Maureen Smith

pseudonym Naomi Chase

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, was so impressed that she predicted 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 stories and surfacing only for quick meals. Is it any wonder my parents and siblings labeled me a certifiable recluse?

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, DC—a gig requiring the patience of Job! I now live in San Antonio, Texas with my wonderful husband and our two children. When I’m not tending to their incessant needs, I can be found at my computer, sweating over a deadline.

Since the publication of my debut novel in 2002, I have been nominated for four Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards and numerous Emma Awards. I have won the Romance in Color Reviewers’ Choice Awards for New Author of the Year and Romantic Suspense of the Year (Ghosts of Fire). In 2010, I won the Emma Award for Best Romantic Suspense for Secret Agent Seduction. In 2011, I was nominated for the RT BOOKreviews Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Kimani Series Romance for Recipe for Temptation.