Interview with Henry Lyons

Today we're chatting with Henry Lyons, author of poetry book DEEP THOUGHTS. Henry's new work is a book called SUPERNATURE. Let's get to know him.

Welcome, Henry. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Well I’m a New York City Special Education Teacher. I also design websites and graphics for advertisements as well as edit short films and music videos. Of course I also write first poetry and now novels.

How long have you been writing?

Most of my poetry was written over a fifteen year period. During that time I did have some ideas for stories but I never wrote any of them down until last year when I started work on Supernature.

Tell us about SUPERNATURE. What’s the story about?

The story starts off as a simple police investigation which uncovers mass mutations that are caused by an unknown substance. As the mutations spread they begin to threaten the entire planet. A team of scientists and investigators work together to halt the spread of the mutated creatures.

Sounds intriguing. I bet it would make a cool movie too. How did the idea of the story come to you?

To be honest with you I got the idea for the story way back in the nineteen seventy’s. A disco song was popular at that time called believe it or not, “Supernature” by a French artist by the name of Cerrone. As I listened to the lyrics of the song I noticed that it talked about Man’s manipulation of nature and finally natures revolt against man. Here’s a few lines from the song:


Once upon a time
Science opened up the doors
We would feed the hungry fields
'till they couldn't eat no more

But the potions that we made
Touched the creatures down below
And they grew up in a way
That we've never seen before

supernature supernature
supernature supernature

They were angry with the man
cause he changed their way of life
And they take their sweet revenge
As they trample through the night


I started to think about how genetic engineering has become common place within our society and how if abused what impact the technology could have on our environment. I played with the idea for years and then in 2009 I finally decided to put pen to paper.

Do you have a critique group/partner or beta readers, or do you self-edit?

I had a number of friends that helped me edit the book and give me some critical feedback.

What’s the hardest part of writing for you?

I think one of the hardest things to do is to create believable characters that people can identify with.

Let’s get to know you on a deeper level. What do you absolutely have to have nearby when writing?

A photo of my beloved deceased daughter. Her memory gives me my drive.

Sorry for your loss. That's got to be the worst pain someone can endure. I'm glad she's giving you inspiration.


Here’s the part where you thank the people who are supporting you.

I would like to thank my wife Shanell who has supported me patiently while I write. I would also like to thank my father who has always been my ROCK and role model. He is also one of my most enthusiastic fans. I would also like to thank my buddy and business partner Alvin Grant.
Also LULU.com, and all of my family and friends

And finally, where can people find you online?
http://www.HVLYONS.com
http://stores.lulu.com/hvlyons
http://hvlyons.blogspot.com
twitter.com/Hvlyons

Henry, thank you so much for chatting with us. I wish you success with all your publication endeavors.

Thank you!