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Bio:
An
accomplished playwright and marketing/public relations executive, Lori
Beard-Daily is a graduate of Spelman College with a bachelor of arts degree in
English. Lori has written stage plays: Trunk of Fate, Daddy’s Girl, and Civil
Unrest, two of which were directed and produced by the late theater thespian,
Carol Mitchell-Leon. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lori and her husband Bryon
Daily live in Atlanta, Georgia, with their three children: Erin, Erica, and
Eric.
Welcome, Lori. Please tell us about your
current release.
It’s a story about what happens when life interrupts our destination. My three
characters were best friends in college. Each of them made a pact to each other
that only one of them was able to fulfill after they graduated. This breach of promise
causes each woman to self-sabotage in ways that neither of them could have ever
imagined. The first friend leads a secret life of multiple personas, and the second
friend allows her domineering ambition to drive her into a collision course with
herself, that leads her to a life altering event. And finally, the third friend
seeks refuge from a regretful past that finally catches up with her present.
What inspired you to write this book?
I started out
writing plays. The book was originally a play entitled “As Plane As Plain Can Be.”
My best friend, Shree, thought that I should take a stab at writing a book. I had
never written a book before and she reminded me that there was also a time when
I had never written a play! And the rest is history!
Excerpt from Destination D:
Dee sat straight
up in the oversized stuffed leather chair with her eyes fixed to the beige coffer
ceiling, counting all the quadrangles. With heightened anxiety, her pupils swiftly
scanned the room and gravitated toward the floor-to-ceiling windows. Staring back
at her was a picturesque view of snow-capped mountains rising just a little higher
than the clouds. There lay her comfort zone.
I can do this,
she whispered. Her heart thumped so fast she was sure that its reverberation could
be seen through her red cashmere sweater that was now sticking to her back from
beads of perspiration. C’mon, Dee you can do this. And before she knew it, the words
tumbled out of her mouth like a toddler taking its first steps.
“I am . . .
a . . . li . . . liar, and I can’t be trusted. And I wouldn’t know what the truth
looked liked if God himself showed it to me.” She held her breath, then gently released
it and felt a surge of relief envelop her tall slender body. There, I said it. She
breathed in again and slowly exhaled. Her large mink brown eyes were now brimming
with tears that struggled not to fall.
Dee continued
staring out of the window and with a slight turn of her bottom lip, she stammered,
“My friends call me Dee. I have a BA in political science from Spelman College and
a JD from Columbia University. As a matter of fact, Simon and Garfunkel named a
song after me,” she said, with an evasive tone that the doctor couldn’t tell if
she was serious or trying to be funny.
The doctor paused
from his note taking. He raised his left eyebrow and curiously leaned forward in
anticipation of what she was going to say next. Dee turned both of her lips slightly
upward, trying hard to simulate a smile.
“You know the
song, ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water?’”
He answered
with only a nod so he would not interrupt her flow.
“Well, I’m that
bridge.” Her voice cracked slightly as she struggled to speak. Dee anxiously folded
her arms across her chest and nervously tapped her fingers as she waited for
his response.
The doctor’s
sapphire blue eyes caught a brief glimpse of her, and she quickly shifted her attention
toward the window. Even with all of the tension that was mounting inside of her,
somehow his smile felt like a warm blanket that comforted the chill that slowly
crept up her spine.
“Why are you
smiling at me like that?” Her eyes darted to and from his again.
“Ms. Bridge,
I find it quite interesting that the first word you use to describe yourself is
‘liar.’ You also have a quick wit and sense of humor that I think is quite positive.”
His voice was as smooth as a gracefully aged Italian Merlot wine. He looked up at
her again hoping to gain her eye contact, but she continued to resist.
“That’s because
it’s the truth—and please call me, Deirdre,” she said, still in deep thought about
the incredulity of her confession.
“Well, Deirdre,
that may be, but you have quite a few accomplishments. You’re a college graduate,
and you have a law degree from one of the most prestigious law schools in the country.
