Author / R. Lee Fryar

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Posts by R. Lee Fryar

Hi, there. I'm an author living in the Arkansas River Valley in west Arkansas, not far from the Ozark National Forest. I write adult fantasy and adult paranormal romance. I go by R, and my pronouns are she/her.
by R. Lee Fryar

New Representation

Goodness gracious, time flies when you’re revising. But now that I have a break in the action, I wanted to post something really special, something really amazing, and something that made me cry in September, and still makes me tear up as I write it.

I have a new agent.

Naomi Davis of Bookends Literary Agency called me to talk about my story in late September. I was at a crossroads with IRONSFORK, unsure of whether I was ready to query that story again or start querying my new story, TREE GODS. I’ve always liked Naomi, and she was top of my list to query with TREE GODS.

I thought she had called me because she was a nice person who remembered me from querying and wanted to give me some solid advice about what I should do. It’s hard parting ways with an agent or an agency, especially when the situation isn’t easy for anyone. I was surprised and ecstatic when Naomi offered me representation, not just good advice! (And yes, she gave me a lot of good advice, too!)

I thought about it for a week or so. I knew I was coming into this new relationship with some emotional fragility, and I also knew that IRONSFORK, while dear to my heart, was going to need some radical changes to have a chance. I would need to realign my vision with my new partner in my writing journey.

I was right. And it’s awesome.

Yes, I know I probably have a lot left to do even after cutting over 22,000 words in five weeks, changing some setting details, and amping the epic on what is a very epic fantasy. But I’m glad I made the choice to jump back in and keep fighting. Thank you so much, Naomi, for believing in my story enough to fight for it with me!

by R. Lee Fryar

Introducing Myself: On Writing

Hi! I’m an author living in west-central Arkansas, not far from the Ozark National Forest. Most of my writing reflects my fascination with the mountains and forests that I’m pleased to say are right in my own backyard.

I write adult fantasy. I’ve been writing since I was about fourteen years old, but wasn’t able to devote myself seriously to novel-length fiction until around five or six years ago. I’ve always loved reading it. I grew up with Tolkien, Peter Beagle, and Patricia Wrede. I read every fantasy book in my local library that I could get my hands on.

I discovered Neil Gaiman as an adult. American Gods rocked my world. Wow! Who knew that you could take fantasy elements and put them in a contemporary context? And suddenly, the idea that had dogged me for years, a contemporary story with dwarves living in the Ouachita Mountains where I grew up took shape. What if dwarves really lived there? What if mountains needed dwarves to be Dragons to protect them and preserve their magic? And what if somehow, all that had been subverted, and a new magic system took hold, leaving hundreds of abandoned mountains just looking for a Dragon to make them live again?

Most of my ideas begin with questions just like this. And the answers become my stories.