Maureen profile picture

Maureen

Love is a journey not a destination...

About Me

____________________________________________________________ __________________________ I have enjoyed writing for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of knowing I had a literary gift was as a third grader, when I wrote and illustrated a story about a child who stumbled upon a bird's nest and decided to nurture the orphaned chickadee until its mother returned. I can't recall whether the story had a happy ending or not, but my teacher Mrs. Bennett (bless her heart) was suitably impressed and decreed right then and there that I would someday become a writer.
During the summers as a teenager, I preferred the sticky discomfort of my bedroom to hanging outdoors with friends. I would lock myself away for hours, churning out endless short stories and surfacing only for quick meals, much to the chagrin of my parents and siblings who labeled me a certifiable recluse. (I suspect they seriously considered having me committed on more than one occasion.)
I received a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland College Park, with a minor in creative writing. As a former freelance writer, my articles were featured in various magazines, Web sites, and newspapers including the Baltimore Afro-American and Prince George's Journal. I did a brief stint as a third grade teacher at a private school in Washington, D.C., a gig requiring the patience of Job! I now live in San Antonio, Texas with my wonderfully supportive husband and our two young children. When I'm not tending to their incessant needs, I can be found with my nose buried in a book or sitting at the computer working on a novel and sweating over a deadline.
Whether it's romantic suspense or a contemporary love story, I enjoy weaving tales that make readers sigh in poignant recollection of an old flame, or cause sheer adrenaline to pump through their veins until the very end when the villain is revealed and dispensed with--by the hero or heroine, it doesn't matter. (I believe in equal opportunity butt-kicking!) I simply love telling a good story that readers will enjoy and remember for years to come. Becoming published is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream!

My Interests

“Smith gives equal credence to spicy romance and nail-biting suspense...” Publishers Week

I'd like to meet:

____________________________________________________________ __________________________ NO ONE BUT YOUDecember 2008Kensington/Dafina
ONE RECKLESS NIGHT OF PASSION…
After a long absence, FBI agent Althea Pritchard has returned home to Baltimore, but it already feels like history is repeating itself. A teenage girl has been abducted—just as Althea was eight years before. The ordeal left her determined to capture such predators, and she’s more prepared than ever. There’s just one problem—her gorgeous, irresistibly sexy new partner. A man she knows intimately, yet not at all…
ONE DANGEROUS AFFAIR…
Special Agent Damien Wade is shocked to discover his new partner is the same beautiful mystery woman with whom he recently shared one night of incredible passion. But bowing out is not an option. Inevitably, as the kidnapping case intensifies, so does their relationship—especially when Althea becomes the target of danger. But she has vowed never to be a victim again. And now with Damien by her side, she has more to live for than ever…

Music:

SECRET AGENT SEDUCTIONSeptember 2008Kimani Romance
Born to a life of intrigue and adventure, beautiful Secret Service agent Lia Charles has never met a challenge she can’t overcome. That is, until she receives her latest assignment—rescue the brilliant, boldly charismatic and bona fide hottie Armand Magliore, a revolutionary leader of a war-ravaged Caribbean republic. Lia will need all of her special-ops training and all of her professional objectivity to get Armand to safety, and to keep their relationship from heating up. Even so, it isn’t long before Lia discovers that extracting the handsome revolutionary from the dark, treacherous jungles will be the easy part. Guarding her heart from a darkly handsome rebel will test her to her limits.

“Well-developed characters, an entertaining story…a book to read in one sitting.” Romantic Times BOOK reviews on A RISKY AFFAIR, 4½ stars, Top Pick!

Movies:

“Smith weaves a captivating tale of mayhem and murder...a romantic suspense thriller that will stay with you long after you turn the final page” San Antonio Express-News on WHISPER MY NAME

Television:

24
Grey's Anatomy
The X-Files (I wish they would bring it back!)

Books:

“Smith gives equal credence to spicy romance and nail-biting suspense...” Publishers Weekly

Heroes:

Anyone who overcomes extreme adversity

My Blog

Back from RT Conference!!

Well, I'm back from the Romantic Times Convention in Pittsburgh, and it was fabulous! This was my first time attending RT, and I'm so glad I went! I had a wonderful time networking with...
Posted by Maureen on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:41:00 PST

Enjoy a Sneak Peek at A RISKY AFFAIR - Coming in March 2008!

Available for early release at www.eharlequin.com in February!   (From Chapter Two) Two days later, Solange Washington stepped through the double glass doors of Roarke Investigations, a private...
Posted by Maureen on Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:20:00 PST

Whisper My Name Excerpt (June 2007)

Francesca's gaze collided with a pair of piercing gray eyes set in the most arrestingly masculine face she'd ever seen. Her breath caught in her throat, forcing the coffee down the wrong way. She cho...
Posted by Maureen on Sat, 13 Jan 2007 10:04:00 PST