There is obviously more to you than just being a liar.”
“Yes. One would
think.”
“How do you
feel about taking into consideration an accomplishment you’ve made each day? You’ll
probably find there’s a lot more positive about your life than you realize. Every
day we should learn something we didn’t know the previous day.”
Dee listened
while she got up from the chair to walk over to an opposite window that was so transparent
she felt she could reach out and touch the Salt Lake City skyline. Her flawless
skin glistened as the morning sun beamed through the window on her cinnamon brown
face, placing her a little at ease. The thought that this would be the first of
many visits here made it even more difficult to come to grips with just how serious
things really had become.
Her fingers
trembled as they gently massaged her temples. Too many thoughts had caused her head
to throb. I can’t believe that I’ve gotten the nerve to come . . . and to a psychiatrist’s
office, for God’s sake! Flying over 2,000 miles to see this doctor because she didn’t
want to take a chance of running into someone she knew back home in Atlanta. It
was a bit over the top, even for Dee.
Usually, Dee’s
outward appearance radiated elegance and charm, and her inner beauty was just as
appealing. But today was different. As she gazed out the window, she saw the reflection
of a woman who was a mess both inside and out. Each passing day was a reminder that
her life was like a kite without a hand to guide its sail. And if she didn’t stop
the lying, she would never be able to get back on course and—just like a kite—she
would be lost forever.
What exciting story are you working on
next?
I am working
on the sequel to the book. I’ve given out the excerpts to a few people and I’m told
it’s better than the first which is exciting!
When did you first consider yourself a
writer?
I’ve been writing
since I was a little girl. I used to write a lot of poetry and short stories and
as I got older, I really became more interested.
Do you write full-time? If so, what's your
work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time
to write?
No, I wish I
could write full-time. But, I have a full-time job that keeps me pretty busy. But,
I’m a mood writer. I try to put myself in an environment to be creative and at peace.
With a husband and three kids, this is not always easy. But, I find that my best
time to write is during the time when everyone else is asleep. Like right now, it’s
1:00 a.m. when I’m doing this interview.
What would you say is your interesting
writing quirk?
I’m Old School!
I write on a legal pad first and then transfer it to the computer.
As a child, what did you want to be when
you grew up?
I wanted to
be an actress and a news anchor.
Links:
Facebook | Twitter | Website | Book trailer
Buy Links:
Thanks, Lori!
17 comments:
I'm oldschool too! More out of necessity though. I almost never have a computer with me when ideas strike!
andralynn7 AT gmail DOT com
I love, love, love historical romances and very seldom step out of that genre. That said, for a contemporary story, this one sounds like it has a lot of promise. Without giving too much away, do any of the women actually get their HEA or is this not that type of book?
kareninnc at gmail dot com
Great excerpt, I enjoyed it.
Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Thank you for hosting! I work during the day, so I will be able to answer more posts this evening.
Hi Andra,
Keep a pad and pen nearby! I do that for when I wake up in the middle of the night!
HEA as in Happily Ever After?
Awww! Can't tell you! You've gotta read it, Karen! :-)
Thanks Rita!
Great post!
Do you find that there is a big difference between writing for the stage and writing novels?
falcondraco at Hotmail dot com
Fascinating excerpt. I think this story sounds unique.
Great excerpt. I love the rich imagery and metaphors
fencingromein at hotmail dot com
Thanks for the excerpt and the great interview!
Sounds like a really good read!!
Thanks for the chance to win!
natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
Yes, there is a big difference between writing for stage vs. a novel. The biggest difference is in a book you can have as many characters and settings as you want! When writing for theater, you don't have those same options. Also, you have to have a time limit on a play. With a book, you can read it for hours!
You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed the excerpt
Thanks for sharing an excerpt and a great interview!
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Nice inspiration
bn100candg at hotmail dot com
I love the idea of the pact. This sounds fantastic.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
The pact is the pivotal point of the story. I hope you will read the book to find out why! Thanks for your post.
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