bio 
Laura is the author of...
Winnemucca , a small-town fairy tale inspired by her life-long love of a little known town, Avenal, CA, and her equal love of enchanted teenage road trips. 13 on Halloween is the first book in the Teen Halloween Series . Laura's travel and personal essays have been published in The Los Angeles Times and other Southern California newspapers and magazines. She worked as a multimedia designer for The Los Angeles Times and E! Entertainment Television.
She and her husband live in a tree house on the central coast of California with their Aussie shepherd, Oso. She has two grown daughters who love to climb trees as much as she does. Laura's taken up residence in Portland, OR off-and-on. When she's there, you'll find her at the Holiday Inn at the airport, typing away, eating some amazing food at the pods, drinking some great Willamette Valley wine, and visiting Powell's Books of course!
Transfer Student, a sci-fi romance, will be released March 20th with a blog tour starting on Leap Day, February 29!
To find out where in the world Laura is and more about her upcoming books, visit her blog Laurasmagicday and friend her on Facebook. If Twitter is your thing she's _Laurawriting, email elliwrite [at] yahoo [dot] com.
books My latest and upcoming books:
Winnemucca WINNEMUCCA
Once upon a time Ginny’s road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie.
Thirteen on Halloween 13 ON HALLOWEEN: Twelve-year-old Roxie wants to be like Adrianne, the peacock [popular girl] who gets everything she wants––a trampoline, a flock to prowl around the mall with, and most especially invitations to parties. But everything changes at Roxie’s birthday where she'll get everything she’s always wanted, except her old life back.
Winnemucca v WINNEMUCCA
Once upon a time Ginny’s road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie.
Winnemucca, a small-town fairy tale
Virginia Mae Nolyn solves the riddle of her past on an enchated road trip where fear's as blind as love. $2.99
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13 on Halloween, Book 1 in the Teen Halloween Series
Roxie's birthday wish comes true in hilariously scary ways, when she receives a gift that's literally out of this world. Book 1 in the coming-of-age fantasy series explores popularity and what it means to have it all.
Only 99 cents! Read an excerpt
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Transfer Student is a Freaky-Friday story of two normal teenagers struggling to survive high school and deal with their parents...typical rites of passage. The twist? One teen is an alien from the planet Retha. In a galactic teleporting experiment gone wrong, Ashley, a Beverly Hills High surfing fashionista, and Rhoe, the biggest geek on planet Retha, swap lives. They must survive this nightmare to discover their dreams. How far would you go for someone you love?
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press Book Tours!
"Laura has crafted an alternate reality which is both believable and spooky at the same time."
-Kate's Reads
1/30 - 1/31 Paranormal Plumes Society visits
Florida in January! Click here for all the scoops!
"The voice is distinct and the world she creates is both magical and mundane. As I read the book it reminded me of Neil Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS."
HAUNTED SAVANNAH
BOOK TOUR Wrap up!
"The story is boldly told in poetic prose that I have not seen since the writers of an older age..."
"This book is hilarious."
-Marie, Ramblings of a Daydreamer
Pacific Northwest YA Authors
1/27 What Makes A Great Story! At Safety Harbor Middle School, Florida
"With a colorful vocabulary that includes peacocks, tarantulas, hamsters, and owls, Roxie is one of the most unique characters I've ever read in a book...Elliott takes the reader into an absolutely unique and captivating world where nothing is as it seems and reminds us that reality isn't so bad after all. It's rare I come across a book that can entertain me and my ten year old daughter. Fantastic read."
-Abbi Glines, author of Breathe & The Vincent Boys
"Ms. Elliott's voice is unique. It keeps you captivated and makes putting Winnemucca down, impossible."
Interview with YA author Abbi Glines
"Almost 3 years after reading this, I still think about it."
-Amazon Review
At Curlew Creek Elementary with my dad, sister and neice 1/27/12!
blog 
Nichole Chase & I talk about The Paranormal Plumes Society Haunted Book Tour Oct 27th on The Mid-Morning Live Show WTOC, Savannah
for writers For writers
Bare with me as this page is new and will be growing. I've found that on my book tours and book blog tours and just meeting other writers in general, as well as going to conferences, I learn things. Things that shouldn't just stay in a folder gathering dust. Or remain scribbled in my little notebook and not shared. So I'm starting to unearth some of the gems that I've heard, learned, been inspired by. I hope they either inspire, or help you out too. Thanks for being patient with this page as it slowly fills up. I'm trying to add to it/change it every day. Some of these topics will be blog posts. Watch for the pink link. That will take you to more info. Thanks for stopping by.
Helpful links...
Wisdom from the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Trade Show Portland, OR
From the session: Every Book Is A Start-Up
"Writers always want to think we are Luke, but what we need to think of ourselves as YODA. Look how aweseom you are readers. We need to be helping heros, not being heroes ourselves." - Todd Sattersten, Founder of Portland-base BizBookLab, a company that identifies, develops & launches business books around the world.
From the panel: Effective Author Consignment Plans
"We are small, independent businesses trying to make our way in the world with the big guys and yet we turn around and turn our nose up as self-published authors who are in our similar situation."
- Jamil Zaidi, buyer at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle & President of the PNBA Board of Directors.
YA Book Blog Directory
How To Make A Book Trailer
How To Make Your Book Release Rock!
"One great insight is worth a thousand good ideas." - Phil Dusenberry, American Advertising Executive for BBDO.
"Buckle up" is a great idea. Insight doesn't just produce one idea but thousands of ideas. We recognize them when we see them:
"Friends don't let friends drive drunk."
There's so much more in an insight.
Find the things that you can tap into in your stories that make an insight not just a great idea. Use this insight to help promote your writing.
Independent Booksellers pet peeves with self-published authors:
unrealistic expectations both with consignment sales as well as book signing events
walking into the store with a book and not knowing how the business of selling a self-published book works-email first and find out their policies, please.
how to make consignment sales successful
Amazon is a four-letter word to Independent Booksellers. When they ask you how they can buy your book, do not say Amazon
Diary of a Debut Author:
My first library visit & book tour
Excerpt Swaps and secrets of Ebook marketing and the future of Enhanced Books.
