Laurie Y. Elrod

Biography

Laurie Y. Elrod was born and raised in a small town in the upstate of South Carolina not far from the majestic peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Growing up exploring those mountains and reading every fantasy book she could get her hands on, it isn’t any surprise that she turned to the fantasy genre to write an adventure story that traverses mountains eerily similar to those rolling peaks near her home. Of course, growing up she never knew that one day she would write a novel or two, a story which spawned from a dream that had the audacity to not finish before she awoke–she hates it when that happens–but it did, and it took her in a direction she never expected.

Possessing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Laurie has held a myriad of jobs in the retail, communications, and legal fields, but being creative is her true passion. Writer, artist, wife, mother, and child of God, Laurie still resides in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Smashwords Interview

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in the upstate of South Carolina not far from the Blue Ridge Mountain chain. I was the youngest of four and was a "surprise" to my parents, arriving six years after my older brother was born. Being the baby had its benefits. One, my brothers and sister adored me . . . and I milked it. And two, those same older siblings had a love for Jeep Wranglers which translated into weekend adventures, baby! So, many times we piled in those jeeps and took off to the mountains, exploring back roads and out of the way places. It was because of these adventures, and many others I have had over the years, that gave me the material for my first book Blackridge-Book One of the So'ladiun where I tried to incorporate certain sights and smells for my characters while on their journey through similar mountains.
Where did you get the idea behind your latest book?
Blackridge, Book One of the So'ladiun was the result of a short, but vivid dream I had one morning way back in 2007. It played out like a movie, and when it started I watched from afar as a spectator. There was a magician who was fighting against something beside a river. (I couldn't see who or what he was fighting.) Then something went wrong and he fell injured to the ground. At that point, I became him and I could feel him dying. This is why it was so vivid. I have never had a dream like that before, and believe me, I have had some truly strange dreams, including one this morning, but I'm getting sidetracked. So he/me is lying on a sandbar dying. Two teenagers drop beside him/me, concerned. The magician/I can see a pendant dangling on a nearby limb, sparkling in the sun, and it was important for the teens to retrieve it. When he/me finally gets them to understand what he wanted with nothing but definitive eye movements and sees the pendant is safe, he lets himself go . . . and I felt him die. At that point I awoke, glad I didn't go with him. I lay in bed wishing the dream had continued and I knew more about the characters. It was then that I decided to write the story. So, now I know the first two parts (having written two books already--the second will be published soon). The rest is still unfolding.
Read more of this interview.

Where to find Laurie Y. Elrod online

Books

The Dogwood Tree
Price: Free! Words: 8,690. Language: English. Published: August 28, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Short stories, Fiction » Adventure » Action
Mayenta has once again returned to the land with no recollection of where she had gone. All she knew was, every time she returned to the vale, she returned lying in the same spot underneath a dogwood tree growing high upon Honor Mountain--and, as usual, she returned naked. What did it mean that she left Paigorya without warning? Where did she go? WHY did she go? And, most importantly, who was she?
Blackridge - Book One of the So'ladiun
Series: The So'ladiun, One. Price: $1.99 USD. Words: 164,260. Language: English. Published: June 22, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Fantasy » Epic, Fiction » Adventure » Action
(5.00 from 1 review)
Elhrin Caddoch led a relatively sheltered life until one fateful fall afternoon when her mentor and instructor of magic, Gryphon Idwyr, chose to take her and her younger brother to the river for a brief afternoon lesson. Little did they know that destiny was hurtling full speed towards them and that soon they would be facing a horrific event that would change their lives forever.

Laurie Y. Elrod's tag cloud

action    adventure    blackridge    cheap    elrod    epic    fairytale    fantasy    female    fiction    fight    human nature    laurie    love    magic    mystery    power    psyche    romance    series    short story    soladiun    strong female lead character    war