★★  MEET LINDSAY DETWILER ★★ 

Publishing a novel has always been one of the top items on my “bucket list.” I started writing Voice of Innocence while still in college. Recently deciding that I should follow the advice I give to my students, I realized it was time to share my writing with others. Voice of Innocence was published in February of 2015 and will hopefully be the first of many novels in the women’s fiction genre.

I currently live in my hometown with my husband Chad (my Junior High sweetheart); our cats Arya, Amelia, Alice, and Bob; and our Mastiff Henry.

I have many inspirations in my life as a writer. My parents instilled in me a value for education and reading from the time I could talk. One of my earliest memories is sitting with my parents as they taught me to sound out words. My husband has also inspired me to pursue my dream of writing. I met Chad in an art class when we were only twelve. He has shown me that love is real, is enduring, and is our most important ally in this sometimes harsh world. He has supported me through this entire process, believing in my writing even before I believed in it myself. My favorite author, Nicholas Sparks, also indirectly inspired me by showing that love stories can be powerful and deep.

My goal with my writing is to show the power of love and the beauty of life while also instilling a true sense of realism in my work. Some reviewers have noted that my book is not the “typical romance.” I think that’s because I come from a place of honesty. I examine the difficult questions, look at the tough emotions, and paint the pictures that are sometimes difficult to look at. I want my fiction to resonate with readers as realistic, poetic, and powerful. I achieve this through my descriptive writing, my narrative voice, and my characters who are easy to relate to. I want women readers to be able to say, “I see myself in that novel.” I want to speak to the modern woman’s experience while also bringing a twist of something new and exciting. I want readers to say, “That could happen,” or “I feel like the characters are real.” That’s how I know I’ve done my job.

My hope is that by becoming a published author, I can inspire some of my students and other aspiring writers to pursue their own passions. I want them to see that any dream can be attained and publishing a novel isn’t out of the realm of possibility.