Laurie Ingram Sibley grew up as a pastor’s kid and then married a pastor of her own. She and JP have 2 kids in high school and 1 in college (which is weird, because they were just in college themselves). They are planting New City Fellowship PCA, a cross-cultural church in Orangeburg, SC.
She teaches kindergarten and writes stories—leveled books for kids just learning how to read and romantic suspense novels for their moms. She’s also a freelance line editor, and enjoys cooking dinner, crocheting, and napping (not necessarily in that order).
Connect with Laurie:
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Welcome to another featured author spotlight here at Heartbeats & Hideaways! To celebrate her visit, our guest is generously giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader. Simply leave a comment on today’s post to enter the giveaway. A winner will be selected from the comments, so jump into the discussion below!
Thanks for joining us today, Laurie. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.
What first inspired you to become a writer?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve known I was a writer. Characters and their stories bubble in my imagination. I have homemade books that I dictated to my mom as a preschooler, typed-and-illustrated books from second grade Writers’ Workshop, and various abandoned beginnings from my teen years. As an adult, I’ve written and sold over 30 leveled readers to educational publishers. But my favorite thing to write is Christian romantic suspense. I’m currently pursuing representation by a literary agent.
Do you outline your stories in advance, or do you prefer discovering the story as you write?
I am 100% a pantser. Remember writing term papers in high school? First you had to turn in an outline, then you had to turn in your notecards with all your research, and finally you wrote your paper. I would make up a random outline, then write the paper to see what I actually thought and learned, and rewrote the outline to match. Haha! To me, pantsing is like standing in a dark tunnel with only enough light to see a few steps in front of you. So you just keep writing/walking forward and gradually you discover more and more interesting parts of the story. It’s such a fun adventure. I think I would be bored if I already knew the whole story ahead of time.
Are there particular authors or books that have influenced your writing style?
Lynn H. Blackburn is one of my favorite romantic suspense writers. I’m loving her Gossamer Falls series. Dani Pettrey’s Alaskan Courage series is great. And I loved Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series. I love the suspense arcs in these books, but the romantic relationships between the characters are my favorite part.
When you’re not writing, what activities or interests help recharge your creativity?
I mostly just love hanging out with my husband and our teenagers. We like taking walks together, playing games, and watching shows. Recently, we watched Castle together, and now we’re enjoying the new Matlock and High Potential. (Maybe my enjoyment of romantic suspense is showing in our TV choices…) I also recharge my creativity by reading all the clean romance I can get my hands on, and by brainstorming and talking about writing with writer friends.
A finalist in the 2023 Golden Scroll Award, sponsored by AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association)
Tales of Light and Love
A collection of faith-filled novellas all inspired by Charleston Light, the wonderfully awkward-looking lighthouse that sits on the shore of Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. The stories range from sweet romance to time travel to fantasy to a modern retelling of a beloved fairy tale. You will definitely find something you love on these pages!
Shattered Darkness by Laurie Ingram Sibley:
Graffiti, tunnels, and a second chance at love.
Park Ranger Raven Lee thought the repeated vandalism to the lighthouse was bad, but nothing could have prepared her to come face-to-face with the high school sweetheart who abandoned her. Journalist Will Edgar is back on Sullivan’s Island, and he still has that insatiable curiosity driving him to search for answers. But when they discover something unexpected lurking in the island’s hidden passageways, Will and Raven must find the courage to face their past and fight for a future.
Pro-Tip: You can read Laurie’s story for FREE when you sign up for her author newsletter: https://www.lauriesibley.com/newsletter
