Laya's debut novel "The Lumbermill" won the 2021 Maxy Award for Best Thriller and was a finalist for 2021 IAN Award for Best Debut Novel. She is a member of ITW and AWP and has been featured on national news outlets, including Fox, NBC and The Daily Herald. With a degree in history from the University of Utah, Laya's creative work has always been rooted in the mysteries of the past. She loves connecting with and experiencing other cultures, both past and present, and for her the writing journey always begins with extensive research. Laya loves to travel and has lived in both Tijuana, Mexico and Istanbul, Turkey, though her home will always be Utah's Rocky Mountains. She writes in the genres of fantasy, romance, thriller, horror, and speculative fiction. Other than reading, writing, and learning about the past, she enjoys stand-up comedy, terrible movies, ugly dogs, red wine, stinky cheese, travel, and simply spending time with her friends and family. For more info on Laya's independent work, please visit LayaVSmith.com
