“Harrowing, hopeful, and informed by Ramayan's own experiences as a runaway to Edmonton, Mud Lilies is a hymn to the power of one young woman's defiant spark of life, a story of grit and wisdom set against a backdrop of cruelty and indifference.” — Grace O’Connell, Open Book
The night fourteen-year-old Chanie Nyrider ran away from her abusive parents, she was saved by an older woman who, after building a friendship with the teen, offers her a new life working as a prostitute. With nowhere to turn, Chanie is drawn into Edmonton’s dark underbelly, where she survives until arrested four years later. At this time she is given two options: jail or a high school equivalency program for troubled youth.

Reluctantly, Chanie agrees to attend the program — but only so she can maintain her freedom and get to know her new love interest, Blue. As she begins to make strides in the program and meets friends who share similar circumstances, her home life, such as it is, deteriorates. Blue becomes unstable, deceitful, and eventually violent. He puts himself between her and her new friends, between her and the promise of a new and better life.

Indra Ramayan believes in the magic of love poems and the power of daydreams. Inspired by her wild past and writers such as Heather O’Neill and Angie Abdou, Indra wrote her first novel Mud Lilies while studying creative writing at Athabasca University. Indra is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers and is on the board of directors of YouthWrite Society Canada. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta with a Boston Terrier named Bodhi.

Indra Ramayan's profile page

“Harrowing, hopeful, and informed by Ramayan's own experiences as a runaway to Edmonton, Mud Lilies is a hymn to the power of one young woman's defiant spark of life, a story of grit and wisdom set against a backdrop of cruelty and indifference.”

Open Book

“Indra Ramayan’s novel, Mud Lilies, begins with an image of a puppet dancing for the devil. Chanie Nyrider, one of the most compelling characters I’ve read in long while, is that dancer. She is tough, and infuriating, delightful, and utterly human. And her voice is undeniably beautiful. I was drawn in and fell in love with this character. Mud Lilies is a gorgeous, layered journey of reclamation — a gritty story about salvation and the persistence of love. Love is an unexpected thing in Chanie’s life as she believes she does not deserve it, is unworthy of it — and yet, it arrives from unlikely places. Kindness surprises her. Unrequired kindness threatens to break her. And we love her for this. We root for Chanie. We root for all the Chanie Nyriders in the world. Indra Ramayan is a fantastic writer. I look forward to seeing this book in print, and I can hardly wait for her next book.”

Thomas Trofimuk, award-winning author of <i>The 52nd Poem</i> and <i>Doubting Yourself to the Bone<i>

“Now and then a writer comes along who reawakens my lust for great, passionate, unadorned storytelling. Indra Ramayan is that writer. Mud Lilies is a beautifully executed, street-smart emotional tour de force that is destined to seduce generations of readers.”

Joel Thomas Hynes, Governor General’s Literary Award-winning author of <i>We'll All Be Burnt in Our Beds Some Night</i>

“The world needs Chanie Nyrider! This novel took me to the depths of frustration and despair, and then Chanie dug us back out again. Mud Lilies is a tremendously moving debut with a riveting story that makes me believe in the possibility of redemption and recovery even from the worst traumas. I want to give this book to every girl who has ever struggled. Mud Lilies is a must read for those who have found themselves in a such a dark place that they believed there was no way out. Indra Ramayan fills me with hope.”

Angie Abdou, author of <i>In Case I Go</i> and <i>The Bone Cage</i>

“The book told Chanie’s story so powerfully, and probably the story of other women existing on the streets of Edmonton or any other major city. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I cried along with Chanie and her friends and wanted to reach out and make it all better. The characters were so touching and felt so real. I’d recommend this book for readers who enjoy true struggles for their beloved characters.”

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