I've been speaking to some amazing people lately. This is the youth group at Johnston Evangelical Free Church in Johnston, Iowa.
I've been on the road speaking a lot lately. It is an amazing thing--meeting so many incredible people, hearing their stories, sharing with them how beautiful they are, that God has His hand on them for something special. One of the fun parts of these events is I often get a chance to do a Q&A at the end where I get to know the people attending the event better through their questions, and they get to know me better through my answers. We often spin off on different topics altogether and get into some fantastic conversations. But sometimes the questions come in later; on note cards, and emails, and tweets, and comments on my blog. Sometimes the questions throw me for a loop, but most of the time people seem to want to ask me the same kinds of things. So I'm writing my blog answering them. Two weeks ago I wrote Part One of this two part series. If you missed it, you can catch it here. If not, find a cozy seat and a pumpkin spiced latte (or fall beverage of choice) and let's chat. 
People ask which book I've written is my favorite. Which one is your favorite?
Q: What is my favorite book I’ve written? A: My answer is always the one I’m working on right now. I love all of the girls in all of my books. I wouldn’t have written about the topics I have if they didn’t resonate with me, tug at my heart. So, I have written about eating disorders, and divorce, and purity, and relationships, and loss, and date rape, and addictions. I am passionate about all of these things, because they effect people like you and me, and our families and friends, and we need to be armed and ready to deal with them, to face them, and to know we are worthy and beautiful despite what we may be going through. But now, well I’m working on a new story. There’s this girl and she's dealing with something, that nobody else knows about …. that’s all I can say for now. But I’m really excited about her, and where she’s going to go, and who she’s going to meet, and what she’ll hopefully learn. Q: What is your greatest accomplishment outside of writing? A: My family. I’ve been married nineteen years to my Prince Charming and we are blessed with four incredible children who delight us daily. 
I think the biggest struggle all females deal with is self-image.
Q: What is the biggest struggle you see college girls face?
A: The biggest struggle I see all females face, from age 12 – 82 is self-image. There is so much pressure from our world and our media to look a certain way, we are judged by our size and our shape and our hair and our clothes. Virtually every magazine picture is digitally altered. The expectation of what we should look like isn’t even real. I strive to remind girls of all ages that they are beautiful as they are, as they were created, uniquely and perfectly designed. We need to stop comparing ourselves to others and instead be the best version of ourselves. Q: How did you decide when to write? A: Ever since I was little I dreamed of being an author. I was a voracious reader with a constant imagination. I would have rather lived in my imaginary world than in reality as a child. We had copies of the books a distant half aunt had written on our bookshelf. I read them all even though they were about boys playing sports, which didn’t resonate with me. At all. But it didn’t matter. I loved touching their spines, believing in the possibility, that if someone related to me could write, maybe, just maybe I could write too. But I held that dream inside of me until years and years later, until I was married, and pregnant and had a career. When I finally shared my secret with my husband, there was no turning back. (Find the full story here) Q: Do you need an assistant? A: LOL! Although I don't have the luxury of hiring a personal assistant, I sure could use one! Until I make it to the best sellers list, I am extremely grateful to all of my readers, friends, and lovely people I’ve met who write reviews of my books, tell others about what they've heard me say or write, tweet and repost my comments, and encourage me along my journey. What a huge source of encouragement you all are! Have I left anything out? Does anyone else out there have a question for me?
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The lazy, hazy days of summer. I love them. I adore rising early and going running with my husband in the morning air, before the heat breaks. I love exploring museums and parks and botanical gardens with my kids. It’s fun making smoothies out of whatever fruit is in the fridge, a glob of yogurt and a ton of ice, then slurping it down with a straw (we take any leftovers, pour them into popsicle molds, and freeze for the next day). I savor getting caught up on my reading pile, well, at least making a dent in it. Splashing in the pool on hot summer afternoons with my kiddos is a blast. Usually my writing goes on a bit of summer vacation too, so I can enjoy a slower pace with my family. 
Last week Brenda Yoder tagged me in a game of blog tag, where writers share what they’re currently working on with each other and with their readers. Brenda is working on a book called, Balance, Busyness and Not Doing it All. And since most people I know, self included, are busy, or feel overwhelmed, or wonder how we're going to get it all done, I can't wait for its release. And although I’m not doing a lot of actual writing, writing this summer, this is an exciting time in my writing journey. I released a new book, It’s Addicting. It’s the third book in the Status Update series revolving around four college roommates. Obsessing over status, grades, exercise or a boyfriend could never become an addiction...could it? This third installment of the Status Updates series finds four college sophomore roommates finally getting comfy with the routines of dorm life. But Kat, Claire, Palmer, and Hannah soon begin to feel the nagging ache of innocent little addictions pulling them away from their true selves. Hang out with these four roomies to see if they can—or even want to—ditch these sneaky little hang-ups before they take over their lives. I’m really excited about the response I’ve gotten from readers so far. It’s always a thrill to actually hold a copy of a book I’ve been working on for over a year in my hands. 
