Luxe Beat Magazine April 2014 | Page 76

Lillian Africano Has Changed With the Market and Stays on Top By Maralyn D. Hill Lillian Africano Has Changed With the Market and Stays on Top In 2006, I was fortunate to meet Lillian Africano. At that time, she was President of MDH: Tell us about your background? the International Food Wine & Travel LA: I've been a writer/editor for more years than I can remember. I've written Writers Association, and Lillian went on to 16 books including three best-selling mass market novels under a pseudonym be President of the Society of American and several guidebooks. And I've ghosted a number of successful books, both Travel Writers. In addition, she has been an active member of other prestigious writing organizations. Her experience is impressive. Lillian has navigated the fiction and non-fiction. More recently I've been an active blogger, which is kind of fun because online work appears instantly. MDH: How did you discover your love for travel and food? LA: Even though we weren't well off, my parents loved to travel, so I learned transition from newsroom to the virtual very early that travel was a good thing. My parents were also terrific home office and from typewriters to computers. cooks, so I learned about good food from them as well. For me, she has been a mentor. My focus had been business writing and incentive MDH: Are you more passionate about writing or photography? programs, but reading Lillian's work helped Why? me bring stories to life. She can tell a story LA: I love writing; photography is a necessity. so you feel like you are experiencing and enjoying it with her.