Linda Hudson-Smith

In 2000, after illness forced her to leave a successful marketing and public relations career, is when national bestselling author, Linda Hudson-Smith, turned to writing as a healing and creative outlet. Dedicated to inspiring readers to overcome adversity against all odds, she now has twenty-four published novels to her credit, spanning an array of genres which include contemporary romance, and inspirational women’s mainstream fiction and Christian fiction romance. Linda has traveled the world as an enthusiastic witness to other cultures and lifestyles which has helped her to craft stories set in a variety of exotic and romantic locations.

Her debut novel, Ice Under Fire (Arabesque/BET Books), received rave reviews. Voted as Best New Author by the Black Writer’s Alliance, Linda received the prestigious 2000 Gold Pen Award. She also won two Shades of Romance Magazine awards in the categories of Multicultural New Romance Author of the Year and Multicultural New Fiction Author of the Year 2001. Linda was then nominated as the Best New Romance Author at the 2001 Romance Slam Jam. Romance in Color chose her as Rising Star in January 2000. In 2003 Linda was named Best New Christian Fiction author by Shades of Romance Magazine. In September 2004 she was the proud winner of the African American Literary Show Awards in the romance category, best author. February 2006 marked the appearance of the anthology novel, Thicker Than Water (Kimani Press/New Spirit) which featured Linda’s short story, The Devil’s Advocate, as #7 on Essence Magazine’s Best Seller’s list, earning her the recognition as a national bestselling author. Kimani Press will release several more of Hudson-Smith’s titles: December 2007, Forsaking All Others, a Kimani Romance. April 2008, This Far By Faith; Honor Thy Heart, a New Spirit Anthology. Indiscriminate Attraction, a Kimani Romance has a May 1, 2008 release date. In March 2009, Romancing the Runway, Kimani Romance, will hit the bookstore shelves, followed by another title later in the year.

For the past seven years Hudson-Smith has served as the National Spokesperson for the Lupus Foundation of America, making Lupus awareness one of her top priorities. She travels around the country delivering inspirational messages of hope. In 2002, her Lupus Awareness campaign was a major part of her book tour to Germany where she visited numerous military bases. Linda was also recently awarded the key to the city by the mayor of Crestview, Florida for the contributions she’s made by educating others about Lupus. Hudson-Smith is an active supporter of the NAACP and the American Cancer Society. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America and the Black Writers Alliance.

Linda Hudson-Smith was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and raised in Washington, D.C. She furthered her educational goals by attending Duff’s Business Institute in Pittsburgh, PA. The mother of two sons, Linda shares a residence with her husband, Rudy, in League City, Texas.

Linda Hudson-Smith has been living with Lupus for several years. She meets with Congressional leaders to discuss issues related to Lupus. She continues to advocate for increased funding for education, prevention

and medical services and research. She drums up support for prescription drug benefits for Medicare beneficiaries, a Patient's Bill of RIghts and the confidentiality of medical records. Linda continues to participate in training sessions and conduct radio interviews in order to educate the public about Lupus. BET has placed a Lupus public service ad in the back of her November title, "Fire Beneath the Ice".

Fully trained as a facilitator, it is Linda's desire to lead the charge in building minority Lupus support groups in Southern California and across the nation.