Lillian “Lilly” Augspurger soars above the clouds of Pennsylvania while following the instructions of her uncle in his 1946 Aeronca Champ. To her, being an aviator means being above the clouds and escaping from the world. She hails from Raleigh, North Carolina and attends Broughton High School. A fan of WWI primitive airplanes, she grasps her imagination and lets it fly onto the pages of her book-in-progress. Her novel, “Call Me Curtis,” depicts Katherine as a headstrong, independent girl that goes against her family’s orders and society by disguising herself as a boy.
In “The Bloody Jack Adventures,” her favorite series, Jacky Faber travels on countless adventures as a courageous heroine. This buoyant spirit captures Lilly’s heart and gives her inspiration for her novel. Jacky and Katherine share similarities with their persevering drive and disguises as men.
Her love for Bloody Jack has sprung into a fascination of the Golden Age of Piracy, her favorite historical period. Lilly states with certainty, “If I could be anything in the 17th century, I would be a pirate.” The French Revolution holds a close second. From the guillotine to Robespierre, all the events make her blood boil with fervor. She explains, “The Reign of Terror is the most exciting section of the French history even though it is bloody and gory. It makes good book material.”
Her ancestors originated from the French German border which explains her self-proclaimed obsession with “Les Misérables.” As a “Les Mis” enthusiast, quotes tend to spill out of her mouth every day. Lilly mostly emulates Enjolras and his worthy causes. He rallies the revolutionaries and dies a heroic death with her favorite quote “Let others rise to take our place until the Earth is free.” This compelling line resides in a special place in her heart. She admires Eponine’s personality and her unrequited one-sided love. Her love for “Les Mis” extends to “South Pacific” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” On her free time, she sketches the dark romance of the Phantom and Christine while humming the tune of “The Music of the Night.” When walking around the campus, you might hear snippets of the song “Hellfire.” I can guarantee the singer is Lilly reenacting Judge Claude Frollo from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” She reasoned, “I don’t really think it is a villain song. It is not your typical Disney song. He is just confessing his lust for Esmeralda.”
As a modern day Enjolras, she flies through the skies free as a bird with the fighting force willing to change the world.