About Lori
About Lori
Biographical Information

I was born in Portland, Oregon, and spent my early years with my parents and four sisters until my parents divorced when I was 13. As a teenager, I lived with an aunt and uncle, and over time, both my parents remarried other people, with my dad 's marriage adding two brothers. After graduating from Tigard High School, I went off to Lewis & Clark College in Portland where I double-majored in literature and political science.

In the middle of my tenure at college, I met Diane at a bank processing center where I worked part-time. We became partners in 1981. In 1983, we moved from Oregon to Minnesota because the job prospects were much better. Diane and I were partners for 27 years until we parted in November 2008.

Until the end of summer 2009, I lived in Minneapolis, writing, teaching at The Loft, and doing various other writing-related jobs. I moved back to Oregon at summer's end, coincidentally arriving on August 28th, exactly 26 years to the day from when I left for Minnesota.

For a few years, my apartment was in NE Portland, very close to where Beverly Cleary's characters lived. I still feel an amusing attachment to Ramona Quimby, Ribsy, and Henry Huggins. When I moved in 2012, it was only because I found a house, my first solo home purchase!

In 2014, I opened my own independent small press, Launch Point Press, both to reissue my own backlist and to focus on authors wanting to get books back in print or other writers new to the business (hence the "launch" in the title). To find out more about LPP, click HERE.

I sold my first house in late 2016, and in early 2018 bought a different home in SE Portland/Gresham, which I named The Fortress of Solitude. (Lee Lynch insists it should be called The Sanctuary of Solace. <g>). I enjoy the roominess, the big yard, and time alone, but I love my friends and family, so having a house with lots of space is great.

At the end of 2022 I sold Launch Point Press to the Amazing Zerambys who will take it to the next level. "My" authors are in good hands as I will also be. I'll continue to be associated with LPP as an author, editor, and cover artist.

I started writing seriously in 1986 and spent a good deal of time trying to get published. You can read more about my Writing Quest HERE.

I haven't written and published a new novel for waaaay too long. In some ways, I feel like I'm back at the same place I was all those years ago. I'm finding my way back into a manuscript after not writing a novel for several years. It's feeling good! I should have at least two books out in 2023. <crossing fingers> Wish me luck!

 
Lori at a Glance

Date of Birth/Sign: February 9th/Aquarius. Born in the Year of the Rat, whatever that means!

My Motto since 1978:
What Goes Around Comes Around!

Best Thing That Has Happened in the Recent Past:
Getting back to my writing. I finished a first draft of a novel in autumn 2022. Hurray!

Worst Thing That Happened in the Recent Past:
Dental and jaw issues. Ouchie wah wah...

Most Admired Person:
There are so many people I admire so much . . . but at the moment, I am SO happy to have the affection and encouragement of my Fairy Godmother, Lee Lynch. She helped get me through some difficult times that were fraught with ill health and worry.

College:
Lewis & Clark College in Oregon: English & Political Science double major.

Master's Degree:
Hamline University, St. Paul: English/Liberal Studies with a focus on sociology and families in literature.

Famous Relatives:
4th Cousins were Orville and Wilbur Wright - but hey! I hate to fly! The word in the family is that we have Blackfoot heritage, but I did a DNA test, and funny thing----not one single drop of American blood. I'm European - mostly from Ireland, Scotland, England, and a smattering of Italian, Greek, Norwegian, Portugese, and Nigerian. Because I'm related to Sir Jerome Weston, Knight of the Realm, it turns out I'm an 11th cousin to Queen Elizabeth II - who knew!?

First Full-Time Professional Role:
Working at a Welfare agency in St Paul, Minnesota. I spent almost 20 years at "The Hellhole." I learned a lot and have enough stories to last for a lifetime of novels, but thank God it's over!

First Book Written:
Ricochet In Time (started in 1992, completed in 1995, and published in 2001).

First Book Published:
Gun Shy (completed 1998, published online in 1999 and in book form in early 2000. 20th Anniversary Edition came out in 2019!)

Number of Books Published So Far:
Seventeen: eleven novels (soon to be 12, I hope!), two short story collections, and edited four anthologies.

Number of Books Mostly Completed Now But Not Ready for Publication:
Two.

