Welcome, Laura!
What do you write, Laura?
I write in the trench between Women’s Fiction and Romance. I like plucky (sometimes snarky) characters, with depth and humor. I like to think it’s real people in could be real situations. If you’re looking for a light romance, I’m probably not your cuppa!
(I am hanging in there with you, Laura - that WF/Romance blend…so your books are probably my cuppa!)
Tell us about your experience with the publishing process.
I had my heart set on New York. I wanted to walk into a bookstore and find my book on the shelf! It took 15 years, 3 books, and 417 rejections, but it was worth it. In the end, I won the RWA RITA Award for Best First Book in 2014. For those not familiar, the RITA is the Oscars for romance. Still the highlight of my life! (but don’t tell my husband-he thinks he is!)
(Talk about perseverance!)
Any new projects on the horizon?
I am on submission with a Women’s Fiction right now (fingers crossed) and am writing another.
Words of advice for fellow writers in the trenches:
I wish I could take credit for this – I read it the other day. Writing is about failing, failing and failing again. The successful writers are the ones who are left.
If you want it badly enough, that will be you!
For keeps…
Drake’s third Chestnut Creek romance (after Home at Chestnut Creek) takes the series to a new level of nuance and emotional impact. Diner manager Lorelei West is devastated when her younger sister, Patsy, dies in a car accident—and shocked to discover Patsy had a six-month-old daughter, Sawyer, who she hadn’t told Lorelei about. Sawyer’s father also died in the crash, leaving Lorelei to become her legal guardian. She agrees, unaware that Sawyer has another living relative: her father’s twin brother, rancher Reese St. James, the heir to an oil fortune. Reese also didn’t know about the baby, but, unable to father kids himself, he’s thrilled to discover that he’s not the only remaining member of his family. He tracks down Lorelei and Sawyer, immediately bonding with his baby niece and finding himself drawn to Lorelei as well. Their very different lifestyles, economic situations, and the responsibilities of parenthood present refreshingly realistic obstacles in the path to a happy ending. Readers will be taken with the beautifully written moments of heartache and happiness. Agent: Nalini Akolekar, Spencerhill Assoc. (Aug.)
My husband and I have crisscrossed New Mexico on a motorcycle several times, and I fell in love with its harsh beauty. But it wasn’t until we did a bicycle tour across the state that I fell in love with The People; the Navajo. We rode 75-100 miles a day, visiting ruins, Missions and Pueblos. At night, we met the local tribe. They prepared dinner, danced, and shared some of their rich culture with us. I came away with a deep respect for their wisdom, and how they view the world.
This series takes place in the fictional town of Unforgiven, New Mexico, a small town, stumbling to the brink of insolvency. I used all my memories to craft the area, and the people. The above photos are from our bicycle trip – hope they make you fall in love, too! The next to last is me, petting a wolf! There was a wolf rescue who brought three of them for us to see.