We’re looking forward to introducing you to Leslie Lutz. Check out our conversation below.
Leslie, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
First, pets! And I mean three cats and four chickens. Once that’s done and I have a cup of coffee, I head up to my office and do a 25-minute writing sprint.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a young adult author who loves to write about terrifying things that happen in beautiful places. My first book, Fractured Tide, which came out with HarperCollins-Blink, is about one of my passions, scuba diving, and was voted Best of 2020 by SUSPENSE MAGAZINE. My second book, Sweetest Darkness, which came out last year, is about another one of my passions, rock climbing, and was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award in the young adult category. My brand has a lot to do with the outdoors and my love of nature, which is really important to me personally.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I went diving off the Florida Keys when I first got my certification, very excited to see my first coral reef. Once I was down there swimming around, I saw a lot of pretty fish, but I was surprised that there wasn’t much in coral left on the rocks. When I came up and got a chance to talk to the captain of our charter, he told me that most of the reef had been destroyed by pollution and warming ocean temps. I remember sitting there in my wetsuit, feeling a sense of what we’ve lost, and that most of weren’t talking about it enough–if at all. That set me on a path to be more active as an environmentalist, and it’s also why I also write about beautiful natural settings. If readers can experience the wonder of nature, maybe they’ll be motivated to save it.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
When I wrote my first manuscript and collected fifty agent rejections, I felt pretty low and stopped writing for a while. Then I picked up my pen and wrote a poem, remembering that love of the craft. Poem by poem, I got back my confidence until I started a new book.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m a really private person, so the public me is only a slice of who I really am. I like to talk about my passions–the ocean, the forest, beautiful language and stories that make you forget everything for a while–but I think it’s okay to keep pieces of yourself out of view. I do love to connect with people in person at a conference, and the images I choose to post on social media do say a lot about what moves me.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace in the woods or on the ocean. I think it’s the vastness that makes you feel small in a good way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lesliekarenlutz.com/
- Instagram: @leslie_writes
- Facebook: leslielutzwrites
Image Credits
Amber Tice Photography
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