Lindsay Lees is originally from Los Angeles and holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, and while growing up and later in college, she split her time between the two countries. Lindsay earned a B.A. in 2008 from Manchester Metropolitan University, and next an M.F.A.in Creative Writing from California College of the Arts. The Willing is Lindsay’s debut novel. She currently lives a quiet Southern life with her husband and a houseful of pets. Visit her website or connect with her at FACEBOOK and GOODREADS.
10 Things You Might Not Know About Lindsay Lees
1. I’ve had many different jobs including smoothie shop employee, telemarketer, valet for an all-female valet company, music studio office manager, dog day care attendant, nanny, digital marketing assistant, dog sitter, blogger, and Airbnb host. All the while working on my writing in my spare time.
2. I have three brothers younger brothers and am the oldest child as well as the only girl.
3. I went to three different High Schools and one of them was in England. When I was fifteen I attended year 11 which was my sophomore year. It is considered the last year of High School in England so I basically graduated from there after completing several of the final exams called GCSE’s. It was a very difficult and rewarding experience.
4. I love animals and have owned several dogs, cats, bunnies and fish. I currently have 9 pets.
5. I eat more fruit than any other food. My favorite fruit are bananas. I eat them every day but only when they’ve gotten nice and ripe and brown. That’s when they’re the most nutritious and delicious in my opinion. Especially in a smoothie with peanut butter.
6. I’m a huge believer in writing groups. I formed one through the Women’s National Book Association in Los Angeles and spent a couple of years hosting weekly meetings with a group of writers. The time we spent critiquing was invaluable and very productive. I highly recommend participating if given the opportunity.
7. My favorite books are from the mid-twentieth century. Novels such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, Of Mice and Men, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and 1984, exposed me to writing styles that drew me into reading and hooked me for life.
8. I’ve travelled to over twenty countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Fiji, Jamaica and many European countries.
9. Reality TV shows are a guilty pleasure although I do look for inspiration for my stories within the content. The Willing pulls inspiration from “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding”.
10. Being disciplined is one of the most important elements of being a good writer. Exercise plays an essential role in my daily routine and helps keep me disciplined. I prefer a home practice and have been an avid Pilates and yoga fan for over ten years.
Title: THE WILLING
Author: Lindsay Lees
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 299
Genre: Dystopian
BOOK BLURB:
In less than a year, fifteen-year-old Gypsy Capone will be considered a woman in Ovoidia, a “utopian” city-state where every woman can be approached for immediate sex by any man, where curving architecture adds weird whimsy, sporks are the only cutlery, and true intimacy between the genders is a sign of suspect subversion. After all, if a woman just plays along, she’ll also do her job and have children, with the reward of a fine home in the “Communities,” where she and the other “Mamas” live together in harmony with everything they need. Right?
The irony: Diam and Isis, the two leaders of Ovoidia, are themselves females. Fun, yes! And just below the surface, perversely sinister. They personally execute these precise sacrifices by women to establish their “happy,” absurdly totalitarian utopia, and are backed up by their chosen army of male “crusaders,” enforcing a crime-free, fully controlled society.
Men are relegated to work in the “City” where they may “enjoy”—right there on the street if they wish—any woman they want and are welcome to satisfy their sexual and emotional needs at establishments called Gaje Clubs where only the most “gifted” among women are chosen to work.
Not surprisingly, in Ovoidia women have evolved until they feel nothing of sexual pleasure. But in Gypsy’s deepest heart, she realizes her own dark secret: she is the exception. Next she discovers to her horror that her secret, if known, could result in the ultimate punishment—genital mutilation.
To save her body and even her soul, Gypsy chooses a dangerous path—to single-handedly confront this scary and absurd world. She has the support of her allegiant sister Sadie and Miles Devine, a rogue, secretly gay crusader, and also “Doctor,” a morally questionable physician to help her. But none of them fathom the levels of paradox, incongruity, and twisted evil they will soon face, and the ride becomes something even Gypsy could have never imaged.
PRAISE
“The Willing is stunning in its brutality as well as its sensitivity! Absolute must read. We all have a piece of Gypsy in us. We must consider our potential future as women now with eyes wide open.”–Amazon Reviewer
“The Willing is an unusually deep commentary on a malignant dysfunction in our society, dressed in fishnet utopian stockings. While the premise and its sensual details push the boundaries of belief, a community that is ostensibly focused on the greater good but is governed by fear and hypocrisy fits perfectly in the dystopian genre. Gypsy’s character is flawed and immature in many ways, but her shield-like honesty is refreshing among a sea of conformists. A rather feminist piece filled with satire on the state of equality, The Willing is weighty and serious in its message, and sad in its reflection of how women are treated in our modern world. For a change from the norm, Lindsay Lees provides a gripping story that will have you thinking deeply about the importance of the relationships in your life.”–Jennifer Jackson from IndiesToday.com
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