Aurora Lillard's Blog
March 7, 2021
The Mystery of Ife
“Ife never moved an inch, the woman a statue of perfection as she sat in the deep chair. He saw that Ife had been crying, the signs of a bathroom trip to fix up her makeup evident. However, she sat with long legs crossed regally, manicured hands holding the teacup and saucer, and her knee-length emerald green dress sent the colors in her ebony skin shifting to cool. He saw why an ancient king found her attractive. There was a power in her blood, no doubt about it. She was an assertive force for sure and calm emanated from her. That and an essence indicating a killer, that predatory awareness aimed at him.”
Growing up as an avid reader, I was hard-pressed to find characters with a family like mine. From the very first book I wrote in middle school, it was important to me to have a main character with a mixed family who grew up in a culturally diverse city.
Ivy’s mother, Ifedayo Adebowale, in Touch of Embers, is the matriarch of their tiny woman tribe. Moving from her homeland in Nigeria to start a family with a magical stranger, an attack against her child forced her to flee to New Orleans in order to protect her daughter. Rising Ivy in a city full of mysticism and people from all over the world, she couldn’t keep Ivy’s true nature hidden forever...no matter how hard she tried. Having brought up a daughter full of curiosity and intrigue, it was only a matter of time before her travels exposed the truth. Despite her fears, Ife still championed her daughter’s adventures and treated her best friend like family.
I can’t wait to see what readers think of Ifedayo’s character. As I plan the follow-up books in The Lore Resurrection Series, I keep finding myself imagining Ife’s story. Her tragic and mysterious past forged her into a strong mother, willing to do anything for her daughter. As I continue developing this world, I look forward to seeing what her future holds and having her character reveal her wants, needs, and desires as a woman rather than just as a mother.
Growing up as an avid reader, I was hard-pressed to find characters with a family like mine. From the very first book I wrote in middle school, it was important to me to have a main character with a mixed family who grew up in a culturally diverse city.
Ivy’s mother, Ifedayo Adebowale, in Touch of Embers, is the matriarch of their tiny woman tribe. Moving from her homeland in Nigeria to start a family with a magical stranger, an attack against her child forced her to flee to New Orleans in order to protect her daughter. Rising Ivy in a city full of mysticism and people from all over the world, she couldn’t keep Ivy’s true nature hidden forever...no matter how hard she tried. Having brought up a daughter full of curiosity and intrigue, it was only a matter of time before her travels exposed the truth. Despite her fears, Ife still championed her daughter’s adventures and treated her best friend like family.
I can’t wait to see what readers think of Ifedayo’s character. As I plan the follow-up books in The Lore Resurrection Series, I keep finding myself imagining Ife’s story. Her tragic and mysterious past forged her into a strong mother, willing to do anything for her daughter. As I continue developing this world, I look forward to seeing what her future holds and having her character reveal her wants, needs, and desires as a woman rather than just as a mother.
