Author Spotlight: Maria Imbalzano

For my entire career, I was a family law attorney at a large law firm in central New Jersey. In addition to meeting with clients, filing motions and legal briefs, attending court, and either settling or trying cases, I was a member of several non-profit boards. I also wrote dozens of legal articles, gave speeches on issues in divorce cases, and was interviewed for local radio and TV programs. Life was very busy with my career, as well as raising two daughters along with my husband. But I had the itch to write a romance novel, so in 1998, I made the decision to do so, despite not knowing how. I went to writing seminars and conferences, read how-to books, wrote manuscripts, sent them out to agents and editors and received a lot of rejections. Fifteen years later, in 2013, I received a publishing contract. Since then, I have had ten books published and am working on my next one.

I was reading a book by a bestselling author one night, and she was annoying me. I silently berated her by stating (to myself) that we are not stupid readers–we got it the first time. This was followed up by I bet I could do this.  And that was the start of my writing journey twenty-seven years ago.

Because I was a divorce lawyer by day, I read romance novels at night. It was a way to achieve balance in my life. Since I loved reading contemporary romance, that’s what I wanted to write. And I’m still enjoying every minute of it.

Lawyers and legal issues have a way of showing up in many of my novels. Unchained Memories pits a medical malpractice lawyer against an ER doctor, Dancing in the Sand includes an environmental lawyer who runs up against a fracking company owner, Return to Wylder has a commercial real estate lawyer trying to disentangle herself from a demanding hotel owner, and Sworn to Remember is a reunion story where two lawyers have very different views of their future careers, and therefore lives. These are just a few of my books. For a complete list, please go to my website at http://www.mariaimbalzano.com

All of my novels showcase strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. These emotional stories will pull on your heartstrings, and at times you will laugh, cry, sigh, inhale…and fall in love.

My books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, and Kobo. Print books are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

You can purchase Island Detour here.

A partial scene fromIsland Detour between Sophie and Max.

It wasn’t long enough before Max and Ben ushered Sophie to the fishing boat. She inhaled huge breaths of salt air, hoping the oxygen would perform some magic on the dull throb in her head.

“I know you’re going to find this hard to believe,” she started hesitantly, “but I don’t know how to fish.”

“What a surprise.” Max didn’t even bother to moderate his sarcasm.

Sophie’s scowl fell on his back as he and Ben gathered up rods and reels, a tackle box, and cartons of what she could only assume contained live bait. He had been sniping at her for days. Ever since Andy had asked her to cover for him as director. It was as if she had caused Andy’s accident intentionally, just to take over his job and keep it from Max.

She followed them onto the dock and into the boat, wishing she had brought her bottle of aspirin to dull the pain of this ill-conceived trip.

She sat on the bench, quiet as a church mouse, as Max steered the boat out toward the ocean. Her eyes betrayed her as they were drawn to the muscles in his back and shoulders, stretching and straining with each movement. His tawny, bronze skin glistened with a layer of sunscreen and ocean mist. A work of art. His jaw was square and tight, his cheekbones chiseled. Soft, wavy brown hair blew straight back from his forehead, giving her a bird’s-eye view of one very gorgeous man. Oh, so easy on the eyes. Too bad he wasn’t as easy on the nerves.