Lori Wilde
Laurie Blalock Vanzura(born Texas, United States) is an American author of contemporary romance novels, first under the pseudonym Laura Anthony, and now as Lori Wilde. Biography. Laurie Blalock was born in Texas, United States. She wrote her first short story at age eight, and finished her first novel four years later. At sixteen, she submitted a story to Alfred Hitchcock Magazine. Although it was rejected, she received a handwritten note telling her to keep writing. She continued to write, finishing 60 short stories over the next 10 years, persisting even while attending nursing school. All of her short  stories were rejected, and a writing teacher finally suggested, in 1990, that she try to write a novel. Wilde took the teacher's advice, and in 1994 sold her second completed work to Silhouette Romance under the pseudonym Laura Anthony. Wilde wrote 11 novels under that name, with one becoming a finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award. Until 2004, Wilde wrote category romances for Harlequin, primarily in their Duet and Blaze lines. Her first single title, "License to Thrill", was published in 2003. Wilde has been nominated three times for "Romantic Times" Reviewers' Choice Awards, for "Coaxing  Cupid", "Packed With Pleasure", and "Santa's Sexy Secret". She has also been nominated for a "Romantic Times" Career Achievement Award in series love and laughter. She has won first place in The Colorado Award of Excellence, the More than Magic, The Wisconsin Right Touch, The Laurel Wreath, The Desert Rose Golden Quill and the Lories. In 2007 she was also honored as distinguished alumna by Weatherford College. In 2010, her book "The First Love Cookie Club" was on the "USA Today" and "The New York Times" best seller lists for five weeks.