I’m also gearing up for a tour with Christian recording artist, Holly Starr. We’re traveling through the Midwest in September sharing the message of finding our true identity in Christ. The tour is called Through My Father’s Eyes Tour and is being sponsored by Sisterhood Magazine. If you haven’t checked out Holly’s music yet, it would be a perfect addition to your summer playlist. And Sisterhood is packed with great ideas for summer DIY projects, trips, hairstyles, etc. Plus, you know, I AM a writer, so I have a new book idea brewing. Notes scratched on napkins and corners of envelopes. More ideas jotted in my Notes App. A character. A setting. A struggle. I love this stage of writing. It holds all of the excitement and uncertainty of infatuation. This game of tag requires that I answer a couple of more questions, so here goes…. HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS OF ITS GENRE? I was a marketing major in college. And one of the things they emphasized in my program, was your product had to have a distinguishing feature, and you had to know that niche. Maybe I took it a little too seriously, but I write contemporary, Christian young adult, issue-driven fiction. That’s a lot of modifiers. And there’s not a lot of it out there. Try finding one whole shelf that carries Christian YA fiction at your local Barnes & Noble. I double dog dare you. If you do find the partial shelf dedicated to this genre, you won’t find many titles that take the current issues teens face every day and hit them square in the nose, challenging them to react, reminding them that Christ is with them in all the hard stuff. 
WHY I WRITE WHAT I DO? Because it’s real. Because it’s relevant. Because high school and college girls will find a boy attractive, will be at a function where there is alcohol, will feel pressures from this world to perform, to fit in, to look a certain way and to wear certain clothes and to succeed. And if we don’t talk about these things, then they get buried. Then there is guilt and shame and uncertainty. Shining light on these subjects allows teens and parents to examine them, allows girls to decide how they’re going to handle them, what their reaction to these situations would, could and should be, gives them a safe place to explore these challenges and talk about them and process them. I write about real life issues. I write what I write to let young women know they are not alone. And that no matter what, no matter what alley of life they’ve gone down, no matter what tragedy or trauma has hit them over their heads, Christ is with them, every step of the way. HOW DOES MY WRITING PROCESS WORK? It starts with a flicker in my brain. I get ideas every day, but some of them stick and develop and persist, while others fade away before I’ve finished my Starbucks. The ones that keep coming back to me are the ones I pursue. I gather ideas first, flashes of color, moods. Then I switch gears and go into fact-finding mode. Since all of my novels deal with real life struggles, I interview young women who have faced that specific struggle. It’s Complicated deals with date rape, so I interviewed college girls who had been violated. I asked how it affected them, what emotions they went through, what emotions they’re still going through. I take similar threads or unique details and weave them into a fictional tale, using the research to keep my stories authentic. Using story telling to keep it make-believe. And then I start writing. Just immersing myself in story. I always have an idea of the beginning and end when I start writing the actual book, but the middle; the plot itself propels itself forward as I write. 
Skinny, my first novel (dealing with body image issues) was edited by author, Amy Parker, who I'm tagging for next week's blog.
TAG YOU’RE IT
Since this is a game of virtual writer tag, for next Monday I’m tagging: Amy Parker, author of more than 20 books. She was my editor on my very first novel, Skinny, and she's become one of my dearest friends. She has an incredible book releasing this fall. I’ll let her tell you all about it next week but to get you thinking, it revolves around the 20th anniversary of the end of the genocide in Rwanda. Powerful stuff! Betsy St. Amant, who I had the pleasure of endorsing her YA novel, Addison Blakely, Confessions of a PK, a few years back and have continued to get to know via our ministry with Nicole O’Dell’s Choose Now. Betsy writes so many books I can’t keep track of her, so I’m excited to see on August 4th what awesome projects she shares with us. How about you? How are you spending your summer days? What projects are you working on? 
It's Addicting releases July 14, 2014 (that's today!)
