My Books

Coming in 2020

His Unexpected Amish Twins (Feb., Kensington)

His Pretend Amish Bride (June, Kensington)

Published in 2019

Gift from Above (Harlequin, 2019)

Big-City Amish (Harlequin, 2019)

Amish Widow’s Rescue (Grand Central/Forever)

Love’s Truest Hope 

Summer of Suspense

Second Chance Ranch series

 

Published in 2018

Exploring Ancient Rome

Amish Teacher’s Gift (Grand Central/Forever)

Amish Midwife’s Secret (Grand Central/Forever)

Second Chance Ranch series

Secret Identity 

Hearts Reunited

Plain Everyday Heroes

Love’s Christmas Blessings

Published in 2017

Buried Secrets (Charisma House)

Springs of Love

Love’s Thankful Heart

Published in 2016

Mystery of the Missing Parathas (3 Curious Monkeys, November 2016)

Strange Magic (Sunbury Press, November 2016)

Change of Heart w/a Rachel J. Good (Charisma House/Realms, May 2016)

Amish Quilts Coloring Book w/a Rachel J. Good (Golden Fairy Arts, April 2016)

Love & Profanity (Capstone, March 2016, paperback)

Imperial China (Cengage, March 2016)

Ancient Egypt (Cengage, March 2016)

West African Kingdoms (Cengage, March 2016)

Published in 2015

“Dating Magic” in Love and Profanity (Capstone, March 2015)

Reviews for Love & Profanity:

” Hilarity, heartache, terror, regret, shame, and self-awakening can all be found in this collection of finely wrought moments in time.” ~ Publishers Weekly

“Short yet powerful autobiographical stories comprise this collection of consistently excellent, vivid writing.” ~ School Library Journal

“…an unusual and interesting read that is enormously successful in illustrating how different the lives of teens are from one another.” Kirkus Reviews

“…the brevity of the stories, the honesty of their authors, and their tidy organization lend themselves well to browsing, increasing the likelihood that teen readers will find something they connect with.” ~ Booklist

The Teeny Tiny Woman (ustyme, March 2015)

The Teeny Tiny Woman was chosen as part of the Billion EBook Gift program, a partnership between RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) and ustyme, to give books to families to share. Included as part of 50 books donated free to each family, 200 million copies of The Teeny Tiny Woman will be distributed.

Her Cold Revenge (Switch Press, August 2015)

In WANTED Book 2, HER COLD REVENGE, Grace’s saga continues as she single-handedly tracks down train robbers and fugitives in her quest for justice.

Reviews:

“A heroine who refuses to stand down against a society that sees women as defenseless, Grace is the Katniss of the Wild West.” ~ YA Books Central

“Typical Western elements combine with the breathy emotions of a traditional romance in this sequel to Grace and the Guiltless.” ~ Kirkus

“Returning fans won’t be disappointed in the breakneck pacing, tense fight scenes, and increasingly steamy romantic scenes with Joe.” ~ Booklist

“…may just be the story that hooks a new generation of readers on the Western genre. . .” ~ Smart Moms

UXL World Eras:

Imperial China (617-1644)

West African Kingdoms (500-1590)

Ancient Egypt

Published in 2014

Cyber Self-Defense with cybercrime expert Alexis Moore  (Globe Pequot/Lyon’s Press, October 7 2014):

A YA fiction series set in the Wild West: WANTED (w/a Erin Johnson)

After her family is slaughtered by outlaws, sixteen-year-old Grace Milton goes on a vendetta to capture the gang who did it. But once she meets a rugged range rider, she’s torn between revenge and love.

Cover for the US release of Book 1:

Book 1 ~ US edition

Reader Reviews from Wattpad:

“I just wanted to say how much your book: ‘Grace and the Guiltless Gang’ moved me. I loved it so much and was so disappointed when it ended. The way you described details in it was just perfect and I’ve never been so moved by a book. You honestly made me cry….”

“What drew me in was its cover; it’s beautiful, mysterious and quite promising…The beginning is captivating and immediately shows what kind of character Grace is….I don’t want to give any spoilers, but it’s the most tragic start to an amazing story.”

