Deanna Lyles

Name: Deanna Lyles

Age: 30

Where were you born? Lynchburg, VA, USA

How many places have you lived? Lynchburg, Bristol, TN; Mooresville, NC; Madrid, Spain.

Travel experiences? My first time on an airplane was when I was 19 for a trip to Amsterdam, Egypt and Israel and I haven't stopped travelling since. Since then I've traveled extensively through Europe, first as a backpacker in my more adventurous student days and more recently as a culturely refined adult (haha). Íñigo and I also spent a good part of our honeymoon exploring exotic Canada.

How did you end up settling in Madrid? I came to do an MA at the New York University campus in Madrid, was bewitched by the city and the Spanish way of life and decided to stay indefinitely.

What were your favorite books as a child? As a small child my mom used to read to us every night before bed. We had tons of books, but I especially loved Frank Asch bear stories, especially Bread and Honey. The Last Puppy, Witches Four and a book about a kid who fed his fish too much were also faves. As an older child I loved A Wrinkle in Time, and it's still one of my favorite books of all time.

What were your favorite movies as a child?

Alice in Wonderland (the made for tv version), The Secret Garden, Space Camp, Labyrinth.

Your top three books of all time: Pride and Prejudice, The Valley of the Dolls, A Wrinkle in Time.