Number of Books at Least Half Done:
Four more.

Number of Books Rattling Around in Lori's Head but Unwritten:
Too many to count----somewhere in the two dozen category.

Favorite Song:
Still a 1970's oldie, "Dancing In The Moonlight" by King Harvest.

Favorite Bands of Late:
Dua Lipa and anyone she is singing with!

CDs I can't seem to stop listening to lately:
I'm gorging on Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson, and Chantal Kreviazuk. I also found out that Gerry Beckley, one of the duo that makes up the band America, has a whole bunch of CDs that are fantastic. So I've got them in the CD player on Repeat.

Favorite Vocalists:
Kelly Clarkson, Halsey, Taylor Swift, Linda Eder, Cheryl Wheeler, Dar Williams, Christopher Cross, Whitney Houston, Carly Simon, Donna Summer, James Taylor, and Ben Folds.

Favorite Movies:
Leaving Normal, Flawless, Stranger Than Fiction, Truly Madly Deeply, Fearless, and Parenthood.

Favorite Book Series:
Still Charlaine Harris's Lily Bard series. Close Second: Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan Series.

Favorite City:
Used to be Duluth, MN, but I think it's now changed to anywhere on the Oregon Coast, particularly Newport because that's where my Fairy Godmother lives!

Worst food on the planet:
Seafood - I'm allergic!

Best foods on the planet:
Chicken, Cheezits, and Chocolate - but ever since gallbladder surgery and then kidney stones, I can't eat the latter two very often. :-( And I need to eat the first one a lot more often instead of carbs!)

Favorite TV Shows:
Gentleman Jack!, This Is Us, A Million Little Things, FBI, 9-11, pretty much any British crime show, and every few years I can't help but go back and re-watch Jericho!

Favorite sport to Play:
Basketball.

Favorite sport to Watch:
In the category of Guilty Pleasures, I very much enjoy boxing. So glad women finally are in it - *GO* Claressa Shields!


Best thing about being a Published Author:
Getting to meet lots of wonderful people and sharing my vision of how the world works in the plots that come to me. I went to the mystery convention, Bouchercon, in Minneapolis in Sept 2022, and it was fabulous. I met so many of my all-time favorite writers.

Worst thing about being a Published Author:
Mean reviews. I don't mind reviews that point out areas where I need to continue to make improvement. I just hate the ones where the reviewer slams me personally and says nonsensical stuff making it clear they never read the book. Bah!

Happiest Moments in Life: Time spent with the Minnesota Minions, with my best friends Claudia Kuzie, Jessie Chandler, Jodi & Peggy Zeramby, Renae Standen, Jane Cuthbertson, and Lee & Lainie Lynch, with all my writing pals and friends (including the Polliwogs), and with my dad, sisters, nieces, nephews, and extended family. I'm blessed to have a large family and an even bigger chosen family. All of them brighten my days!

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Interviews & Other Stuff

Booklovers Companion Interview
June 2020

Elisa's Ramblings Article
February 2015

The Liz McMullen Show
May 2014

AJ Adaire Interview
January 2014

Portland Star News Article
December 2013

Interview with Jae
November 2013

Interview at Ylva
September 2013

Back Page Interview with Jody Seay
August 2013

Lee Lynch and Lori at the Advocate
October 2012

Women & Words Interview
September 2011

Dark Diva Interview
March 2009

Mysterical-E Interview
Summer 2008

Queer Girl Talk Interview
September 2007

2007 June & Jessie Chandler Interview

The L Word Interview
November 2005

No Reason Not To Trust...
October 2004

Libertas Interview
May 2004

Josh Aterovis Interview
February 2004

August 2003 Interview

Taleweaver Interview
May 2003

Who's Who Interview by FanLaw
December 2002

August 2002 Interview

August 2001 Interview

October 2000 Interview

September 1999 Interview


     
 
Photos
 
     
 
 
     
   
     

This site last updated on August 8, 2023

All contents of this web site are protected by U.S. and International copyright laws
and may not be reproduced in any manner without the written consent of the author
and/or her publishers. Please contact Lori at Lori (at) LoriLLake (dot) com with questions.

 
About Lori