Turkish by background, I am both a mother and wife, I work as a nurse during the day and write LGBTQI stories late at night once the family are tucked in bed. I studied in the UK and worked there for a few years before I moved to Australia, settling down for good.
The characters like Ilhan, from “Awkward In Love,” are examples of the characters that I want to write about in my engaging stories—people who are not rich, famous or incredibly handsome with stunning bodies. Rather they are just everyday people who work hard and deal with whatever life throws at them, and then more!
I want to bring the readers’ attention to how gender identities and expressions are influenced by numerous factors including, but not limited to, culture, religion, societal norms, customs and beliefs. These make one’s gender very diverse and fluid. The main focus of my stories are the people who want to express themselves in ways that feel right, and kind to them and others.
I wrote “Stay With Me” so I could bring attention to victims of domestic violence.
In my latest story, “Boundless Love,” I wanted to focus on how experiencing traumatic events can lead to depression or anxiety, thus affecting our lives, and how sometimes people lose all that is dear to them, to the point of becoming homeless.
I support Marriage Equality for all,and stand by same sex parents because I believe that children primarily need loving and protective homes, showered with kindness and a kid friendly diet (I am a big believer in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs).
I love writing interracial stories about people from all backgrounds. The GLBT community is universal,
existing in all countries and cultures. For some cultures, being from a GLBT background is not easy and these are the people whom I want to promote more. I tend to focus on gender fluid characters in my stories, along with alpha males and those who are socially awkward and shy.
In my recent story, “Awkward In Love,” Ilhan is exactly that…someone with diversity. I am reluctant to
label him because this is something I avoid wherever possible. I believe that labels are for objects and not
individuals. Ilhan is a male who is gentle, awkward, and likes to cook and bake. Why not? His dream is to open his café…. aah, dreams, it’s what keeps us sane! Ilhan is, as he proclaims, “almost virgin” —he had frolicked a bit but never had full-blown sex; whereas John is a white Australian, who is rather masculine and an alpha male. Both are neither perfect nor rich or famous, and both are people who only want to be loved for who they are.
The shortfall for Ilhan is that he has some cultural clashes,which he internalizes because he grew up in Australia while his parents still identified with their own national heritage. I tried to capture some cultural clashes in my story, becauselife is neither smooth nor a total misery. Hence,the things Ilhan uses to try and capture John’s attention are both funny and sad at times. He represents many of our own extremes of awkwardness and humanity, as well as our diversity. John is simply solid and hardworking, the mainstream of society. His life experiences made him more mature, but he is also alone.
I love writing “happily ever after” stories. I imagine readers making theirdrinks (hot or cold, as you like it),then making themselves comfortable enough to settle in and read my stories after a long stressful day at work. I write novelettes with the thought that when someone finishes reading my story, they close their eyes, with a smile and a sigh,sleeping a little better as a result.
I usually come up with storylines after reading GLBT news items,or perhaps seeing an activity in a public situation. What I dream feels real in my head and I want to tell my tales to the world.
Yes, I am more of a storyteller than anything else… maybe even a dreamweaver.
My author page on Facebook is https://www.facebook.com/LilyAdileLamb/
My author page on Amazon is http://www.amazon.com/Lily-Adile-Lamb/e/B00VCQC47I