Lorelei Henderson

WHEN DID YOU START WRITING? WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?
I clearly remember starting as a writer when I was eight years old, it was a short story of course; maybe four or five pages long and it was about God. We were a summer vacation bible school clan (I have three sisters and a brother) and the church was on the corner of our street. The church offered a free lunch along with the Bible classes where we had to write out our own interpretation of Bible stories.
I wanted to be a writer because I’m a constant reader. When I was younger, I lived in a neighborhood with a small library, it was down the street from my elementary school; so, I had to pass by it twice a day. It had great windows where it would display all kinds of books and programs in connection with the school. I visited that library probably six times a week if not more: seeking out new books and writers, to read books I loved over-and-over, to hear writers talk about their work and especially for summer reading challenges – I loved it all. Having that library – at the beginning of my life – helped shape the writer - the person - I am today.
ARE YOU A PANTSER OR A PLOTTER?
I’m a little of both. I like to know in the beginning how my stories will end - plotter; yet; have no idea how the story will go – pantser. I also like to know most of the characters at the beginning; from the main characters whom I see clearly from day-one to the smaller players that come along as the story develops.
DO YOU HAVE ANY WRITING RITUALS OR SPECIAL PROCESSES YOU COMPLETE BEFORE SITTING DOWN TO WRITE:
Yes, I have one special process before I start to write (most writers have this one) and that’s to research people, places and things as much as I can. I write mostly about things I have no clue about (my own world is small and insular) so I must do a good deal of research, for example, in my novel, Our Daughters: the main character Jesse works for a non-profit foundation that helps bring needed clean water to parts of the world without it, such as parts of Africa; so, I had to learn how such a foundation worked.
WHAT AUTHORIS INSPIRE YOU?
Thinking about what authors inspire me; I realized how sexist my list is, I have only two women writers I feel are extraordinary, who create (have created) wonderful, lasting characters and who are (was) extremely skilled writers: Agatha Christie and Kate Atkinson – both British.
Agatha Christie – no introduction needed; she’s incomparable. She stands alone in lasting character creation; remarkable stories and her productivity was truly astounding. Kate Atkinson is a marvel too, her writing is funny, touching, her characters stay with you so that the reader cannot get enough of them – her characters do seem like actual people you would truly want to follow if they had followers (and were real people).
I’m inspired by male authors too: my favorites are John Sandford, his Lucas Davenport is cool. Then there’s the remarkable Stephen King who has built a world of the ordinary-everyday- relatable America with its dark, tangled depths that on too many occasions are horrifying.
IF YOU COULD WRITE IN ONE GENRE FOR THE REST OF YOUR CAREER, WHAT GENRE WOULD YOU CHOOSE? WHY?
If I could write in only one genre for the rest of my life, it would be mystery/detective/thrillers - a definite combination of those three. I’ve written two novels featuring New York City detective, Owen Story, and I’ve tried to put thrills-and-chills into each one with a mystery as the jumping off point. I loved writing those books.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE YOUR BOOK?
What inspired me to write ‘To Play For Love’: the first incentive was after watching a seventies movie featuring three sisters: the movie was pretentious, unrealistic, unrelatable even seriously privileged; I couldn’t believe anyone could have taken it seriously – I love it though and watch it every chance I get. Yet, it did inspire me to write with a goal of realism, challenges faced by ‘just folks’ who have to work hard to get anything; to get anywhere, and who truly love each other.
The novel was also inspired by my late cousin, Nelsan Ellis, who was an actual Hollywood actor. He made me understand that glamour and glitz was for premieres and award shows that were infrequent outings anyway. Nelsan would say that sleepless nights, long hours and disappointments in not getting roles was the norm; true success in Hollywood was relative depending on your own wants and needs.
WHICH OF THE CHARACTERS IN YOUR CURRENT RELEASE IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?
