Lydia Eugene

Lydia Eugene was born in Chicago to a family of Russian immigrants who previously lived in Argentina. Her diverse language and cultural background helped foster her interest in the power of words. Ms. Eugene has worked in several industries, including nursing where she specialized in neonatal intensive care. She studied at the Art Institute in Chicago and practiced ballet. After completing two bachelor's degrees, Nursing and English Literature she moved to Montreal, Canada where she finished her master's degree in English Literature & Creative Writing from Concordia University. Her master's thesis, a collection of short stories entitled "Burnt Orange Lipstick" was selected for the Globe And Mail's Top 100 Books in Canada. Ms. Eugene was featured on the cover of the literary journal Blood & Aphorisms -- Literary Babe's Issue, she had been interviewed as an emerging author on the CBC morning news show in Montreal, and read her short stories on CBC Radio Montreal. She wrote children's television and animation screenplays for Cinar Entertainment. Eugene received writing grants from the Canada Council for the Arts, and was published in several literary journals and anthologies. She currently lives in Chicago's Printer's Row and has completed her second book, a novel entitled "The House Beneath the Clouds." It is a natural outgrowth of Eugene's past, growing up in the Midwest, haunted by her grandparent's whispered memories of the war and their harrowing escape from Soviet Russia. Rich in folklore and humor, it showcases the sometimes sad yet comical ways this family tries to fit into suburban life and achieve the American dream.