Emma Harris is learning that life is just a series of lessons.
Lesson #1: Nothing goes the way you plan.
Lesson #2: You can’t trust men. Especially not the pretty ones.
Lesson #3: Turns out, appearances are almost always deceiving.
Emma thinks she has life all figured out, and what she knows isn’t good. For years, she’s put her big sister, who was born with Down syndrome, first. Now Emma’s ready to start her own life, but fate has other plans. To do the right thing for the sister she loves, Emma’s dreams will just have to wait.
She doesn’t plan on meeting Landon — a rich, flirtatious jock, who never has to wait for anything. Not for attention, not for money, and certainly not for girls. Meeting Emma marks the first time in his life that he’s had to fight for something. And Landon doesn’t know how to lose.
Emma has no interest in wasting her summer with a superficial guy like Landon. But very soon she realizes she is wrong about him. The question is, can she trust him? Or will he let her down like every other guy in her life? But most importantly, can Emma trust herself enough to live the life she’s always dreamed of?
Life has a way of sneaking in the most important lessons when you aren’t looking. And once the heart gets involved, that’s when the real learning begins.
Targeted Age Group:: 18-50
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
My inspiration for writing NOT YET really came from several places. At the start, I was intrigued by the idea of exploring boundaries. I have always been fascinated by the concept of the gray area. When things aren’t black or white, right or wrong, they are… gray. I was thinking about how an innocent person, a good person who always plays within society’s boundaries, could get swept up in the gray that surrounds them. I knew I was a pushing a sensitive topic in my storyline, and I wanted to write a story that could make the reader feel uncomfortable, but also empathize for all those involved. I was inspired to write a story where we could all have found ourselves in that situation or one like it. We don’t always fall for the right person at the right time. Sometimes, we have to wait. Sometimes, the answer is not yet.
Another important concept that inspired me was the idea of writing a romance novel (and a steamy one at that!) that incorporated characters with various disabilities in an authentic way. I wanted a mom of a child with disabilities to be able to pick up a fun book to read at the beach, and see people from her own world, her reality, on the pages.
For the character of Emma, I wanted to write about some of the aspects of being a sibling of a person with disabilities. My brother, Danny, has developmental disabilities, and is married to a wonderful woman named Maria, who was born with Down syndrome. They live in their own home, with the help of a house aide, and work full time jobs. Like Emma, through most of my life, Dan has required more attention than me. Again like Emma, I never resented that, but I looked forward to the chance to write about the complexity of issues and emotions that come along with being a sibling to someone with special needs.
Finally, I was inspired by the concept of Landon. A guy who had it all and then realized he never even knew what really mattered. Landon’s journey is one that most of us can relate to. That moment in life when it hits you, that while maybe you never intended to ignore someone or judge someone, or even just deem someone not worthy of your time, that if you had been a bit more open- you could learn more than you ever thought possible.
How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
Both Emma and Landon evolved through my day dreams. I knew I wanted two young lifeguards, with very different goals and backgrounds to meet and fall in love. Emma is based somewhat on me, having a sibling with special needs, being a history buff and an education major, with a love for reading romance novels. She’s a bit uptight, but loving and loyal at the same time. Landon is every hot football player any of us have ever had a crush on and hoped that underneath the tough exterior was a sweet man. And he really is that and more.
About the Author:
Laura Ward lives in Maryland with her loud and very loving three children and husband. She married her college sweetheart and is endlessly grateful for the support he has given her through all their years together, and especially toward her goal of writing books. When not changing diapers, driving to lacrosse practice, or checking spelling homework, Laura is writing or reading romance novels.
Links to Purchase Print Books
Link to Buy Not Yet Print Edition at Amazon
Links to Purchase eBooks
Link To Buy Not Yet On Amazon
Link to Not Yet on Barnes and Noble
Link to Not Yet for sale on Smashwords
Link to Not Yet for sale on iBooks
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