In To Play For Love, Cassandra Chaletain is my favorite character because she imbibes that old-fashioned term ‘grit’; she keeps working at her craft and trying to create a viable career for herself as an actress despite the setbacks and stagnation. The fact that Cassandra keeps striving for something very few people achieve – in a good way – let alone become relevant in (if there’s such thing in Hollywood): which is acting; I give it to her. My cousin Nelsan and I would talk about his work on True Blood (which he loved) and not just because it was a consistent paycheck; but because his co-workers were his friends, they loved each other. The movies were a rarity for Nelsan, he was able to get a number of good roles but it was the ones he didn't get; no matter how hard he tried, the number of auditions for that one role, the buildup and work going into it only to end up disappointed; it was very stressful. Another reason Cassandra is my favorite, is because she knows all this, has been through these disappointments even failures and add being a woman of color to the mix makes it even harder; yet she's a person who doesn't give up on what or who she loves.
ARE ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS MODELED AFTER REAL PEOPLE? IF SO, WHICH ONE?
In To Play For Love, Cassandra is modeled after a real person, my late cousin Nelsan Ellis, who played the character Lafayette in the HBO show, True Blood. He was a Julliard trained performer and was also a playwright. Cassandra is a writer too and her character was truly inspired by Nelsan whom I miss very much.
WHAT MUSIC WAS ON YOUR PLAYLIST WHILE WRITING YOUR NOVEL?
While writing I don’t have a playlist of music but one of classic films; I mostly listen to them as I write. Some of those films, I know so well; I can quote the lines as I listen. The movies I play over and over include: The Letter with Bette Davis; Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House with Cary Grant and Thief with James Caan (my favorite movie of all time).
TELL US ONE THING IT WOULD SURPRISE US TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
One thing that would surprise you to know about me is that I have a day job I absolutely love. I work with oncology providers and patients; patients who are going through cancer treatment. Most of them are kind, brave, generous and funny. I don’t know if I’d be any of those things if I had to go through what many of them must endure: the treatments, the numerous medications, the side-effects plus the emotional toll with no guarantee the outcome will be saving their lives. Yet, talking to them and working with them to get the best care they can get – it's wonderful.
DO YOU HAVE ANY UNIQUE SKILLS OR TALENTS? IF SO, WHAT?
Yes, I do have a unique skill and it’s the ability to put together things such as television stands, spice racks, book cases, IKEA furniture; if it comes out of a box with an instruction booklet and funny looking tools or I can use my own screwdriver set: I can put it together. It’s an odd skill, yet; it has helped keep my household in one piece.
IF I WERE TO LOOK IN YOUR CLOSET RIGHT NOW, WOULD I FIND FRILLS AND LACE OR DENIM AND TEES?
If you were to look in my closet, you wouldn’t find many frills or tees; you’d find mostly workout clothes (I’m an aficionado of hot yoga and I’m a runner) and sweaters. I love sweaters because I live in the Midwest and it always seems cold; so, I have a sweater handy day and night – I've even slept in a sweater because I’d rather be too hot than too cold.
MORNING PERSON OR GRUMPY BEAR?
I’m definitely a morning person because it’s the best time for me to get my work out over and done: the earliest yoga class or with my own old-fashioned work out videos (love Denise Austin) in a quiet house while my sons are sleeping.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?
What is next for me as a writer is a long form novel, the third featuring my New York City detective; Owen Story. I wrote the first two books some time ago and I’m now working on completing the trilogy. Though Owen is not the main character this time, he shows up after his very good friend, Jackson; a man he once worked with in the NYPD, becomes sheriff of a town and hamlet in Upstate New York where a terrible crime occurs, and he needs Owen’s help to solve.
I clearly remember starting as a writer when I was eight years old, it was a short story of course; maybe four or five pages long and it was about God. We were a summer vacation bible school clan (I have three sisters and a brother) and the church was on the corner of our street. The church offered a free lunch along with the Bible classes where we had to write out our own interpretation of Bible stories.
I wanted to be a writer because I’m a constant reader. When I was younger, I lived in a neighborhood with a small library, it was down the street from my elementary school; so, I had to pass by it twice a day. It had great windows where it would display all kinds of books and programs in connection with the school. I visited that library probably six times a week if not more: seeking out new books and writers, to read books I loved over-and-over, to hear writers talk about their work and especially for summer reading challenges – I loved it all. Having that library – at the beginning of my life – helped shape the writer - the person - I am today.
