Lily Mackenzie is originally from Calgary, Alberta Canada but has lived in Northern California for most of her life. As a single mom, she worked at several jobs, including at a dance studio.

At one point she discovered that she wanted to be a writer. Part of that discovery was finding journaling and has done so since. Some of her novel ideas have come from writing her dreams in her diary.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1683131967/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1683131967&linkCode=as2&tag=saschneider-20&linkId=6e47d09a2805a944ee296743631c1010

https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B004R8ZDNU

One hundred years of solitude is one of her favorite books:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060883286/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0060883286&linkCode=as2&tag=saschneider-20&linkId=f0141b6cce500cc3058ef2f65dd91196

A local bookstore she loves:

https://www.bookpassage.com/