My name is Lara Lee. I’m a Christian author, graphic designer, wife, mother, and HEMA Longsword fighter.
Being a published author is a dream come true for me. You see, I am dyslexic, and I thought I would never write professionally. I failed every spelling test I took and still struggle with spelling. Luckily, writing is about ideas, and we can overcome difficulties in time (and with a little help from spell-checks and editors!). As a mother of a son with autism and a son who is deaf, overcoming difficulties and having hope is a theme in my writing.
I started a blog in 2011, and it has grown with me over the years. It has followed me to Scotland, where my first sons were born and my husband got his Ph.D. It has moved with me to Florida and Texas, where my youngest son and daughter were born. Now I am in Wyoming, where a new chapter has begun. It has also followed my continually changing interests and various curiosities. Currently, this publication is dedicated to my writing career.
Below, you can choose to subscribe for free to my quarterly newsletter with updates about me, my writing career, and other news.
Your second option is to support this reader-funded publication for $5 a month and receive a weekly email that has a serialized version of all my stories located in Gryphendale. Each email will be less than 2000 words, going chronologically from the earliest stories in this world’s history to the most modern. Under the stories will be a short commentary about the research or inspiration for the fairy races, names, or motifs. You may be surprised how much of my novels and short stories are pulled from historical folklore and fairy lore from around the world.
Why Do I Write
I write optimistic fantasy stories with historical and cultural settings. I am a fan of fantasy, but sometimes fantasy can get dark and depressing. I often hear about teens dealing with anxiety, depression, and even suicide. What I want people to get from my stories is that there is always hope, no matter how dark things get. I try to create characters who are complex and not perfect, yet things can work out even when they aren’t “good enough.” A hero isn’t someone who is more talented and special than anyone else. A hero is a person who doesn’t give up, no matter what life has given them. God made each and every one of us for a purpose. He made no mistakes. Hope and perseverance are the messages in all my books, short stories, and publications.
It’s cruel how the world tries to steal hope from children, especially those with disabilities, and replace it with messages that everything is out of control and falling apart. By the time we become teenagers, many of us have become jaded and hopeless. God is always in control, even when we can’t see it. A good story engages everyone and helps everyone visualize what they could be with a little faith, hope, love, and courage.
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