Author Showcase: Olivia Leighton

Why I Became a Writer

Writing was always something I enjoyed doing, but growing up in a place like Yale Valley Washington can inspire creativity in anyone. The husband and wife teaching team at Yale Valley Elementary introduced us to all types of artistic mediums, from paper mache to pottery and writing. (It was a very small school with just two classrooms. One contained k-2nd grade and the other 3-5th grade!) I even remember us attempting to film our own version of Lord of the Rings in the woods behind the school. Why my teacher thought several elementary school students could pull off that story is beyond me... but it's something I will always remember!

After I graduated high school, I was the office manager for a local newspaper. The owner was tossing around the idea of having a kids corner. When I suggested that I write a short story for the section, he agreed. It was my first exposure as an author. I think three or four of my stories were published before the newspaper was bought out.

It was only after I had a strange dream that I really took the plunge into writing. I couldn't get the characters out of my head, and since the setting was Yale Valley, it was easy to describe the location. When the dust settled, I had written 56,000 words of my YA tale. It wasn't a lot, considering Divergent is 105,143 words and Twilight is 118,975... but still. I had never written that much ever.

I wanted to write more, but since I had a full-time job as a graphic designer, I didn't have a lot of time to devote to my growing passion. However, my time freed up when my husband accepted a job in Houston. Within 15 days of our move, I'd published my first ebook on Amazon, Thicker than Blood. Since then, I have published 11 stories and have many more in the works.

It has been a long road getting to be an author, but I love every second of it. :)

Ex-monitor tech, former graphic designer and lover of all things food and drink, Olivia Leighton writes paranormal romances which usually contain: 1) Normal, every day women getting thrown into a world they never could have imagined. 2) Impossibly good-looking, alpha male heroes of the fanged, furry or rich variety. (Sometimes all of the above!) 3) Witty banter among family, friends and lovers. She is a huge fan of cliff-hangers and happily-ever-afters... with the occasional dark parts thrown in. Olivia lives in Houston with her husband, 2 dogs (yorkie and rat terrier) and two cats (grey and ginger).

You can find Olivia online at:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

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