If you're interested in Christian fiction writing, I highly encourage you to check out our group and Laurie's books. She's a role model!
Introduce yourself—name, where you’re from, and something people notice when they meet you.
Hi! I'm Laurie Larsen, author of inspirational romance fiction. Originally from the Midwest, I have now burst free from the cornfields and the subzero winter wind chills, and I live full-time in the beautiful Lowcountry of South Carolina. Judging from what I most often like to do, people may notice that I'm a coffee fanatic, that I'm crazy about my rescue dog, Weezer, or that I'm my absolute happiest when I'm walking the beach.
Please tell us about your book—title and back cover blurb--I'm excited to read this new series!
My new book is His Secret Daughter, Book 1 in my Big Apple Blessings series.
A compelling tale of ambition, love, faith and changing priorities in the Big Apple.
She had the perfect life all on her own …
Alyssa Stark works hard to make her life's dreams come true … all on her own. She built her reputation as New York City's top advertising executive, client by client. And when her ill-advised marriage didn't work out, she knew she had to make her dream of becoming a mother happen by untraditional means. Now, she and her eight-year-old daughter Caroline are living the dream life in the Big Apple.
He'd lost everything that meant anything until he made a discovery …
Grant Fontaine is the widowed president of his father-in-law’s electronics company. Since the tragic death of his pregnant wife a decade ago, he’s become a high achieving businessman, but a social hermit. Several years ago, his lonely life took on new meaning when he discovered that the donation he’d made to a reproductive clinic long ago had sired a child. Through the services of a discreet private eye unafraid to push legal limits, he identifies his “daughter,” Caroline, and her mother, Alyssa.
Could it be time to reveal his secret?
He satisfies himself with maintaining a watchful eye from a distance, keeping his identity secret until Caroline reaches adulthood. That is, until Alyssa’s career path transports her into his professional realm. Now, his careful plans are thrown out the window. His dream of being a part of Caroline’s childhood is so close … the last thing he counts on is falling in love with the girl’s gorgeous mother.
Share one thing that you found difficult or challenging about writing this book.
Probably the most challenging thing about writing this book was the change in setting. My last sixteen books were set at the beach. I loved incorporating the beautiful beachy goodness into my scenes and including fun beachy things for my characters to do on their dates. However, this book takes place in New York City. New York happens to be my favorite city in the world, and because I love it so, I've probably walked over every square inch of Manhattan in my lifetime.
So, it's a mindset change. Because life at the beach is more relaxed, my beachy books are set at a more relaxed pace. Life in the Big Apple is fast, high-paced and frenetic, so the plot and the pacing of the story had to reflect that. I just hope that my readers who love my beach books will give this new series a try and fall in love with it as well.
Ask the blog reader a quirky question or two. I want to encourage comments and engagement.
Here's some questions for your blog readers: What is your favorite New York landmark? Or your favorite New York memory? Or, if you haven't been there, what's the one thing in New York you want most to do?
My answer: Although I'm a huge theater fan and I love the Broadway theater district, I'm going to turn the tables and answer it this way: I climbed all the way to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, back when they allowed you to do that, prior to 2001. It was a spiral staircase all the way up, and it was amazing. Tiring, and a little claustrophobic, but amazing. I was nervous about a person or people ahead of me losing their balance and falling backwards because there wasn't much room to move out their way. But it was an experience of a lifetime!
Share your social media and buy links!
I spend the most social media time on Facebook. Here's my author page:
https://www.facebook.com/authorlaurielarsen/
And my reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2572899289686920
My website with all the news and a form to subscribe to my monthly newsletter:
https://www.authorlaurielarsen.com/
And here's all the buy links for His Secret Daughter! https://books2read.com/u/bzek02
Thank you, Laurie, for doing this!! I'll be sure to share a favorite New York City memory down below--I have several!