Annette Lyon (born December 18, 1973) is a ''USA Today'' bestselling author. She has written in many different genres, but focuses on women's fiction, with her target audience including members of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ...

(LDS Church). She is the recipient of the Utah Best of State Award for Fictional Writing as well as the Silver Quill Award.

Biography

Annette Lyon was born to Melvin J. and Anne Luthy in 1973. She began writing as early as the second grade, typing out stories on her mother's typewriter. She graduated from

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

in English; her studies focused on 19th-century literature. She married Robert W. Lyon with whom she has four children.

Career

Lyon is a freelance writer and professional editor. She has written

novels A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

novellas A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...

nonfiction Nonfiction, or non-fiction, is any document or media content that attempts, in good faith, to provide information (and sometimes opinions) grounded only in facts and real life, rather than in imagination. Nonfiction is often associated with bei ...

books, and articles in her writing career. Lyon submitted her first publication during

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United ...

weekend in 1994. Although it was rejected, it marked the start of her writing career. Lyon targets members of the LDS Church in her writing and includes many themes and insights from

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into seve ...

life. She specializes in writing women's fiction. Lyon worked with authors Sarah M. Eden and

Heather B. Moore Heather B. Moore (also writing as H. B. Moore) is an American writer of fiction, notably romance, thriller, fantasy, LDS, and historical (especially scriptural) novels, as well as nonfiction on religious and family topics. Biography Heathe ...

on the ''Timeless Romance Anthology.'' Lyon also collaborated with other writers in the Newport Ladies Book Club. She worked with

Josi S. Kilpack Josi S. Kilpack (born May 26, 1974) is an American novelist. She has authored 26 books, including a 13 book culinary mystery series. She is the recipient of a Whitney Award from LDStorymakers, a guild for authors who are members of the Church of ...

, Julie Wright, and Moore to write a nine-book series. Each author writes about a different female character in each book. In order to write cohesive story lines, the authors constantly shared information and drafts back and forth, recreating scenes from one character into the perspective of another. These books were created in order to give a more holistic view on Mormon life and the daily struggles that women face. Lyon enjoys eating chocolate, and for some time she also helped with the Utah Chocolate Show. She also wrote her own chocolate cookbook.

Awards

Lyon is a USA Today Bestselling Author. She was also awarded the Utah Best of State Award in the fiction category in 2007 and 2013. She also received the Silver Quill Award in 2013 from the League of Utah Writers for her book ''Paige''. Her novel ''Band of Sisters'' won the Whitney Award in 2010.

Select publications

Novels

Articles

*"Bravery on the Homefront: Military Wives," ''Deseret Saints Magazine'', July 2007 *"The Invisible Writing Mother" 2009 *"Uncovering Scholarship Money," ''LDS Living'', Sep/Oct 2009 *"Learning to Celebrate 'Me' on Mother's Day," ''Deseret Saints Magazine'' *"Confessions of a Knitting Addict," ''Knitty Magazine'' *"Making the Most of the New Testament in 2007," ''Deseret Saints Magazine''

Cookbook

*''Chocolate Never Faileth''

References

External links

Annette Lyon papers, MSS 7929
a
L. Tom Perry Special Collections

7 Things I've Learned so Far
by Annette Lyon,

Writer's Digest ''Writer's Digest'' is an American magazine aimed at beginning and established writers. It contains interviews, market listings, calls for manuscripts, and how-to articles. History ''Writer's Digest'' was first published in December 1920 under ...

''Mail Order Bride Collection'' featured in ''USA Today''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyon, Annette 1973 births Living people Brigham Young University alumni Novelists from Utah 21st-century American novelists Latter Day Saints from Utah 21st-century American women writers Harold B. Lee Library-related 21st century articles