Introducing Golden Heart Winner and Indie Author Laurie Kellogg
Laurie Kellogg and I finalled in the Golden Heart together a couple of times, and I’ve always admired her ability to be consistently golden! Recently, she’s gone indie, and I’m here to introduce you to her!
What was the inspiration for this book?
All through high school, I wore a MIA/POW bracelet. When the prisoners returned during Operation Homecoming in ’73, I was heartbroken that ‘my soldier’ never made it back. I’ve always wondered what it must have been like for those brave men to return home after so long—some were held captive and tortured for nearly NINE years. Those who were fathers were strangers to their children. Many came home to discover their wives and sweethearts had moved on into other relationships. I never forgot these heroic men, so when I began writing, I felt compelled to give a couple who’d sacrificed so much a happy-ever-after. This book, The Memory of You, was a two-time nominee and winner of the RWA® Golden Heart® award and a Romantic Times® American Title I finalist under another title.
What’s next for you?
I’m releasing my first Golden Heart winner A Little Bit of Déjà Vu, which incidentally beat The Memory of You for the GH when they were finalists together. I’ll also be publishing another of my Golden Heart finalists, which I renamed Hypnotic Seduction, under my name as L.L. Kellogg to differentiate it from my other books. My L.L. Kellogg books are red-hot romantic comedies that are “A Little Naughty and a Lot of Fun!” They don’t have the language and highly adventuresome love scenes found in erotic romances, however, they have more provocative plot lines and the focus on the heroes’ and heroine’s physical relationship bit more than the usual contemporary romance. They’re basically a racier single title romance with a Harlequin® Blaze heat level. What can I say? I like to write out of the box NY has established for romances. It’s why I’m an indie author.
When you’re procrastinating, what do you do?
I cook and plan vacations. I love to feed people, and I’m a travel agent wannabe who has to write up an itinerary with all of the attractions, times, prices, restaurant recommendations, and reservation numbers. I like to know what we’ll be doing on any given day while we’re away so we don’t waste our vacation sitting around saying, “What do you want to do today?”
How many books in your TBR pile?
Way too many. Since publishing my first book, I’ve been lucky to find time to read a book a week. Therefore, I’m extremely selective about what I choose to read. If a book doesn’t allow me to turn off my internal editor (which I have a lot of trouble doing), I toss it aside and pick up the next from my TBR pile.
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?
Staying in my PJs all day and watching romantic movies. And if I really want to be bad, I add potato chips with homemade green onion and garlic dip.
Name 3 of your favorite things.
Romance books and movies
Going out to dinner with friends or family
Attending writers’ conferences to hang out with people who understand that just because I hear and talk to imaginary people doesn’t mean I’m crazy
Where can readers find you?
Readers can connect with me at http://twitter.com/#!/Laurie_Kellogg , http://www.LaurieKellogg.com , and http://Facebook.com/Laurie.Kellogg.Books
