Life, Inspiration & Writing: An Interview with Leilena Durrette

Stories and Stanza

Join us on the Stories in Stanza podcast as we delve into the creative journey of Leilena Durrette, an independent author of the Kira Raymond trilogy.

Lelina Durrette was born in New York City and raised in Guinea, West Africa, by globe-trotting parents. After pinballing around Europe as an accidental tourist in her teens via boarding school, she landed briefly in Virginia, where she earned a degree in Psychology and became a wife and mother. These days, she lives in Texas, rediscovering herself and embracing a renaissance in her creative life. She enjoys cooking, reading, travelling, and supporting fellow independent authors in the writing community. She is an author across multiple genres, including Young Adult, Romance, and Horror. The Girl Who Saved Them All is her second Young Adult novel in the Kierra Rieman Trilogy.

• Website link: https://lelinad.wixsite.com/lelinadurrettewrites
• TikTok link: https://www.tiktok.com/@lelinadurrettewrites

In this episode, Leilena shares her experiences growing up abroad, how these have influenced her writing, and her path from childhood stories to becoming a published author. Learn about her writing process the challenges of indie publishing, and get a sneak peek into her dystopian young adult novels. Leilena's story is inspirational for all aspiring writers looking to find their voice and place in literature.