ARE YOU A PANTSER OR A PLOTTER?
I’m a little of both. I like to know in the beginning how my stories will end - plotter; yet; have no idea how the story will go – pantser. I also like to know most of the characters at the beginning; from the main characters whom I see clearly from day-one to the smaller players that come along as the story develops.
DO YOU HAVE ANY WRITING RITUALS OR SPECIAL PROCESSES YOU COMPLETE BEFORE SITTING DOWN TO WRITE:
Yes, I have one special process before I start to write (most writers have this one) and that’s to research people, places and things as much as I can. I write mostly about things I have no clue about (my own world is small and insular) so I must do a good deal of research, for example, in my novel, Our Daughters: the main character Jesse works for a non-profit foundation that helps bring needed clean water to parts of the world without it, such as parts of Africa; so, I had to learn how such a foundation worked.
WHAT AUTHORIS INSPIRE YOU?
Thinking about what authors inspire me; I realized how sexist my list is, I have only two women writers I feel are extraordinary, who create (have created) wonderful, lasting characters and who are (was) extremely skilled writers: Agatha Christie and Kate Atkinson – both British.
Agatha Christie – no introduction needed; she’s incomparable. She stands alone in lasting character creation; remarkable stories and her productivity was truly astounding. Kate Atkinson is a marvel too, her writing is funny, touching, her characters stay with you so that the reader cannot get enough of them – her characters do seem like actual people you would truly want to follow if they had followers (and were real people).
I’m inspired by male authors too: my favorites are John Sandford, his Lucas Davenport is cool. Then there’s the remarkable Stephen King who has built a world of the ordinary-everyday- relatable America with its dark, tangled depths that on too many occasions are horrifying.
IF YOU COULD WRITE IN ONE GENRE FOR THE REST OF YOUR CAREER, WHAT GENRE WOULD YOU CHOOSE? WHY?
If I could write in only one genre for the rest of my life, it would be mystery/detective/thrillers - a definite combination of those three. I’ve written two novels featuring New York City detective, Owen Story, and I’ve tried to put thrills-and-chills into each one with a mystery as the jumping off point. I loved writing those books.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE YOUR BOOK?
What inspired me to write ‘To Play For Love’: the first incentive was after watching a seventies movie featuring three sisters: the movie was pretentious, unrealistic, unrelatable even seriously privileged; I couldn’t believe anyone could have taken it seriously – I love it though and watch it every chance I get. Yet, it did inspire me to write with a goal of realism, challenges faced by ‘just folks’ who have to work hard to get anything; to get anywhere, and who truly love each other.
The novel was also inspired by my late cousin, Nelsan Ellis, who was an actual Hollywood actor. He made me understand that glamour and glitz was for premieres and award shows that were infrequent outings anyway. Nelsan would say that sleepless nights, long hours and disappointments in not getting roles was the norm; true success in Hollywood was relative depending on your own wants and needs.
WHICH OF THE CHARACTERS IN YOUR CURRENT RELEASE IS YOUR FAVORITE AND WHY?
In To Play For Love, Cassandra Chaletain is my favorite character because she imbibes that old-fashioned term ‘grit’; she keeps working at her craft and trying to create a viable career for herself as an actress despite the setbacks and stagnation. The fact that Cassandra keeps striving for something very few people achieve – in a good way – let alone become relevant in (if there’s such thing in Hollywood): which is acting; I give it to her. My cousin Nelsan and I would talk about his work on True Blood (which he loved) and not just because it was a consistent paycheck; but because his co-workers were his friends, they loved each other. The movies were a rarity for Nelsan, he was able to get a number of good roles but it was the ones he didn't get; no matter how hard he tried, the number of auditions for that one role, the buildup and work going into it only to end up disappointed; it was very stressful. Another reason Cassandra is my favorite, is because she knows all this, has been through these disappointments even failures and add being a woman of color to the mix makes it even harder; yet she's a person who doesn't give up on what or who she loves.
ARE ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS MODELED AFTER REAL PEOPLE? IF SO, WHICH ONE?
