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NTRWA
March
2005 Spotlight On...
LAURA
MARTELLO
by Sheniqua Waters
Laura Ann
Martello has always like writing. When she was in 8th grade, she
presented her teacher with a novella. In college, a professor wrote on
one of her stories, ‘Let me know when your book comes out. I want the
first copy.’ Those words may have been just what Laura needed to start
believing in herself and her writing.
Laura
was born in Houston, Texas and lived there three years
before her family moved to Denver, Colorado. When she was young, Laura
loved to spend time drawing, painting and doing crafts with her mom. When
she moved to Colorado she loved to spend time
skiing and traveling. She was an exchange student in Germany the summer she graduated
from high school. Her experience as an exchange student prepared her for
college, and that was a good thing, because it was in college that she
met her future husband. After three years of dating, he popped the
question and Laura said yes. Due to her husband’s job as a meteorologist,
the couple had to move to Goodland, Kansas a year after they were
married.
Though her husband took her with him storm chasing, Laura found
she had to find ways to stay active. She taught 5th and 6th grade English
during the day and started to write in the evenings. She started writing
a young adult novel and found some other writers who also wrote fiction.
One of them turned her onto romance novels. After reading a romance by
Kathleen Woodiwiss, she was hooked and eventually she found
RWA®.
Now
the mother of two children, Laura admits it’s not easy to find time to
write. But since her writing is important to her, she limits her TV time
so she can write. She reads all genres like literary, nonfiction and
horror since it gives her a different perspective on the world and
writing. But, she always comes back to romance. Laura has been a member
of the
Inland Empire RWA® in Spokane, Washington and President and Newsletter
Editor for the Magnolia State Romance Writers in Jackson, Mississippi.
Laura
joined NT in January 2004 and is now Membership Secretary. She is
currently working on a single title paranormal called Saving Emma. She
has worked on the book through a move across the country, a difficult
pregnancy and through the sleepless nights of infancy. Her experience as
a 5th and 6th grade teacher brings out the internal editor in her. Her
novel is now in its third major overhaul and she hopes to have the book
finished and submitted by the summer. Saving Emma has received honorable
mention in the Dixie First Chapter
contest.
As
for her future plans, Laura admits her husband would like for her to
write a romance about storm chasers. Since he is a meteorologist for the
National Weather Service, I’m sure he would also forecast clear skies ahead
for Laura’s future and her writing career.
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