Niloufar-Lily Soltani is a writer, literature lover, fitness enthusiast, and supply chain expert living in Vancouver. I first met Lily over 20 years ago when a mutual friend invited me to meet “one of the most beautiful and interesting people” she knew. That night, I learned a little bit about Lily’s background as a single mom who had immigrated from Iran with her young daughter. I remember thinking how much courage that must have taken and decided Lily was someone I wanted as a friend.
Over the years, Lily and I have become good friends. I have witnessed Lily pursuing her love of literature, learning, and personal development. Lily is always doing something to follow her dreams. Since I met Lily, I have watched her take university classes to become a qualified translator, get her Master’s in Business, join writing groups, explore many different fitness classes, and even learn (and perform) some belly dancing. Lily has many passions and she spends much of her free time pursuing these.
Lily is one of the most dedicated, caring and humble people I have met. I am so proud of her for finally publishing her novel Zulaikha. This book has been many, many years in the making. I have had the pleasure of reading other pieces Lily has written and look forward to reading more.
-Written by Donna Hull, teacher and book lover
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Which ‘hood are you in?
Coal Harbour in downtown Vancouver has been my home for twelve years. I bike the seawall as soon as the winter is over. All year round, rain, or shine, I walk Stanley Park trails and all over downtown. Some days, I stop by Joe Fortes library on the West End and pick up a classic noir, a Barbara Vine or a Colin Dexter Detective Morse novel that I can’t easily find in bookstores anymore.
What do you do?
It wasn’t until the release of my debut novel, Zulaikha, that I unveiled to my colleagues that I am a writer. I have worked for Wood PLC, an engineering service provider, for eleven years as a senior supply chain specialist for projects within the power and energy sector. Since the launch of Zulaikha, my managers and colleagues have been incredibly supportive, allowing me the opportunity to do a brief presentation where I introduced my novel to my co-workers. Now, some of them have become my readers.
My physical fitness is a part of my life too. I have always been a gym goer, and in recent years I have made my balcony my gym and a place for relaxing and stretching. I mostly work out at home, but I still go to Elite Performance’s strength fit classes on weekends. This class is like testing my progress, socializing as I push myself to lift heavier or practice my mobility. I sometimes impress myself as I see how I have improved and can catch up with participants a lot younger than me.
As a writer, reading is an integral part of my craft. I’m an avid reader of crime and literary fiction, with a book always resting on my bedside table. Before drifting off to sleep, I find solace in immersing myself in the pages of a gripping narrative, even if it’s just one or two pages.
What are you currently working on?
I’m putting the finishing touches on ‘Moon City,’ a literary mystery/ crime novel inspired by my professional journey in the power and energy industry. Simultaneously, I’m refining a short novel and preparing to submit both manuscripts to literary agents and publishers who accept unsolicited submissions.
Where can we find your work?
Zulaikha has been on shelves at Indigo on Robson Street, as well as some other Indigo stores around BC. I had my first book signing at their Robson location, which was an unforgettable day for me. Since then, they have been kind enough to include Zulaikha on a table allocated for the local authors.
Zulaikha is also available on All Lit Up, an online bookstore and store locator that recently featured my work. You can also find it on Amazon’s virtual shelves.