What are your little addictions? Some of mine include: Starbucks, music, nail polish (no chips please, different colors on toes and fingers), exercise (I don’t care with who, or what or when, but I crave it), my phone (sad but true). What are some of yours? Maybe your addiction list includes; nachos, getting all A’s, your job, the beach, your sport/instrument/club/activity, Instagram, your best friend, a TV show, fashion, your boy friend… Our lists could go on and on of the fun little interests, innocent cravings and even important responsibilities and relationships we’re “addicted” to. But when does a passion or interest become an “addiction”? When do these things that fill our minds and hours become modern day idols? WHEN WE OVERDESIRE THEM. 
when they call your coffee an IV, you might have a problem
See, it’s not the desiring that’s a problem. God created coffee beans and cocoa beans and the guy you have a crush on. He created your brain and your body and wants you to use them to glorify Him. But when our little addictions conflict with or create tension with our family, our wallet, our values, our faith, when our “addiction” becomes more important than God, when we OVERDESIRE it, we’ve got a problem. How do I mean? I often plot out my morning to include a stop by my local Starbucks. I love my coffee. I get excited every morning when the aromatic smell wafts towards my nose, when the bold, rich flavor hits my tongue. And this is okay. God wants us to have pleasure, to enjoy this world and this life. He gave me taste buds that are receptive to the flavor of an iced venti with mocha and nonfat milk. But when I skip my quiet time with Him in the morning to make sure I get a coffee, when I’m late getting my kids to school or I show up late to a meeting, because I “needed” a coffee, this is an over desire. This is a problem. 
who's your best friend?
Do you have a friend you adore? Someone who makes you laugh and truly gets you? It’s great to spend time with them, to text them throughout the day about funny things, things you’re stressed about, or to plan adventures or weekends together. But when you lie to someone who’s close to you, so you can go somewhere with that friend or to cover up for that friend, there’s a problem. See the pattern? So how do we rein in our addictions? How do we keep our pleasant little every day desires from becoming something we obsess over? First, ask ourselves if we are seeking affirmation from these things we adore. Because we do sometimes, don’t we? We seek affirmation from the coolest nail art to the fastest time on the 10K to the most followers on Twitter. We do. But truly our entire identity, all of our affirmation should come from Christ who created us. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original. Gal 5:26 MSG Once we wrap our arms around this truth, we need to turn it over to Him in prayer. 
Once we wrap our arms around this truth, we need to turn it over to Him in prayer. When I have a morning where going to Starbucks will stretch my wallet, make me late, or cause unnecessary stress as I try to squeeze it into a tight schedule, I can pray, “Jesus, You are the only thing that truly satisfies me. Please let me drink you in this day, and feel you working in and through me. Let me taste Your goodness. Amen.” And then I can brew myself a cup in my Keurig and be thankful. When your boyfriend or friend wants you to do something that compromises your values -- whether that’s gossiping or drinking or blowing off an assignment, and you’re craving their acceptance, pray something like this, “Please Jesus, I long for companionship, for love. I know that You are my constant companion, that You love me always. Please remind me of that love. Please fill me up with it. Let me realize it is better and fuller and more satisfying than any earthly relationship.” And then read Bible verses (better yet, memorize a few) that will remind you of these things, that Jesus is enough. That in fact He’s everything we need. That we should crave Him, long for Him, seek Him and seek to please Him, and we will be valued and loved and treasured. 
Here are some that help me: For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ~Psalm 139:14 God not only loves you very much but also has put His hand on you for something special ~ 1 Thessalonians 1:4 It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don’t even rank myself. Comparisons in these matters are pointless ~1 Corinthians 4:3 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ~Galatians 5:1 
It's Addicting, the third book in my Status Updates series releases today, July 14, 2014.
My characters in my new novel, It’s Addicting, encounter these very types of addictions -- the fun things that seem innocent enough. Follow college roommates Kat, Claire, Hannah and Palmer as they learn, explore, grow, discover and sometimes fall prey to their over desires in this third installment of the Status Updates series.
What about you? Have any addictions you'd like to share? 
It’s Addicting, my latest novel, the third in the Status Updates series releases July 14! That’s TOMORROW! HOORAY! Claire, Kat, Palmer, Hannah, and I have been itching to tell you what's going on in their sophomore year of college, and now, we can’t wait any longer. Because I’m so excited about the release, I’m going to give away an autographed copy of It’s Complicated, an autographed copy of It’s Over and an autographed copy of the brand new,It’s Addicting. This is how it’s going to work. We’re going to do a countdown. Today’s day ONE. So today, we’re counting down our favorite reading addictions. 
Book Three in the Status Updates Series, It's Addicting, by Laura L. Smith releases July 14, 2014
It’s Addicting?
