Greg Lilly

Books, Workshops, Seminars

Growing up in Bristol, Virginia and then living in Charlotte, North Carolina, the rich storytelling tradition of the South pulled Greg Lilly into writing.

He first turned to writing short stories after plot lines and characters emerged from the technical manuals he wrote for a large family-owned corporation.

Greg Lilly is the author of two Derek Mason mysteries (Scalping the Red Rocks and Fingering the Family Jewels), Devil's Bridge, and Under a Copper Moon. He is a short story writer, novelist, freelance writer, and former magazine editor.

Also a sought-after workshop leader, Greg writes and lives in the tidewater area of Virginia.

View Greg's Workshops  <------> Read Greg's Blog <------>  Visit Greg's Website <------> Buy Greg's Books

Scalping the Red Rocks - a Derek Mason Mystery

Reviews

“SCALPING THE RED ROCKS is an exciting, well-written page-turner of a mystery, which will keep you guessing as you slowly learn more about each of its colorful, complex characters...I’ll kick the red dust off my boots, and give this five full stars out of five!” -  Bob Lind, Echo Magazine

“Greg Lilly showcases his mastery of characterization, setting, and suspense in

SCALPING THE RED ROCKS.” - Keith Pyeatt, author of STRUCK and DARK KNOWLEDGE

Description

Something's askew in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona. The town's inhabitants are divided by urban growth. Some entrepreneurs try to make a quick buck by selling out the very aspect of the town that drew them: the awe-inspiring views and natural beauty. Spirited, passionate, and a bit mettlesome, Derek Mason helps his aunt Ruby find her place in the New Age haven, but instead they discover her real estate agent scalped in an empty condo. The crafty real estate agent had intended to sell off part of the pristine landscape, to scalp the land to the highest bidder, but someone scalped him first.

Derek meets Myra and Topher, best friends with a shared secret from Devil's Bridge; Kimbo Blue, a former child star from Hollywood with a eunuch-ness that defies his adult persona; Clarity Received, the New Age girlfriend of the victim; and Tricia, the diva ex-wife. Along with a troupe of paranoid art gallery owners, gossipy sales clerks, sexy day workers, and a Jeep-driving Yavapai-Apache, the quirky characters of the resort town hamper Derek's attempts to expose the killer.

Small town secrets, shady deals, and serial arsonists threaten to throw Derek off the trail. The destructive power of greed materializes in the idyllic setting, and Derek struggles to keep his sense of self-value over the immediate gratification of self-indulgence. Temptation from his past jeopardizes his future, unless he can tame his libido and focus. Or will he lose his head too?

Under a Copper Moon   Interview with Author

Reviews

Lilly weaves history with unforgettable characters, and social and moral issues as relevant today as in the Victorian frontier. -- Kudos Entertainment Weekly, November 28, 2007

2008 Historical Finalist medalist -- Next Generation Indie Book Awards -- Historical Finalist, May 2008

Lilly's heroine triumphs in the Victorian Southwest. -- Daily Press, May 11, 2008

One of the most exceptional independently published books of the year. -- Bristol Herald Courier, June 8, 2008

Under a Copper Moon, the portrait of a Mail-Order Bride, Jerome, Arizona Territory, 1894, is one of the ten Historical Fiction Finalists in the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

Description

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the New York Post branded Jerome, Arizona the "Wickedest Town in America." From mine explosions, rowdy men, and enterprising prostitutes to Chinese slavery, opium dens, and a lonely sheriff, a young girl fights her way to independence and respect.

It's 1894 and Inez, a young woman alone and hopeless after her mother dies, discovers adventure in a newspaper ad. After a long train ride across the country, she meets her future husband Josiah who paid for her trip to the mining town of Jerome in the Arizona Territory. Before the wedding, she boards with Sam and Lottie, Josiah's friends. Being a true Victorian age woman, Lottie decides to mold Inez into the perfect lady.

The copper mining town of Jerome is booming. Inez has never encountered so many different types of people, some more mysterious than others. Her inquisitiveness may get the best of her. As circumstances twist, turn, and buckle, Inez discovers another side of the town: elegant parlor houses, the mysterious Navajo Onalee, Mr. Zhen and his Chinese laundry girls, the town's handsome sheriff, and a new best friend Pearl who fancies striped stockings and a sip or two of wine.

Under a Copper Moon is a story of grit, daring, perseverance, and a splash of Lady Marmalade in the late Victorian era when men were strong and women were supposed to be coy and quiet… But no one could convince Inez of that.

Devil's Bridge

Review

"Lilly writes one scene that builds upon the scene before it with elegant timing and exquisite architecture." -- Rochelle Brener -- Kudos Entertainment Weekly

Description

Two friends, Myra and Topher, deal with their twisting lives. Her husband beats her, his lover ignores him, and their friendship must bend with changes of its own.

Dealing with their own problems, Myra's increasingly violent husband and Topher's unrequited love for his partner Alex, they don't realize how much their lives parallel each other.

Myra's husband Gil controls her actions with his violence. Doubts finally creep into Myra's reluctant mind. Her dream of a happy family is slipping out of her reach. Although Topher helps her build self-esteem and is the stable influence in her life, he is in a crisis over where he fits in the gay community -- too old for the club life, but not in a stable committed relationship. He allows Alex to manipulate him with the future possibility of love.

Finding strength to leave their relationships, Myra and Topher decide to escape from their life and start over - together. But, Myra's husband craves revenge. At a place called DEVIL'S BRIDGE, vengeance is redeemed.

Fingering the Family Jewels - a Derek Mason Mystery

Review

"Fingering the Family Jewels is a captivating, sexy, fast-paced and extremely creative mystery." -- OURBOOKSHELF@Yahoo.com, November 20,2004

"Lilly tells this story with grace and sensitivity…engrossing to the exclusion of all else, as it moved inexorably to conclusion." -- Kudos, April 28,2004 - Rochelle Brener

Description

Derek Mason arrives in Charlotte, North Carolina for the funeral of his Aunt Walterene. He encounters the family who sent him away because he revealed he was gay. His mother and Uncle Vernon want him out of town because of Vernon’s senate campaign. His sister and Aunt Ruby urge him to stay. His cousin Mark denies their past relationship. Derek uncovers mysteries in the death of a family gardener, possibly at the hands of a young Vernon. Secrets and lies unravel as Derek digs into the family history with the help of hunky reporter Daniel.