Lynnette Brice - Author Life

Lynnette Brice's new novel, Dancing With Shiva, was released on the 28th September 2017. We thought it would be nice to catch up with the author and ask a few questions.

Did you always dream of becoming an author?

I’ve been writing since I was a child, mostly short stories, children’s stories and one teen novel. I’ve always had a very strong interest in writing and of course, I love reading and I particularly love reading about other authors, I enjoy finding out about their lives and how their experiences influence their writing.

What was your first job?

I went to work in a shoe shop at the age of fifteen. I left school thinking I knew everything I needed to know at that age, I was in a hurry to grow up -  free myself from school uniforms and silly rules and have some fun. I soon realised I’d made a terrible mistake but it was another fifteen years before I actually did anything about it and went back to learning.

How did you come about writing your book? Was that your intention or did you start writing for fun?

The book evolved from a very detailed journal I kept during that time in India. I recorded my observations, feelings and experiences every day, lying on that damp bunk bed, before I went to sleep. I thought it would be just a record for myself, but then, as the characters emerged and quite dramatic events unfolded, it became clear that there was a much deeper story to be told. 

What was your life like before you became an author?

Much the same, I work hard and I am always learning. I am profoundly grateful for all the opportunities life has granted me and the wonderful people I have known and loved along the way - including the many characters who populate this story.  I hope my life will continue the same.

Did you face any struggles before becoming an author? If so, how did you overcome them?

Every new author struggles with self-belief, the anxiety that your work isn’t good enough, especially following rejection from multiple publishers.  Writing a book is like having a child, it grows inside you and you bring it into the world. It’s difficult and painful but so is every achievement. I think the way to overcome the struggle is to keep on pushing forward, honour the story that comes through you and do everything you can to deliver it.  Then it has its own life.

Now that you are a published author, how has your life changed, if at all?

Being a published author gives me a sense of fulfilment but also an appreciation of the extraordinary richness of life.  If my life has changed in anyway, it is in enhancing the understanding that there is a story in every human interaction and long and complex journey behind that story. I hope to deliver many more.

Can you please describe a typical day in your life now?

I wake at 6 and meditate for an hour. This is an important time to breathe deeply and release any tensions I might be carrying, I also enjoy the time alone and the opportunity to attune with the stillness of the morning, focus and refresh before a new day begins. Then its shower and make-up, breakfast and off to work. I work in second–chance education as a Head of School, my focus is to bring education to those who need it, those who might have been in some way previously disadvantaged.  At the end of the working day I unwind at the gym and then relax over dinner with my partner.  Usually I would have work to do in the evening, writing or studying, sometimes we watch some nonsense on TV.

What is your most memorable moment of your life as an author?

Getting that email to say Dancing with Shiva was accepted for publication!