SORMAG's Blog: NEW WRITER PANEL 2

Cara Putman is a woman living a dream God planted in her heart years ago.

An honors graduate of University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Go Huskers!) and George Mason Law School, Cara is an attorney licensed in Virginia and Indiana. She clerked for the Honorable Loren Smith at the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. before following her husband to Indiana.

In 2005 she attended a book signing at her local Christian bookstore. At the book signing her husband told Colleen Coble that she wanted to be writer. She's been running ever since to keep up. Barbour's Heartsong Presents has released four of her books, including Canteen Dreams, a WWII historical set in Nebraska that won the 2008 Book of the Year for Short Historical. She also writes romantic suspense for Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense and the Complete Idiots Guide to Business Law.

Cara is also an attorney, wife, mom to three, homeschool teacher, occasional professor at Purdue, women's ministry leader, and all around crazy woman. Crazy about God, her husband and her kids that is.

Trial by Fire

Her mother's house was first. Then her brother's. County prosecutor Tricia Jamison is sure she's next on the arsonist's list. But who is after her family? And why does every fire throw her in Noah Brust's path?

Noah can't forgive Tricia. Her failure to protect him on the stand the previous year meant his father's reputation was ruined. Yet every time the firefighter is near her, he's drawn to her again. The vulnerability she hides under her confident veneer surprises and moves him. Torn between Tricia's safety and his own bitterness, Noah belatedly remembers the first rule of firefighting: don't get burned.

http://www.caraputman.com/

Francis Ray is a native Texan and lives in Dallas. Ms. Ray's titles consistently make bestseller's lists such as Blackboard and Essence Magazine. INCOGNITO, her sixth title, was the first made-for-TV movie for BET. She has written forty titles to date. Awards include Romantic Times Career Achievement, EMMA, The Golden Pen, The Atlantic Choice, and Borders 2008 Bestselling Multicultural Romance Award.

NOBODY BUT YOU, hit stored March 2009 and promptly made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller's list. ONE NIGHT WITH YOU, Book #3 is scheduled for November 03, 2009.

Her current release is AND MISTRESS MAKES THREE, Book #5 in the Invincible Women Series. Coming February 2010 is IF YOU WERE MY MAN, Book #6 of the series. Ms. Ray is hard at work on her next book.

AND MISTRESS MAKES THREE

Gina Rawlins is dealing with a cheating husband, a messy divorce, two unhappy children, and a floundering travel business when the very handsome new owner of the local B&B, Max Chaneau, enters her life. Not only does he make her heart pound, but it soon becomes clear that they need each other. Max needs to turn the B&B around and the first thing it needs is a woman's touch. And not just any woman. He offers to redesign her website for a bit of interior design help. As they work closely together, Gina realizes that her ex-husband wasn’t her only chance at love, even if Max has some scars of his own. However, when her ex (and all his baggage) abruptly reenters the picture, Gina’s love life is turned upside down, while her daughter and son are ecstatic to have their father home again. However Gina is left wondering what she should do? Be with the man she loves or take back the father of her children for the sake of her family?

Website address http://www.francisray.com/

Nicole S. Rouse developed a passion for writing at a young age. Nicole graduated from Temple University, with a Bachelor of Science in Early and Elementary Education. As a classroom teacher, Nicole took every opportunity to incorporate her appreciation of various forms of writing into the curriculum. She became a member of the Northern Virginia Writing Project, where she promoted and encouraged writing in mathematics. Nicole was a founding member of a literacy team that created plays for students to perform and developed workshops for parents to help their children excel. Happily Ever Now (Urban Christian, 2007) is her debut novel and has ranked consistently on the Top 25 Christian Independent Publishers Best Sellers list. Happily Ever Now received the EDC Creations 2008 Best Book Award. Her sophomore novel, Someone to Love Me (Urban Christian) was picked up by the Black Expressions Book Club® before its June 2009 release date.