In To Play For Love, Cassandra is modeled after a real person, my late cousin Nelsan Ellis, who played the character Lafayette in the HBO show, True Blood. He was a Julliard trained performer and was also a playwright. Cassandra is a writer too and her character was truly inspired by Nelsan whom I miss very much.
WHAT MUSIC WAS ON YOUR PLAYLIST WHILE WRITING YOUR NOVEL?
While writing I don’t have a playlist of music but one of classic films; I mostly listen to them as I write. Some of those films, I know so well; I can quote the lines as I listen. The movies I play over and over include: The Letter with Bette Davis; Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House with Cary Grant and Thief with James Caan (my favorite movie of all time).
TELL US ONE THING IT WOULD SURPRISE US TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
One thing that would surprise you to know about me is that I have a day job I absolutely love. I work with oncology providers and patients; patients who are going through cancer treatment. Most of them are kind, brave, generous and funny. I don’t know if I’d be any of those things if I had to go through what many of them must endure: the treatments, the numerous medications, the side-effects plus the emotional toll with no guarantee the outcome will be saving their lives. Yet, talking to them and working with them to get the best care they can get – it's wonderful.
DO YOU HAVE ANY UNIQUE SKILLS OR TALENTS? IF SO, WHAT?
Yes, I do have a unique skill and it’s the ability to put together things such as television stands, spice racks, book cases, IKEA furniture; if it comes out of a box with an instruction booklet and funny looking tools or I can use my own screwdriver set: I can put it together. It’s an odd skill, yet; it has helped keep my household in one piece.
IF I WERE TO LOOK IN YOUR CLOSET RIGHT NOW, WOULD I FIND FRILLS AND LACE OR DENIM AND TEES?
If you were to look in my closet, you wouldn’t find many frills or tees; you’d find mostly workout clothes (I’m an aficionado of hot yoga and I’m a runner) and sweaters. I love sweaters because I live in the Midwest and it always seems cold; so, I have a sweater handy day and night – I've even slept in a sweater because I’d rather be too hot than too cold.
MORNING PERSON OR GRUMPY BEAR?
I’m definitely a morning person because it’s the best time for me to get my work out over and done: the earliest yoga class or with my own old-fashioned work out videos (love Denise Austin) in a quiet house while my sons are sleeping.
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?
What is next for me as a writer is a long form novel, the third featuring my New York City detective; Owen Story. I wrote the first two books some time ago and I’m now working on completing the trilogy. Though Owen is not the main character this time, he shows up after his very good friend, Jackson; a man he once worked with in the NYPD, becomes sheriff of a town and hamlet in Upstate New York where a terrible crime occurs, and he needs Owen’s help to solve.

Buy Links:
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTDDGG6N
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/to-play-for-love
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-play-for-love-lorelei-henderson/1144730668
APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/to-play-for-love/id6476790117
Blurb:
A struggling actress must decide between Hollywood success or a hometown love…Especially when her heart is on the line.
Cassandra Chaletaine worked hard to catch her break in Tinsel Town but she’s struggling because of her race, talent or plain bad luck. She returns home to Boston for her father’s retirement party and to re-evaluate her career.
While touring a new theatre in her old neighborhood, she literally bumped into her old friend and former Hollywood writer, Michael Kiley. They’d always had much in common, both being bi-racial and shared dreams of Hollywood success.
After finding Hollywood lacking, Michael fled to give back to his hometown. He was delighted to see Cassandra, having always been in love with her but too afraid to risk their friendship. Now that she was back in Boston, the love he’d harbored for years, blooms.
Cassandra falls hard for Michael too, but she’s pulled between her life in Hollywood and the one in her hometown. When her agent calls with her dream break, Cassandra has to make the biggest decision of her life— would it be Hollywood or Love?
TO PLAY FOR LOVE is great for fans of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels. Many of her novels are about family, it’s the foundational theme and TO PLAY FOR LOVE is all about family and hometown love. Additionally, fans of Jasmine Guillory’s wonderful novels will also love TO PLAY FOR LOVE. Ms. Guillory’s characters are fully fleshed out people with tremendously relatable storylines that her readers love, just as they will love Cassandra, Michael and all the people that make up their lives.
