An Introduction of Sorts

Good morning! Laurie Tomlinson here, and this is my very first post on the Harlequin Heartwarming authors’ blog! My debut novel, With No Reservations, releases in May, and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of this amazing lineup of authors.

So, let’s get to know each other.

Yesterday was my tenth Valentine’s Day with my soccer playing engineer husband who is nine years older than me. By day, I wrangle our two small children and run an editing and PR consulting business. And at night? That’s when the story magic happens.

I’ve been writing since I was old enough to hold a pen but didn’t start my first novel until 2012—working full time from home with an infant. I spent Friday nights hiding in a corner of my favorite coffee shop with my laptop, because even though I was afraid people would find out what I was doing, I knew that, if I shed the wifely, motherly, employee parts I loved about life, helping a story unfold felt the most like me.

Nowadays, I’m much more unabashed in the pursuit of my dreams and am passionate about helping others own up to theirs, too—including my characters. My stories often begin with people (like you and me) who have big goals and painful pasts and really loud doubts in their ears. But I think there’s nothing more romantic than the give and take between hero and heroine as they fight those obstacles, make their whispers of hope more powerful than the doubts, and support each other’s pursuits.

This is where those stories come to life, a space my husband created while I was at a conference a few years ago. I write to celebrate that romance, to illuminate the beauty in the middle of the mess, and, of course, to defend hope. Disclaimer: there's also a lot of food in my books, so do not read on an empty stomach!

If you’re a writer, what do you write for? Readers, why do you pick up a story? I’m looking forward to getting to know you all--or, as we say in Oklahoma, all y’all!

Laurie Tomlinson is an award-winning contemporary romance author living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her stories are fueled by faith, steaming mugs of tea, and her belief that life should be celebrated with cupcakes and extra sprinkles. When she’s not writing, she enjoys baking with her two little sous chefs and testing new recipes on her husband—especially if she doesn’t have to do the dishes.

You can connect with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorLaurieTomlinson or her website, www.laurietomlinson.com. Be on the lookout for her inspirational romantic comedy novella, That's When I Knew, releasing in March with the Love at First Laugh collection and her debut Harlequin Heartwarming novel, With No Reservations, arriving in May.