Someone to Love Me, released in June by Urban Christian Publishing. Someone to Love Me shows the complexities of dealing with the after effects of an affair. The book follows the lives of Jerome Thomas and Taylor Belle, two characters introduced in Happily Ever Now (Urban Christian, 2007). Jerome Thomas has made many mistakes, which affected his family. But the one mistake he has the most trouble coping with is cheating on his wife. Taylor Belle has asked for God's forgiveness for her part in the affair, but a marriage to a wonderful man and having four beautiful children doesn’t keep Taylor from contacting Jerome to officially bring closure to their past transgressions.

http://www.nicolerouse.com/

Tee C. Royal is a freelance reader, reviewer, and editor, but known most as the founder of RAWSISTAZ Literary Group (www.rawsistaz.com) which supports and promotes African-American authors and their work. Tee is a literary enthusiast approaching a decade of service to the African-American literary community. In addition to RAWSISTAZ, she's written columns, served as a board member of several literary organizations, acts as the webdiva for various literary and author sites. She's also listed in Literary Divas: The Top 100+ Most Admired African-American Women in Literature by Heather Covington. Most recently, she became a literary agent, representing the works of authors who write across the genres.

RAWSISTAZ has been devoted to celebrating African-American literature and promoting authors since 2000, reaching readers and writers all over the globe. They are one of the first organized book review teams who specialize in giving voice to African-American authors of all genres, blazing a literary trail that continues to garner increased awareness, exposure, and recognition for new and seasoned authors alike. In 2006 and again in 2008, Writer’s Digest ranked RAWSISTAZ among its Top 101 Websites, acknowledging what readers and writers around the world have known for nearly a decade: RAWSISTAZ will KEEP YOU IN THE KNOW regarding Black books, authors, reviews, events & more.

Visit the websites at http://www.rawsistaz.com/ and http://www.blackbookreviews.net/.

Sophia Shaw released her debut novel, Shades and Shadows, in January 2005. It is a book that Sophia started as a hobby over ten years earlier. As an avid reader, she was inspired by many of the great romantic writers, and was convinced she could write a story that was engrossing and enjoyable. Shades and Shadows is that story, and has received wide-spread positive reviews. The Romantic Times chose Shades and Shadows as a top pick for January 2005, and rated it with 4.5 stars (out of five).

Since then, Sophia has written four additional novels with Kensington Publishing: Depths of Desire, Moment of Truth, A Rare Groove and What Lies Between Lovers, and has continued to enjoy strong reviews. She is currently working on her sixth book.

Sophia was born in Jamaica , but immigrated to Toronto , Canada as young girl. She currently resides in just outside of Toronto with her two young daughters.

What Lie Between Lovers

Executive Monique Evans doesn’t want commitment. What she wants is sizzling sex with no strings—so when one wild night lands her in the muscular arms of her friend Tao Samuels, she’s ready to make one very tempting deal…

A former Navy Seal, Tao is too busy succeeding in civilian life to settle down. And he’s always thought of the level-headed Monique as just a pal. But since the sudden desire between them is too good to give up, he’s sure they can keep their relationship strictly physical—so long as they follow a few rules…

But breaking rules is hotter than keeping them. And now Monique and Tao have to find out what they really want—and if their perfect friendship is worth risking for love…

http://www.sophiashaw.com/

D.L. Sparks’ current title The Lies That Bind is slated to be released by Urban Books in January 2010. She was also a nominee for Cush City’s Best New Author award in 2007, a contender for nomination for Debut Author of the Year by the NAACP Image Awards and a Best New Author nominee for Infini Promoters. When D.L. is not writing, she spends time with her family, likes to travel and she runs her own editing company. D.L. is an accomplished speaker/lecturer with a passion for working with young people. D.L. has established Y.E.S. (Youth Empowerment Seminars) to help our young people say Y.E.S. to their future.

The Lies That Bind

During a starry night at a fundraiser in Atlanta, the course of Dr. Teresa McCall’s life is changing; and she doesn’t even realize it. The night ends with her square in the crosshairs of a predator with every intention of finishing what he started. The events that follow rock the foundation of everything Teresa thought she knew as she struggles against an unseen enemy who always seems to be one step ahead of the esteemed psychologist and determined to destroy her and everything the touches.

Website: http://www.dlsparks.com/

(Tiffany) Amber Stockton is an author and freelance web site designer who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart, in beautiful Colorado. They celebrated the birth of their daughter in April and have a vivacious puppy named Roxie, a Border Collie/Flat-Haired Retriever mix. Amber has sold six books so far to Barbour Publishing with more on the horizon. Other credits include writing articles for various publications, five short stories with Romancing the Christian Heart, and contributions to the books: 101 Ways to Romance Your Marriage and Grit for the Oyster. Read more about her at her web site: http://www.amberstockton.com/.

Copper and Candles

A young lady of means discovers that keeping secrets, no matter how noble the intent, demands a price that she and a refinery worker, with all their resources, might not be able to pay.