About Lesley
Author, Video Game Narrative Designer and Writer, Creative Powerhouse
I acknowledge that I live and work on the traditional territories of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Huron-Wendat, and Haudenosaunee peoples.
A vampiric unicorn lives in my soul.
I create stories and video games with characters people love, or love to hate. Together we quest through dark shadows and uncertain seas into compelling worlds that beg to be explored.
My writing has been published nationally and internationally in small and micro press in both fiction and non-fiction. I do freelance work in creative writing and for narrative design for video games on Fiverr and I provide exclusive authors strategies for private clients.
I have over 20 years of Canadian nursing experience, primarily in emergency and acute adult medicine. I’m a hobby medievalist, mother to a son with special needs, and an often companionable wife. For media requests, please email info@aquhorthies.com and include MEDIA in the subject line.
Speculative Fiction
My fantastical and speculative fiction has been published nationally and internationally. My debut fantasy, The Queen’s Viper, was a Semi-Finalist in the 2016 Kindle Book Awards. The second book, The Wrath of Atticus, released with astounding crowdfunding support. Thank you! If you like your stories so realistic you feel like you’re there, I’m sure you’ll love this grimdark blend of historical and contemporary fantasy.
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Video Games and Interactive Fiction
I’m excited to be on the frontier of storytelling: the intersection between story and video games.
I have pending professional certification in Writing For Video Games from the University of British Columbia (May 2022). My portfolio showcases both narrative design and game writing samples.
At Fiverr I’m a freelance writer for global clients across a range of video game genres, I provide narrative designs, in-game writing and interactive scripts, and game design documents within an agreed upon deadline. I have a keen skill for narrative design, including environmental elements, game mechanics, and player interactivity.
In 2021, I worked with an indie game studio, streamlining over a year’s worth of documentation and lore into a single style guide. I remotely lead and mentored a team of over 14 multi-national writers. In addition to improving the tools and methods used by the narrative writers, I revamped existing IP quest lines into a stronger immersive and interactive gameplay. Working alongside a cinematic lead, I contributed to a “brain trust” that worked on content for a YouTube series of NPC stories, during which I provided 1:1: substantive edits.
Writing Coach and Public Speaker
Connecting with creative individuals makes my day! I founded Your Author Strategy to help authors find strategies that unlock their success with exclusive 1:1 and small group coaching. Your family may not encourage you, but I will.
As a public speaker, I address a wide range of topics, from resiliency and empowerment, to many aspects of the creative process.
Creative-Non Fiction
Growing a Rainbow: The Premature Journey of a Two Pound Hero
In the honest and gripping narrative within “Growing a Rainbow,” I recount the perilous journey of Baby Torran, who arrived three months early and weighed less than a pair of running shoes.
Witness through my eyes as Baby Torran fights to for his first breath and against the staggering impacts of his premature birth. My passionate words bring hope to parents of preemies as I raise awareness about this unexpected outcome of pregnancy.
This must-read is a true love story for everyone who cherishes children. It is a fundraising venture for The Canadian Premature Babies Foundation.
Sites Featuring Growing A Rainbow: The Premature Journey Of A Two Pound Hero
Growing a Rainbow is in the collection of these libraries:
Contact The Library Services Centre or purchase directly from the Aquhorthies Publishing to put Growing a Rainbow in your library collection.
Blogger Reviews of Growing a Rainbow
Non-Fiction
After being asked innumerable times how I took my personal blog and turned it into a published book, I wrote a book about my process!
Join publishing industry professional, Doris Chung, and I as we outline how to turn your blog into a publishable manuscript for traditional queries or independent publishing.
I too drive stick. It was a big deal with guys in high school and university. I don’t quite get why. But we’ll keep buying standard cars, thus possibly making my now 5 and 2 year old daughters equally uber cool when they start driving – if, of course, cars are still “the thing” then 🙂
HI Lesley, We are fascinated by your work. We are designing a web3 metaverse game. We are in the process of putting together our Game Development Document. We would like to have an idea of what it would cost to hire your services. What’s your method for costing out ghosting for a game. Thanks