We say it all the time right? But the only thing I'm truly addicted to is Christ! For the contest: All you have to do to enter is comment and tell me one of your addictions AND share the link on one of your social media sites. You can comment on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, and share any of those ways as well. You can enter once each day of the countdown (limited to five total entries per person), and at the end of the five days, on release day, July 14, I’ll pick three winners – one for each title—via Randomizer. Today is reading addiction day, so tell me what your favorite book or summer read is. Me? I’m currently addicted to The Goldfinch. It's a zillion pages long and totally fabulous, worth every sentence. It makes me want to go back to New York City and visit museums and practice my French and read and read and read. There's a reason it won the Pulitzer this year. How about you? What book are you addicted to right now? Why does it intrigue you? 
It’s Addicting, my latest novel, the third in the Status Updates series releases July 14! That’s only TWO days away! HOORAY! Claire, Kat, Palmer, Hannah, and I have been itching to tell you what treats they indulge in during their sophomore year of college, and now, we can’t wait any longer. Because I’m so excited about the release, I’m going to give away an autographed copy of It’s Complicated, an autographed copy of It’s Over and an autographed copy of the brand new,It’s Addicting. This is how it’s going to work. We’re going to do a countdown. Today’s day TWO. So today, we’re counting down with our favorite treat addictions. Are you sweet or salty? 
It's Addicting, the third book in the Status Updates series releases July 14
It’s Addicting?
We say it all the time right? But the only thing I'm truly addicted to is Christ! For the contest: All you have to do to enter is comment and tell me one of your addictions AND share the link on one of your social media sites. You can comment on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, and share any of those ways as well. You can enter once each day of the countdown (limited to five total entries per person), and at the end of the five days, on release day, July 14, I’ll pick three winners – one for each title—via Randomizer. Today is treat addiction day, so tell me what your go to summer snack is. Me? Chocolate chip cookies. Always have been. I love to make them from scratch and eat spoonfuls of the dough. I actually like the dough better than the finished product. I know some people prefer salty fries or spicy wings, but me, I have a sweet tooth. As a real indulgence I'll swing by Insomnia Cookies (did you know they deliver?!!!) for a chocolate chunk treat. How about you? What's your treat addiction? 
It’s Addicting, my latest novel, the third in the Status Updates series releases July 14! That’s only THREE days away! HOORAY! Claire, Kat, Palmer, Hannah, and I have been itching to tell you what coffee drinks their sipping in their sophomore year of college, and now, we can’t wait any longer. Because I’m so excited about the release, I’m going to give away an autographed copy of It’s Complicated, an autographed copy of It’s Over and an autographed copy of the brand new,It’s Addicting. This is how it’s going to work. We’re going to do a countdown. Today’s day THREE. So today, we’re counting down our favorite coffee shop addictions. 
It's Addicting, the third book in the Status Updates series releases on July 14
It’s Addicting? We say it all the time right? But the only thing I'm truly addicted to is Christ! For the contest: All you have to do to enter is comment and tell me one of your addictions AND share the link on one of your social media sites. You can comment on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, and share any of those ways as well. You can enter once each day of the countdown (limited to five total entries per person), and at the end of the five days, on release day, July 14, I’ll pick three winners – one for each title—via Randomizer. Today is coffee house addiction day, so tell me what your favorite order is. Me? I’m currently addicted to venti iced coffees with mocha and nonfat milk. So cool, sweet and refreshing on hot summer days with a kick of caffeine. A fabulous way to start my days. How about you? What's your coffee addiction? 
so does this mean Laura's IV, or Laura's iced venti?
It’s Addicting, my latest novel, the third in the Status Updates series releases July 14! That’s only FOUR days away! HOORAY! Claire, Kat, Palmer, Hannah, and I have been itching to tell you what music they're listening to in their sophomore year of college, and now, we can’t wait any longer. Because I’m so excited about the release, I’m going to give away an autographed copy of It’s Complicated, an autographed copy of It’s Over and an autographed copy of the brand new,It’s Addicting. This is how it’s going to work. We’re going to do a countdown. Today’s day four. So today, we’re counting down our favorite music addictions. 
It's Addicting, Book Three in the Status Updates series releases July 14
It’s Addicting?
We say it all the time right? But the only thing I'm truly addicted to is Christ! For the contest: All you have to do to enter is comment and tell me one of your addictions AND share the link on one of your social media sites. You can comment on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, and share any of those ways as well. You can enter once each day of the countdown (limited to five total entries per person), and at the end of the five days, on release day, July 14, I’ll pick three winners – one for each title—via Randomizer. Today is music addiction day, so tell me one of your music addictions. Me? I’m currently addicted to the letter F on my iTunes feed. I was listening to "Fix My Eyes" by For King and Country, on a run the other day, and just let the music play from there. I had a blast of a run listening to everything from "Faster" by Matt Nathanson to "Fez" by U2 to "Flake" by Jack Johnson to "Friday I'm in Love" by the Cure to "Focus" by Holly Starr. Even Beethoven's "Fur Elise" was in my F stream. Now I'm stuck on the letter F and letting the melodies entertain and inspire me. How about you? What's your music addiction? 
