Are you one of those voracious readers who believes that somewhere, deep down, you have a book inside you? If you are, I’ve got some tips about how to break into the business this year. Tell Laura about one of your favorite childhood reads, and you’ll be eligible to win a free autographed copy of her upcoming release, WHISPER OF WARNING (Pocket Star Books). Comment below or Click Here As Susan Sontag once said, “Writers begin as bewitched readers,” and I know this was certainly the case for me. I can remember combing the dusty bookshelves in my grandmother’s house and making a discovery that would impact my life: a complete collection of Nancy Drew mysteries. What books influenced you as a kid? I love asking book lovers this question, and I’m always amazed by the varied responses. Pre-order WHISPER OF WARNING Copy today Now for those tips I promised. If you follow these suggestions, I can’t guarantee that you’ll land that elusive book deal. But I can guarantee you’ll be several steps closer than you were before: Join a writers group. Surrounding yourself with professional and aspiring authors is a great way to kick your butt into gear. Many…

I want to start by wishing everyone happy healthy new year! I hope that 2009 is a great year for all. Every year there’s discussion in my yahoo groups about resolutions. Some people make more personal resolutions about things such being more fiscally responsible, getting healthier by exercising or watching their diets. Some are making resolutions about their TBRs and/or potential reading choices. Last year I attempted to do an alphabet challenge. This was to have had me reading at least one book by an author whose last name started with every letter of the alphabet. I was doing fairly well at this, and even had been told who to read for X and Z, but then I lost my list of what I had read and gave up. This year I’m going to attempt it again, and can use those authors from last year’s X and Z challenge, because I haven’t read those books yet. I knew procrastination was good for a reason! This year I’m also going to attempt to join in the challenge the same group is doing and read the selected word of the month. This means picking a title that has a certain word in…

People often ask me where I get story ideas. With my latest romantic suspense novel, THREAD OF FEAR, the idea took shape as I watched a news broadcast about a kidnapped girl. It wasn’t the kidnapping itself that caught my attention, but the forensic artist who helped solve the case. How does a person interview a traumatized victim, and come away with a life-like picture of a criminal? This is the job of a forensic artist. They listen to people’s heart-wrenching stories and transform them into concrete leads for the police. Fiona Glass’s talent at forensic art has made her the best in the business—which is why she’s quitting. She’s haunted by the stories of victims and the faces of sadistic criminals. She’s working on her last case when rugged Texas police chief Jack Bowman bulldozes over her resistance and convinces her to help him hunt down a serial killer who is terrorizing his small town. Jack never intended for Fiona to become so involved in his case. Or in his life. But he knows she’s his best hope for finding a psychopath who’s lurking in plain sight. He desperately needs Fiona’s help, but he never counted on her ending…

My favorite books are the ones that deliver pulse-pounding suspense and also touch my emotions. That’s why I love to read—and write—romantic suspense. This week I’m celebrating the release of my latest romantic suspense novel, ONE WRONG STEP. This story is a definite case of opposites attract. Long, tall Texan John McAllister is a woman-loving-and-leaving, adventure-seeking, adrenalin junkie. He’s an investigative reporter, too, and I must admit that he bears a striking resemblance to many of the guys I worked with over the years when I was a newspaper reporter. Celie, on the other hand, is like some of my best girlfriends—a “still waters run deep” type of person who also knows how to enjoy a good margarita. So what do Celie and McAllister have in common? An attraction that has been simmering beneath the surface for years, for one thing. And for another, Celie has a knack for getting herself into dangerous situations, and McAllister—with his nose for news—always seems to show up when things get interesting….Such as when Celie’s ex-husband comes to visit her and turns up murdered an hour later. That’s when Celie realizes that the police have their eye on her, along with an enraged drug…