Meet Lori Piotrowski

We were lucky to catch up with Lori Piotrowski recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Lori with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

Short answer? My father. My dad always inspired me. He was a large-animal
veterinarian in ranching and farming country, working long hours on cattle, swine, and
horses. In a time when only landlines were available, we had two: one for the house and
one that was tied to the clinic. We had one rule about the phones at home—the clinic
phone must be answered by the third ring. Of course, we would whine about it,
especially if it rang during dinner. More than once he explained that when the office
phone rang, someone’s livelihood was depending on him reaching the animal and
saving it. In fact, if the entire family were at an event, Mom hired a “phone sitter” to
monitor any calls coming through and contact the event facility in case he was needed.
People depended on him, and in turn, he had to be reliable and dedicated to his
profession.
When he wasn’t pulling calves, operating on a dog, or vaccinating a herd of cattle, he
would read. Our house was filled with biographies, history, and art journals to expand
his mind. He bought a piano to take music lessons, and later, a guitar to follow along
with the public broadcasting lessons. And should he ever catch one of us kids being idle
for too long, he’d advise us to make ourselves useful, whether it be doing something to
better the household or ourselves.
Nowadays, when I look back at how he lived his life, I understand how much of his work
ethic I’ve incorporated into my own life. Life isn’t about simply wanting something, you
must also work for it; outline the steps and then commit yourself to completing them.
The journey may not be easy, and it may take longer than you’d hoped, but dedication
to the goal will lead to success.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’ve always been a voracious reader. As I mentioned we had an extensive library at
home, and I think I got my first library card at the age of seven. That love of the written
word eventually led me to working in the magazine publishing industry, starting as an
editor’s secretary and then moving up to assistant editor. Except for a stint doing
architectural/construction photography, I’ve written for a variety of publications: religious,
architectural, technical, and other trades. These days, I’ve graduated from editing
magazines to books, from self-help to business to medical.

However, my personal focus is on a series of historical fiction novels that I’m finishing
up within a couple of months. As Revolutionary Heart begins, we learn that Molly is a
young woman living in Boston during the years leading up to the American Revolution.
Revolutionary Spirit and Revolutionary Spark, the final book, examine the lifestyles of
the Americans, the difficulties they endured during the pre-war British occupation, and
of course, a bit of adventure and love sprinkled throughout. And, in case readers want
to read more in depth, each book contains references to newspapers of the time as well
as the doctrines and laws King George III and Parliament enacted, and the Americans
suffered under. Did you know that the Stamp Act included a tax on masters for each
apprentice?
I’ve worked with a screenwriter and movie producer to create a pilot for limited television
series, Revolutionary Heart. We’re shopping it around, and I’d love to see it on screen
soon!
Next year, 2026, is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of
Independence. My series is dedicated to the spirit of freedom and helping readers learn,
or relearn, why our country is special and why we must remain vigilant to ensure its
unique qualities.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

As I reflect on my journey, self-reliance, curiosity, and perseverance are the qualities
that impacted me most. As a high school student in a foreign country, I quickly learned
that it was up to me to make the most of the experience. Shortly put, it was sink-or-swim
to learn another language, so I needed to buckle down and get to work!
Curiosity is important because that is what keeps life interesting. Our family had dinner
together most evenings, and we learned to share experiences and talk about what we
were learning. My parents’ library was another source of inspiration; shelves filled with
books by Kafka, Malcolm X, Updike, veterinary journals, and encyclopedias. Anything
and everything to fill an empty afternoon. In college, I loved to go deep into the stacks
and pull out books to thumb through the table of contents or look at the drawings. Then,
add it to my stack to check out. And I loved finding old, old books that had never been
read before.
Finally, perseverance is paramount to success. It took over twenty years for me to finish
Revolutionary Heart. I cried when it was done. But it was worth the effort. Not everything
you do will take twenty years, but you may run into other difficulties. What’s important is
to keep at it. Find someone who will encourage you when you run into a snag, or realize
it’s time to let go of the project. As a writer, it’s often difficult to let go of the characters
we love, even if they no longer fit the narrative. Having a person who will support and
encourage you is important no matter what your craft is. Finally, continuing the journey,
even when you don’t want to, is what will make you cherish the goal once you reach it.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

As I mentioned earlier, I have a television pilot I’m shopping. It’s a period piece, so I
know that may be more difficult to mount, but because of our country’s
semiquincentennial, I think many people would be interested in watching Revolutionary
Heart. Looking for producers, directors, writers who are passionate about the American Revolution—I know the history, but I need you to help me bring “Revolutionary Heart” to life! You can reach me at [email protected].

Contact Info:

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