It’s Addicting, my latest novel, the third in the Status Updates series releases July 14! That’s only FIVE days away! Wowza! Claire, Kat, Palmer, Hannah, and I have been itching to tell you what happens in their sophomore year of college, and now, we can’t wait any longer. Because I’m so excited about the release, I’m going to give away an autographed copy of It’s Complicated, an autographed copy of It’s Over and an autographed copy of the brand new, It’s Addicting. This is how it’s going to work. We’re going to do a countdown. Today’s day five. So today, we’re counting down our favorite fashion addictions. 
It's Addicting releases July 14! It's the third title in my Status Updates series.
It’s Addicting?
We say it all the time right? But the only thing I'm truly addicted to is Christ! For the contest: All you have to do to enter is comment and tell me one of your addictions AND share the link on one of your social media sites. You can comment on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, and share any of those ways as well. You can enter once each day of the countdown (limited to five total entries per person), and at the end of the five days, on release day, July 14, I’ll pick three winners – one for each title—via Randomizer. Today is fashion addiction day, so tell me one of your fashion addictions. Me? I’m addicted to my Sanuk flip-flops in the summer. They’re made from recycled yoga mats, so they’re good for the environment, and they’re super soft and comfy on my toes. Plus they’re black, so they go with everything from my cut off jean shorts to an adorable floral sundress. How about you? What's your fashion addiction? 
SUMMER READING. My local library has a summer reading program. My kids' school is trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for most hours read in the summer, no lie. High schools have assigned reads ranging from To Kill a Mockingbird to The Fault in Our Stars, sigh. And me, I have my usual stack of delectable books that I can not wait to dive into. In fact, I already have. My stack appears random to a passerby, but to those who really know me, each title makes sense at some level or another. I was at the beach last week, translation, "Let The Summer Reading Begin." I read Sara Zarr's How to Save a Life - loved it! And then totally changed it up with C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters - blew my mind, had a copy from the library, need to get my own copy, so I can underline it like crazy! Next in my pile are Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, Seeing Through Stones by Rajdeep Paulus and Pulitzer Prize winner, Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. 
If you're still adding to your stack, Playlist Fiction has an a-ma-zing deal for you this week! Five phenomenal young adult titles for only $5! Actually slightly less, they're only 99 cents each! What? It's true. So, fill up your Kindle or phone, or iPad, or whatever device you read on with these great titles from ground-breaking young adult authors Laura Anderson Kurk, Rajdeep Paulus, Jennifer Murgia and Stephanie Morrill. And, oh yeah! My book, It's Complicated is only 99 cents this week too! 
It's Complicated is only 99 cents this week, June 23-27!
How about you? Any suggestions for my summer reading pile? What's on your summer reading list?
I am so excited to share with you my latest release, It's Addicting. It's Addicting releases July 14 in both print and e-book formats from Playlist Fiction. 
This third installment of the Status Updates series finds four college sophomore roommates finally getting comfy with the routines of dorm life. But Kat, Claire, Palmer, and Hannah soon begin to feel the nagging ache of innocent addictions pulling them away from their true selves. Still, obsessing over perfection, exercise, or a super-cute boyfriend could never be a bad thing—could it? Hang out with these four roomies to see if they can—or even want to—ditch these sneaky little hang-ups before they take over their lives. 
Claire, Hannah, Palmer and Kat return in this sequel to It's Complicated and It's Over. Photo courtesy of Kelci Alane Photography
'I'm so glad to see Laura L. Smith writing about such serious and important issues. Kudos to her for being brave enough to write the truth. ~ New York Times Best Selling Author, Tosca Lee
It's Addicting tackles real-life issues with raw honesty. This book is something every high-school and college-aged girl should read. ~ Nicole O'Dell, author, speaker, and founder of Choose NOW Ministries Laura L. Smith writes with precision and honesty in the third book of her popular Status Update series. It’s Addicting asks readers to consider their own lives and the blinders we all wear. The college roommates in this book struggle with the most authentic of issues—the sometimes subtle but often overwhelming addictions we all cling to. In the end, the answers aren’t easy or pretty, but Smith, with characteristic gentleness, pushes readers to see that clarity and hope come from one place—a God who seeks us as fiercely as we seek Him. ~Laura Anderson Kurk, author of Glass Girl and Perfect Glass |
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