1--What is the title of your latest release?
HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
2--What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
Shauna seeks refuge in the Amish country to stay alive…
3--How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
Living in Wisconsin, I knew we had several Amish communities, so I took a trip to Green Lake and found there was a group of Amish living nearby. The town itself isn’t Amish, but the proximity to the Amish community gave me the idea to set a series there. Green Lake is a small town within a large county, and there are three smaller lakes in the area, too. A beautiful place to visit!
4--Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Yes! The thing is, there’s a little of me in every heroine I write. I worked three jobs to get myself through nursing school, so Shauna’s working while attending classes was something I could relate to. And her can-do attitude is similar to mine, lol. Of course, one of her friends dies in the story, so there is that…
5--What are three words that describe your hero?
Liam Harland – Sheriff, protector, and loner.
6--What’s something you learned while writing this book?
Wow, I’ve learned a ton about the Amish by researching and visiting the area. They don’t open up to Englischers very easily, but I did a hint of what their life is like. I was also able to see their handmade quilts and a few items of furniture. I also had the chance to chat with a few Amish men who put a new roof on my aunt’s lake house. They were friendly but didn’t waste too much time chatting. They were all about getting the job done.
7--Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are done?
I edit as I go, but if I get stuck, I tend to push through. That sometimes comes back to bite me, but most of the time it works. I’m blessed to be a fast writer, lol. My writer friends make fun of me over how fast I put out books.
8--What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I am a dark chocolate fiend. I must have several Dove chocolates after dinner. Okay, maybe a handful of dark chocolates. Maybe more than a handful, lol.
9--Describe your writing space/office!
I’m thrilled to have a great space with a wide window. My computer doesn’t face the window though, or I’d never get anything done. I have a good chair, as I write for about five to six hours a day. I have all my Love Inspired books between elephant book ends above my computer, they remind me that I’m able to do a job I truly love.
10--Who is an author you admire?
Wow, too many to name. When I was first starting, I wanted to be like Nora Roberts. Doesn’t everyone? But my voice is better for Christian suspense, so now the authors I aspire to be are Lynette Eason and Elizabeth Goddard.
11--Is there a book that changed your life?
This is a hard question because I’ve always been a huge reader. I don’t remember a single book that changed my life. As I kid, I read The Black Stallion and that was the book that made me want to be a writer. I told my parents that, but they were not impressed. My dad told me to be a nurse, so I’d always have a job. So I did. Yet, I never let go of that dream and am blessed to be writing full-time now.
12--Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published)
This was a long time ago, I wrote medical romances under my legal name, Laura Iding before switching genres to Love Inspired Suspense and writing under the name Laura Scott. I attended an RWA conference in NYC back in 2002 (less than a year after 9/11) and met with an editor from Mills and Boon located in the UK. I had been working on a romantic suspense, but she really wanted a straight medical romance and was interested when I explained my heroine was a nurse and the hero was a cop. I told her I’d pull the suspense out and add more romance. I’m sure she thought I was nuts, but I did exactly that and a few months later, she called from England early in the morning to buy my book. I was so excited, that my heart almost burst from my chest. But she also had the most adorable and difficult-to-understand English accent, so I couldn’t understand all the details she told me. Thank goodness she followed up with an email. The best part of the call was that she didn’t want many revisions. I called my husband and told him the book sold but I don’t remember how much they were paying me or when the book would come out. He laughed but was also very proud of me. I’ve written over 60 books for Harlequin since then and all of them have more revisions than the first book I ever sold.
13--What’s your favorite genre to read?
Romantic suspense is my favorite but I’m in a book club with my author friends and we read a variety of books which has gotten me to enjoy other genres, especially psychological thrillers. That may become my new favorite!
14--What’s your favorite movie?
Okay, don’t laugh but my favorite movie is Romancing the Stone. I know, it’s a cliché about an author being sucked into her books, but I just adore it. I wanted to be Kathleen Turner! The new movie, The Lost City with Sandra Bullock is a close second. I’m a sucker for a good romance, especially one that features an author as the heroine.
15--What is your favorite season?
Fall is my favorite season! I love the cooler weather, the changing leaves (here in Wisconsin we see incredible fall colors), and football. Yes, I’ll admit to being a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan.
16--How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I don’t make a big deal out of my birthday, but I do make my adult kids have dinner with me and my husband. It’s not easy to get everyone together, especially with my son being a nurse, too, but the date itself doesn’t matter as long as we all go out for dinner, together. And we always go to my favorite Italian Restaurant Maggiano’s. Yum.
17--What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I have been watching Bosch Legacy, which I really enjoy. I also loved the Reacher series on Netflix, I can’t wait for the next one. I enjoyed the Bridgerton series, too, but I tend to like suspense action movies, or romantic comedies the best.
18--What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Italian! Unfortunately, my DNA does not show any Italian blood running through my veins, bummer. There is French, Hungarian, and German, though. Still, I would love to live in Italy.
19--What do you do when you have free time?
Free time? What’s that? Hmm, I dog sit for my son who is also a nurse, Otis is a red fox English lab and if you follow my Laura Scott Facebook page, I post a picture of Otis every Tuesday. I also dog sit for a chocolate lab, Moose. He’s featured on Mondays. If I’m not playing or walking the dogs, I’m reading or watching TV. It makes me sound boring, but what can I say? I spend a lot of time writing so my free time is limited.
20--What can readers expect from you next?
I have written three books set in the Amish Community outside of Green Lake, the second book in the series is Amish Holiday Vendetta and that book will be released on November 29th of this year/ The third book in the series doesn’t have a title yet but will be released the end of May 2023. Those are my Harlequin books, but I’ve also written many indie books, too. In January I’m kicking off a nine-book Finnegan First Responders series. So many books to write, sometimes it makes my head spin to keep them all straight.
Thanks so much for featuring me, today! I enjoyed sharing tidbits of my life with you!
Seeking refuge in Amish country…
in order to stay alive
Fleeing to her uncle’s home is Shauna McKay’s only option after her mother’s brutally murdered and the killer’s sights set on her. Local sheriff Liam Harland’s convinced hiding Shauna in his cousin’s Amish community will shield her. But when an Amish woman who looks like Shauna is attacked, it’s clear nobody in this peaceful community is safe…unless Liam and Shauna can stop the culprit’s murderous plan.
From Love Inspired Suspense: Courage. Danger. Faith.
Inspirational Romance | Inspirational Amish | Suspense [Love Inspired Amish Collection, On Sale: August 23, 2022, Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781335587213 / ]
Laura Scott is honored to write for the Love Inspired Suspense line, where a reader can find a heartwarming journey of faith amid the thrilling danger. She lives with her husband of twenty-five years and has two children, a daughter and a son, who are both in college. She works as a critical-care nurse during the day at a large level-one trauma center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and spends her spare time writing romance.
No comments posted.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy