Lauren Linwood became a teacher who wrote on the side to maintain her sanity in a sea of teenage hormones. Her romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire and yearning for one another grow into the deep, tender, treasured gift of love.
Lauren, a native Texan, lives in a Dallas suburb with her family. An avid reader, moviegoer, and sports fan, she manages stress by alternating yoga with five mile walks. She is thinking about starting a support group for Pinterest and House Hunters addicts.
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE would best describe my life. I'm at an age where I'm comfortable with myself and like who I am and where I am on this journey in life.
My guilty pleasure is dark chocolate. My trick to not gobbling it down is to put the individually wrapped Dove chocolates in my freezer. I'll take one out to nibble on, and then I get the taste I crave by the time it's finished--and can stop at the one piece.
The funniest thing that ever happened was when I came in from a bonfire in college, flipped on my radio, and heard, ""Be the 10th caller for concert tickets."" I never ever won anything, so I dialed--and I got through! I was the winner! The only trouble was I hadn't heard the firsts part of the DJ's pitch. Since Halloween was the next day, I had to howl at the money. I tried talking myself out of it, but he wasn't having any of that, so I sucked it up and bellowed out a howl. For the next week as I crossed campus, I was stopped a zillion times by people who'd heard me on the radio. A little embarrassing, but pretty darn funny!
The scariest thing was losing my 2-year-old daughter at a water park. We were in the children's play area, going in and out of water tunnels, popping out and saying ""Boo!"" to each other. She went around a corner and then didn't jump back out at me. I frantically raced through the tunnels, came to the outside, and saw dozens of children--but not mine. She turned up a few minutes later, but I was scared to death that she'd been taken or she'd drown.
I would love to go on THE AMAZING RACE so I could travel to all the incredible, exotic places . . . for free!
Though I think zebras are adorable, there's just something steadfast and yet mystical about an elephant. They're playful but seem to be an old soul at the same time.
I wish an interviewer would ask how long I plan to keep writing. BTW - forever!
Lauren's latest book is A Bit of Heaven on Earth, a Mainstream Medieval Historical Romance, with Soul Mate Publishing.When Gavin of Ashgrove is captured in battle, his father refuses to pay his son’s ransom, leaving him to rot in a French prison. Gavin escapes and returns to England, only to find he is proclaimed a bastard and disinherited. With nowhere to turn, he journeys to the estate of Lord Aldred, the famed warrior he fostered with as a boy. Gavin falls in love with Elizabeth, the old warrior’s much younger wife, as a dying Aldred plots Elizabeth’s future with King Edward. Gavin loses his good name, lands, possessions--and his heart--to famed beauty Elizabeth of Kentwood. Will the king allow a penniless knight to marry a wealthy widow?
EXCERPT
Elizabeth watched as Gavin built a fire. She moved close to it, resting her hands against the stone as she leaned into the heat.CONNECT with Lauren
“You shake still.” He moved behind her and placed his hands upon her shoulders. His fingers held such heat. Indeed, his very closeness seemed a stronger fire than that in the grate before her. She leaned into him, absorbing the warmth that he possessed, even in his wet tunic.
Then his arms slid round her waist, drawing her closer. Her breath caught in her throat at his very nearness. His fingers locked, trapping her in the circle of his arms.
“Gavin?” she asked, afraid to move, afraid to break the magic spell. She’d longed to be right where she now stood. Her pounding heart betrayed her fear at their situation.
His response was wordless. He bent and kissed her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. His lips moved to her neck, scorching a path there, before they touched her cheek.
One arm held her tightly against him as his other palm moved to caress her breast. Elizabeth moaned. Her knees turned liquid. If Gavin had not held her, she would have puddled on the floor.
Suddenly, he spun her in his arms. She clung to him wildly. His hands splayed along her back. His mouth was everywhere, in her hair, on her eyelids, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, her mouth.
His kisses overwhelmed her. She couldn’t breathe. And yet they continued, his mouth insistent on hers. Her lips parted, allowing his tongue entrance, and she welcomed it. He stroked her with it, a constant, dizzying motion that kept her head spinning. Her senses filled with him, his scent, his touch, his taste. Tears began to flow.
Gavin lifted his mouth. “Elizabeth?” he asked. “Have I hurt you?” He held her at arm’s length and studied her.
The concern in his eyes touched her very core. “No,” she whispered. “’Twas just so beautiful . . . I . . . had to cry.”
He smiled, a heartbreaking smile, and caught her up in his arms again. “No, my love, you are the beautiful one.” He kissed her gently, tenderly. The passion was still there, but it was more controlled now.
Gavin swept her up into his arms. Hers went round his neck and she kissed him for the first time, making her own bold move. His growl let her know he approved. He broke the kiss and looked around the room.
“I see no bed, my lady. The straw on the floor ‘twill have to suffice. But,” he said, his eyes glowing at her, “I guarantee you won’t notice the difference.”
He carried her to the corner of the room. As he placed her on the straw, she raised a hand to his chest. His heart beat as fast as hers did. Oh, God in Heaven, she wanted this man!
A voice from outside invaded her thoughts.
“Elizabeth? Gavin? Are you there?”
Website: http://www.laurenlinwood.com
Blog: http://laurenlinwood.wordpress.com/
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Twitter: http://twitter.com/LaurenLinwood
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