Byddi Lee is a 51 year old writer from Armagh. Byddi writes mostly general fiction and speculative fiction, she started writing when she moved away for her husband’s career, during that time she had several short stories published and she self-published her most well known novel, “March to November”, a relationship drama based in Belfast. The novel was so well received Byddi went on to write a trilogy which was picked up by a publisher (Castrum Press) last year. Byddi speaks to us ahead of her third book release from the, “Rejuvenation Trilogy”.
What would you consider your biggest achievement?
Oh my – so my answer to this is very mushy but I would have to say my biggest achievement is having a happy marriage. Without it, I wouldn’t be a writer.
What would you consider to be the biggest lesson you’ve learned in your industry?
The biggest lesson that I’ve learned in this industry is that we need to build a strong community of artists and writers to enjoy the craft and to achieve success. In this industry we are not competitors – we are all collaborators.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
My biggest challenge has been believing in myself. I came from a science background and that preyed on my self esteem for a long time. I felt like an imposter when I self published. I still suffer from imposter syndrome from time to time but I try to remind myself that I set out to write books and I’ve written four now so, I need to be less hard on myself.
Tell us a little about your personal life, do you have kids, hobbies etc?
I’m married, with no kids and no pets. I’ve lived in many different countries and still love to travel. And I garden, growing a lot of my own food, especially in the summer months. I’m passionate about skiing and love to hike and get outside.
Tell us about your most recent work?
My most recent work is a the “Rejuvenation Trilogy” – simply named books 1,2 and 3. Books 1 and 2 are out in paperback and kindle, an book 1 as an audiobook. I’m finishing up the edits for book 3 at the moment. “Rejuvenation” is set in the near future and begins in Belfast and Armagh. The Melter War has left the Earth’s surface devastated, leaving humanity to survive on what little land is left between the Scorch Zones and the rising oceans, where towering subscrapers dot the dystopian shore lines.
Bobbie Chan is a doctor caring for the ultra-elderly in one such subscraper when she notices a mysterious, new disease afflicting her patients; some show signs of age reversal before a catastrophic, and often fatal, cardiac arrest strikes.
Bobbie begins to wonder if she is witnessing a bio weapon in full force. A Melter attack? Are they destined to finish the war they started?
Belus Corp, the ‘savior’ of humanity during the Melter War whisk the afflicted away; including Bobbie’s grandmother. But Bobbie is terrified. The ‘Rejuvenees’ are getting younger but they are also becoming increasingly aggressive, uncontrollably so.
Bobbie begins a race against time to rescue the Rejuvenees and uncover their true enemy.
What would you like us to tell people about?
Rejuvenation Book 2 is out now and Book 3 is on its way!
If you had to describe your work to someone who has never heard of you what would you say?
My stories are very character driven, with a fast paced story-line that takes many twists and turns… often describes as a roller-coaster read! I make people’s hearts race.
What’s the funniest experience you’ve had in your business?
I co wrote a play with other two other writer from the Armagh Theatre group about the Train Disaster in Armagh. (They will kill me for telling this story in public!) Anyway, we decided that a field trip to the Whitehead Train Museum was necessary, and that we should take the train from Portadown all the way to the museum. We brought our notes and used the time on the journey to work on the play – it must have been a bit disconcerting for the other passengers over-hearing us discussing the worst train crash that took place in the British Isle while actually on a train. Anyway, as we were pulling into a station, one of us looked up and saw the station name “Whiteabbey” and asked, “Is this our stop?” The train had stopped and doors were already open so we packed up in a bit of a panic and jumped off the train. We stood in the rain, on the platform watching the train leave before one of us piped up, “Was the museum in Whiteabbey or Whitehead?” We’d to wait another half hour in the rain and vowed not to tell anyone how stupid we’d been – Until my husband WhatsApped wanting to know why we’d stopped in Whiteabbey… I’d left my Google tracker and it was the family WhatsApp so the word was out! You can get away with nothing in Armagh!
What would your advice be to young people hoping to pursue the same industry?
Just do it – sit your bum in a seat and write!
Anything else you want to tell people about yourself or your work?
Along with another Armagh writer, Réamonn Ó Ciaráin, I run Flash Fiction Armagh which was shortlisted for Best Regular Spoken Word Night in the Saboteur Awards 2019. We have published two volumes of “The Bramley – An Anthology of Flash Fiction Armagh”. I also wrote plays with Malachi Kelly and Tim Hanna “Impact – The Armagh Train Disaster” and the lockdown play “Zoomeo and Juliet” which were both produced by Margey Quinn and staged by Armagh Theatre Group.
Check out Byddi’s work here at Flash Fiction Armagh>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmm8FNnTxEE&feature=youtu.be
Who do you look up to and why?
David Attenborough. As a teen, I loved his wildlife programs and they inspired me to study Environmental Biology. He is still doing amazing work for the environment.
You can order your copy of the Rejuventation Trilogy here>>https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rejuvenation-Book-1-Trilogy/dp/1912327287