“The Wanted series is absolutely wonderful…. Grace is extremely courageous and amazing! Reading this makes me stick up for myself and in ways teaches me to boost my confidence.”

Reader Reviews from Instagram:

““I just finished Grace and the Guiltless by Erin Johnson and all I want to do is curl up in a ball and wait till August, the release date for the second book. This book was so amazing that I don’t even want to pick up another book, due to a book hangover.”

Covers for the UK releases:

Published in 2013
English reading book for students in Ethiopia

Art by an Ethiopian artist who is an instructor at Addis Ababa University

Here’s a photo of the area of Gimbi I wrote about (photo by the terrific Peace Corps volunteer Neen Talbott, who was my research partner & checked all my drafts for cultural accuracy):

Gimbi, Ethiopia
Photo by Janeen Talbott

Published in 2012…
UXL Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes (Gale/Cengage):

Lots of research, writing, and gathering primary sources went into this project, but now it’s done:

5 vols. UXL Encyclopedia of Native Tribes

“Each detailed entry is presented in consistent rubrics that allow for easy access … This is a valiant effort to put into some kind of order the history and current status of the native peoples of this land, at least insofar as our tribes/nations are concerned … This is the best I’ve seen and I would strongly urge every school, agency, and government to have a copy on their finger-tips.”    ~Moccasin Print

“The reading level of the text is accessible for a wide range of users, making this set a good purchase for schools or public libraries with students doing moderate to serious research on Native American tribes.”     ~Booklist

“Angel in the Mist” in A Community of Writers (Sunbury Press, 2012).

Photo Credit: Zsolt Zatrok

Royalties from the sale of the book will be donated to the Fredricksen Library, Camp Hill, PA.

Here’s the cover:

I have a piece of art and a 6-word bio in here:

~The Washington Post named this book an intriguing e-book. And called it “Surprising, uplifting, assertive.”

Released 2011…

Pirates Through the Ages (Cengage):

Pirates Through the Ages: Primary Sources

Released 2009…

Both of my books below came out on the same day in 2009, but from different publishers. (Rather like having twins, but without the night feedings.)

Rihanna (People in the News) [Lucent]

Review:

“Author Laurie J. Edwards does a wonderful job of presenting Rihanna’s life in a readable format. Beginning with the singer’s rough childhood with her cocaine-addicted father to her signing a contract with Jay-Z at age 16 and her subsequent rise to fame, the biography is a page-turner. Edwards draws you in and keeps you interested throughout as she tells little-known details of the behind-the-scenes persona of Rihanna. Sneak peeks at other performers, such as Gwen Stefani, Maroon 5, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, and many others.”

~Evelyn Richards

Quoted on Prezi:

“On an island in the sun, a baby entered the world one February day in 1988. Her parents named her Robyn Rihanna Fenty. No one knew then that this newborn would someday become a star. Nor did they realize her sunny island home of Barbados would provide the idea for her first album. But the baby born that February 20 had a date with destiny. A decade and a half later, she took the stage name Rihanna, stunned the music world at age sixteen, and became part of real, live fairy tale.”

Summer Lovin’

“Summer Storms” in Summer Lovin’

(Wild Rose Press)

Reviews:

“I’ve never read anything by Ms. Edwards, but I have to say after reading this story that I plan to read some more from this talented author. Summer Storms was my favorite of the anthology….

A heart touching story. More about change than romance but one still to affect any reader. There is some great writing going on in this story. I could feel the urgency and emotions of these characters caught in a possibly deadly situation. Outstanding.”
~Long and Short Romance

http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/08/summer-lovin-by-dara-edmondson-laurie-j.html

“I loved all of the stories in this book. Each story was a unique summer themed love story that was able to stand alone by itself. And…I got caught up in each story. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, breezy, summer read.” ~5-star review from Amazon

“…immensely satisfying and truly enjoyable.” ~You Gotta Read Reviews

“Summer Lovin’ is a perfect book to read poolside or at the beach.” ~The Romance Studio

Read more reviews