Television Archives - Tena Stetler

Dec 5th Happy Holidays! Author Lori Sizemore With Infamous!

Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Lori Sizemore, author of Infamous. So get settled in, grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot coco, hot cider and coffee choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick a Snicker-doodle and gingerbread cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets see what Infamous is all about. Thanks for joining us!

Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Lori and Infamous.

Lori Sizemore grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and never quite managed to escape them. Lori lives at home with her husband of twenty-plus years and two of her three daughters. She also lives with two dogs, a cat, and five hermit crabs. Yes, five of them. This menagerie and her family keep her busy.

She worked in mental health as a social worker for ten years before making the choice to write full-time.

What defines you as an author? As a person? Are they one in the same?

Perseverance. It’s all tied up together. I came from a dark place when I was no longer able to work again due to illness. I’d been writing for years, but suddenly the words weren’t coming, I couldn’t work outside the home. I felt useless and hopeless.

Then a beautiful thing happened: I realized that while my illness limits me physically, it couldn’t take away my writing. So, I began a journey of writing several novellas that brought me out of that dark place. I further honed my writing commitment to every day, 7 days a week. Writing is my job now and it’s the best job ever.

Did you tell friends and family that you were writing a book? Or did it take a while to come out and tell friends and family you were a writer?

I told them slowly. I asked for craft books for Christmas that first year, and I don’t think any of them thought it would be something I’d commit to as fully as I have. However, it took me a long, long time to own the term writer. I didn’t consider myself a writer until I was writing every day. Published or not, when you commit to a writing schedule and you produce on that schedule, you can’t call yourself anything else.

Do you see yourself in your characters?

I see a little bit of me in all of my characters. Mostly the screwed up parts. I tend to write tortured but snarky characters, and I really identify with that in that people are just really like that. At least, my favorite people are. I wouldn’t consider myself tortured, but I’ve seen some hard times, like everyone else. I just take those dark times and funnel them into my characters.

What do you want your readers to take away from your books?

Hope. It doesn’t matter what we’ve been through, who we are—everyone deserves to be loved for exactly the person they are. Love doesn’t change us, it helps us become better at being ourselves. I want people to read my stories and say, “I can have a happy ending, too, regardless of what’s happening in my life right now.”

You can find more information about Lori Sizemore below:

Website | FB Author Page | Twitter
Amazon | Goodreads

Lori, tell us a little about Infamous.

Justine Montgomery, daughter of a divorced beauty queen and TV magnate, is a tabloid disaster after her infamous sex tape. She’s so desperate to help save her family’s home she turns to her deal-making dad. Can she prove to him she’s cut out for a career in television or will she lose it all?

Sawyer has his own past and a successful career is his only goal. Seeing Justine fail would mean the promotion of a lifetime, but things get complicated when he develops feelings for her. Suddenly, the lines between work, life, sex, and love are blurry.

They will have to overcome the bitterness of a rejected ex, the controlling actions of her father, and the half-truths they’re telling one another to forge a lasting partnership both on the job and off the clock.

How about a sneak peek into Infamous?

She tangled her fingers through the hair that covered her face and pushed it away. Next thing he knew, she’d wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Justine? Um… what are you doing?”

“I’m hugging you. Taking emotional comfort.”

“Like a leech.”

“Haven’t you ever hugged before?”

“I’ve never hugged anyone I wasn’t going to have sex with.”

“We’re not having sex.” She squeezed him tighter and rested her head on his shoulder. “Hug me back.”

Sawyer lifted his arms and wrapped them around her, his hands cupping her shoulders, pulling her closer. He dropped his head to rest on hers, and parts of him, so deep he couldn’t name them, pulled free and demanded his attention. Her hair smelled like fruit, the kind kids eat in the summer, juice dripping down their chins. “I’m fine with the hugging, but, just saying, I’m not responsible for any physical reaction hugging may induce.”

“Okay.” The word drifted out of her on a sigh.

He wasn’t equipped for this. There hadn’t been a lot of touching growing up, at least not the kind that didn’t end in a busted lip or a cracked rib. As an adult, there’d been lots of touching. But, not like this. The tighter he held her, the closer he wanted to be.