Excerpt
He was a few inches shorter than she was, was totally bald, and had one of the most beautiful smiles she’d ever seen. “Did Aimee tell you?”
“I know, five minutes.”
“Yes, so to get right to it—you didn’t get the part, Cassandra.”
For a moment she was speechless, then, “Why not? I know I aced those four auditions.” She tried to sound brave, even as she felt shocked disbelief and hurt disappointment at not getting the gig. She knew she shouldn’t internalize this intense feeling of failure; she’d gone out for too many parts in the past and hadn’t gotten them. Yet this one had been different; she’d really wanted it and had tried hard to come up with great lines, had come to each audition with new material so not to sound stale, and had read each part with fervor and heart. Still she had come up short.
“They went with someone with more experience and more previous speaking parts, and you don’t have many.”
“Not from lack of trying, Marty. I do everything I can to make every interview, never getting to a set late, never making any demands.”
“I know.” Marty nodded in agreement. “You did nothing wrong; it just wasn’t meant to be. It’s no doubt you had your heart set on the Henson movie, but it was out of your control, Cassandra. I’m on the look-out for anything that might be perfect for you. I promise. We’ll see what happens with the next tryout.”
“You said this would be perfect for me, and I didn’t get it.”
“Next time,” he said softly.
“And the next and the next,” she said tiredly—suddenly tired of it all.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTDDGG6N
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/to-play-for-love
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-play-for-love-lorelei-henderson/1144730668
APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/to-play-for-love/id6476790117
Blurb:
A struggling actress must decide between Hollywood success or a hometown love…Especially when her heart is on the line.
Cassandra Chaletaine worked hard to catch her break in Tinsel Town but she’s struggling because of her race, talent or plain bad luck. She returns home to Boston for her father’s retirement party and to re-evaluate her career.
While touring a new theatre in her old neighborhood, she literally bumped into her old friend and former Hollywood writer, Michael Kiley. They’d always had much in common, both being bi-racial and shared dreams of Hollywood success.
After finding Hollywood lacking, Michael fled to give back to his hometown. He was delighted to see Cassandra, having always been in love with her but too afraid to risk their friendship. Now that she was back in Boston, the love he’d harbored for years, blooms.
Cassandra falls hard for Michael too, but she’s pulled between her life in Hollywood and the one in her hometown. When her agent calls with her dream break, Cassandra has to make the biggest decision of her life— would it be Hollywood or Love?
TO PLAY FOR LOVE is great for fans of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels. Many of her novels are about family, it’s the foundational theme and TO PLAY FOR LOVE is all about family and hometown love. Additionally, fans of Jasmine Guillory’s wonderful novels will also love TO PLAY FOR LOVE. Ms. Guillory’s characters are fully fleshed out people with tremendously relatable storylines that her readers love, just as they will love Cassandra, Michael and all the people that make up their lives.
Excerpt
He was a few inches shorter than she was, was totally bald, and had one of the most beautiful smiles she’d ever seen. “Did Aimee tell you?”
“I know, five minutes.”
“Yes, so to get right to it—you didn’t get the part, Cassandra.”
For a moment she was speechless, then, “Why not? I know I aced those four auditions.” She tried to sound brave, even as she felt shocked disbelief and hurt disappointment at not getting the gig. She knew she shouldn’t internalize this intense feeling of failure; she’d gone out for too many parts in the past and hadn’t gotten them. Yet this one had been different; she’d really wanted it and had tried hard to come up with great lines, had come to each audition with new material so not to sound stale, and had read each part with fervor and heart. Still she had come up short.
“They went with someone with more experience and more previous speaking parts, and you don’t have many.”
“Not from lack of trying, Marty. I do everything I can to make every interview, never getting to a set late, never making any demands.”
“I know.” Marty nodded in agreement. “You did nothing wrong; it just wasn’t meant to be. It’s no doubt you had your heart set on the Henson movie, but it was out of your control, Cassandra. I’m on the look-out for anything that might be perfect for you. I promise. We’ll see what happens with the next tryout.”
“You said this would be perfect for me, and I didn’t get it.”
“Next time,” he said softly.
“And the next and the next,” she said tiredly—suddenly tired of it all.