Monday 7 October 2013

Guest Author Interview - Lori Foroozandeh

I am really honoured to introduce this author and her book on my blog. She is one amazing lady who has the most difficult story to tell. It is hard to believe that this story is totally true. Lori is an inspiration to us all.

When did you start writing?

In 2003.  After I returned from Iran, everyone kept telling me that I should write a book that it would be a GREAT CATHARSIS!

What's the story behind your book?
 
It involves a lot of facets of my life, e.g. childhood sexual abuse, lifelong struggle with substance abuse, domestic violence, living with bipolar and now PTSD.  But the focus of the story is moving to Iran with my Iranian husband (who turned out to be a terrorist), and then being put into a POW type camp the day after 911; where I was raped, tortured and starved x6wks.  I eventually escaped and went on to better my life which shows people there is good/great in everything we do if we can show people that we CAN TURN OUR LIVES AROUND.

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

Knowing that I’ve helped people, inspired them or motivated them to realize that they truly can change their life.

What are you working on next?

Unless I have another tragedy, I don’t plan on doing another book.  People have been telling me I should write a follow-up that includes my “getting better” chapter of my life……I’m still thinking about that one J

Who are your favourite authors?

Tom Clancy (I’m so saddened by his death), Stephen King and Ayn Rand

When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?

Loving and playing with my cats.  My son calls me the “cat lady”..lol.  I’m on disability due to the injuries I suffered in Iran so it’s hard to keep from being bored.  I’d love to sell the rights to my book for a movie or just get out from under it; so I can use the money to open up an animal shelter that treats animals and doesn’t euthanize them.

How did you approach the cover design for your book?

I didn’t know what I was doing, and I met this friend online, Debra Kamza who did my cover for FREE.  She did a beautiful job!

Where did you grow up and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in Michigan.  I was adopted and that experience gave me the subject of the first part of my book, I was molested by my adoptive brother.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?

Yes, this one J

What is your writing process?

Sadly enough, TOTAL RECALL.

What do you read for pleasure?

Lately I’ve been reading the new authors that I’ve been meeting online.  They really are fabulous authors.

Thank you, Lori, for taking the time to answer questions for us. Please see below for details of Lori's book and links if you are interested in purchasing her book and reading her unbelievable true life story.

Website: http://www.loris-song.com/

Blog: http://lorissong.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Loris_Song

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lforoozandeh#!/lforoozandeh

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lori-Foroozandeh/e/B002NSC2DU/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1


Discovery Channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se-NTRWCJIU




 




Lori had heard rumors that the U.S. was going to be attacked on 9/11/2001. That was on September 9, 2001. She tried and failed to call home and give warning.

The news that all those rumors were horribly true came on September 11th 2001. That was when her husband suddenly announced that they had to go back to the
States in case there were repercussions.

On September 12, 2001, Lori and her husband were at the Shiraz bus terminal intending to catch a bus to Istanbul and from there to Heathrow and home to the
U.S.A. They were totally unprepared for the convoy of troop carriers that suddenly drove up and the armed men who came pouring out to take the hapless couple
prisoner.

There was no explanation offered. The men took Lori's husband one direction and she another, pushing them blindfolded into the back of the troop carriers with
other prisoners, mostly Iranian.

Who the armed men were was anybody's guess but they took their prisoners to POW camp in unfamiliar territory and there, Lori was held, tortured, raped, and
starved with them for over a month. Her husband was not to be seen again.

Lori was rescued with one of her fellow inmates by the girl's family and, after riding a llama for 1-2 days over mountainous terrain; she arrived at the Iran Immigration
center. By then, she weighed in at only 70 pounds, was still suffering from the many injuries she'd received at the hands of her torturers, and wanted badly to get
home to her family in the USA. Even then, she had to fight Iranian Islamic bureaucracy to have permission to go, as the husband was unavailable to grant it. In any
Islamic country, unknown to many western women, the husband or guardian's permission is always required for a woman to travel anywhere.

Lori had been married to Mohammad for 9 years and thought she could trust him but, since their arrival in Iran in 1998, his personality and behavior had changed so
radically as to make this most recent nightmare highly suspicious.

The events told here are true. It was no coincidence that this American citizen had been placed into a concentration camp. In fact, it raises many questions and
should be a caution to many!














2 comments:

  1. Thank you so much Danielle for allowing me to be a guest on your blog. I love the layout of your blog too, it's beautiful. Thank you again! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are more than welcome. It was an honour to host you. I wish you the very best with your book! You are an amazing person and I am so glad I got to know you.

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