relationships have to feel real. They have to be layered. They
have to have ups and downs.
Do you have a favorite character?
Hmm. Hard to pick a favorite. I loved writing Lylin, with her
tendency toward candor. But I had so much fun writing Tobias. His character was
very clear in my head from the start. And I find him fascinating.
Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)?
What do they think?
Yes. My sisters (I have 5) are the first people are go to for
feedback. Most have the same taste in books as I do, and they have all loved my
books so far. My husband has read the first half of my first book and was
impressed by the writing, but let’s face it, it’s not really his taste. And my kids are too young to read them,
but I’m excited to share my books with
my girl when they get a little older.
What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to
start writing?
Just start.
Find a bit of something that intrigues you
and try to describe it, then see if you can make it grow from there. Write one
scene; write it well. And if you like the idea and think it has promise, keep
going and don’t
get discouraged when you hit a wall. If you’re patient enough, and persistent enough, you can make it into
something. Maybe it will be a single scene, a short story, or a chapter in the
middle of the plot. Whatever it is, whether it’s good or bad, at least it’s a start.
What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an
author that inspired/inspires you to write?
Favorite current author: Juliann Donaldson. Love Edenbrooke.
Favorite classic author: Charlotte Brontë. Jane Eyre played a huge roll in
my love for reading, as well as my desire to write heroines that are strong, as
well as soft.
Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help
you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such?
Yes. I have several friends who beta read for me. My sisters are
always great at giving me feed back, and Jana in particular is my sounding
board for everything, as well as my main editor.
Are you working on anything now?
I have three books started, each with just a scene or two. I’m trying to decide which one to
pursue.
Excerpt:
Just as I started to relax, the sound of voices made my eyes pop open, and I sat up, forcing my breathing to quiet. The doors at the other end of the stables slid open and someone entered, carrying a lamp and shaking water from their clothes.
“I’m not seein’ things, Lord Fallon. Someone is in here,” a voice whispered. I sat still, unable to move. The lamp shifted, casting two men in ominous shadow.
“I believe you, Giles. That’s why we’re here.” His Lordship sounded not at all concerned, as though he were merely humoring his hired man. He sounded more tired than anything.
“The lamp, Giles.” The light transferred to His Lordship’s hands, illuminating his face and leaving me astonished by his youth. He looked to be in his twenties, and I wondered how such a young gentleman held the title of Lord. “You’re sure it wasn’t an animal of some sort?” he asked as he took his first steps down the long line of stalls. He would find me soon enough, and yet this prospect didn’t terrify me as it had moments ago. Lord Fallon looked not at all frightening. He wore trousers, a loose fitting shirt that hung untucked, and a full-length coat that fell in languid folds from his shoulders. Water dripped from his rumpled hair, sliding down his face and into his well-trimmed facial hair.
“T’weren’t no animal, sir.”
“The horses aren’t agitated. They would be if someone threatening were about.”
When the light fell on me, Lord Fallon’s eyes widened. I tried to push myself to my feet, but he drew a sword that I had not realized was hanging at his side and pointed it at my throat. I fell back against the wall, crouching, my chest aching from the heavy beating of my heart.
“I don’t take kindly to vagrants on my property.” His fatigue had vanished. Now he looked menacing—terrifying.
My voice was barely audible as I forced a reply. “I’m not a vagrant, sir.”
His eyes narrowed in question. “Remove your hood.”
I raised my hand slowly and pushed the fabric back. His eyebrows raised, even more surprised by my appearance than by my voice. The sword lowered. “Giles, take her inside and put her in front of a fire. She’s freezing.” And with that, he walked away and I slumped back to the ground, numb with relief.
Author Annette K. Larsen
I was born in Utah, part of a crazy, fun family of nine. I grew up in Flagstaff, AZ and St. Louis, MO before striking out on my own college adventure in Virginia. I decided to try my hand at writing novels after I was married and living in Idaho. I write clean romance because it’s my favorite genre, but often difficult to find.
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