Meet Leslie Lutz | Writer and Editor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leslie Lutz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leslie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Balancing family life and work life is always tough. My daughter is eleven, and lately I’m extra aware that time is ticking away. That means when I have a choice–work on that deadline or bake a cake with my girl–I choose cake. I make up my editing work late at night when she’s already in bed, or work for a few hours on the weekend after I drop her off at a skate party. It’s juggling. I used to stress about juggling all those balls in the air, but hey, they’re not made of glass. Just drop a few. They’ll bounce.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Moving from “writer” to “author” was a painful, grueling transition for me, but I think that’s a common experience. Now that I have two books sold to publishers (the second one, SWEETEST DARKNESS, comes out fall of 2024) and I’m knee deep in the process of writing a third, I’m seeing my brand take shape. One, I seem to gravitate to beautiful locations for the settings of my books. A tropical island, a sprawling desert, an endless forest. I don’t know if I’ll ever write a book in a strip mall on the outskirts of town or in Nameless City, USA. And don’t get me wrong, there are some really great books that use ordinary places as their backdrop. I just really want all that beauty to balance all those scary things my characters are experiencing. The other thing I see taking shape in my brand is that I’m becoming the “outdoor sport” author. Scuba diving, rock climbing, kayaking. Honestly, if it weren’t for all the monsters, my books would be a great place to hang out.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d avoid all the usual haunts in DFW and go straight to nature. First, a day kayaking and hiking at Fort Worth Nature center. Watch some Bison roam the grassy plain, visit the prairie dogs, find a bluff and sit for a while. That long day would end at Trinity College Irish Pub in West 7th, home of the best fish and chips in town. Then, it’s two-days of camping at Cedar Hill State Park, for s’mores and an outdoor meal made in a dutch oven. The hikes include the historic farm, and you can always get a good camping spot a the last minute. My last stop would be the most relaxing–The Fort Worth Botanical Garden. The indoor gardens are magical, and the grounds are so beautiful and sprawling you’ll never want to leave.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to dedicate my shout out to my husband Russell, whose support always reminds me that people achieve their goals because they’re part of a team, not because they’re standing on a mountain peak alone.

Website: lesliekarenlutz.com

Instagram: @leslie_writes

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Twitter: @lesliekarenlutz

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