False Reflections Series

Originally published in 2008 You can never be too thin...can you? Melissa seems to have it all--grades, friends, dance team and the eye of the new guy in school. The one thing Melissa doesn't have is a perfect body. But there are ways to fix that. Strict dieting and throwing up can't be all bad, can they? Melissa soon finds the consequences are devastating, but turning back isn't so easy. Will she hear God's voice before it's too late? The 'need' to be thin continues to plague American girls, and Laura Smith tackles this tough topic in her debut teen novel with thoughtfulness and style. Girls are going to relate to Melissa and her struggle to 'look good.' --Melody Carlson - author of the TrueColors and Diary of a Teenage Girl series A real story for real girls. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by schoolwork, relationships, your friends, or activities, you need to read this book. --Heather Gemmen Wilson - Best Selling Author Melissa is a vibrant teen who teaches readers signs of an eating disorder and the value of spirituality in working through the treatment. Skinny is powerful because it heightens the awareness of eating disorders--the key to early diagnosis and treatment, which translates to improved adolescent wellness. Thank you, Ms. Smith, for empowering young women! --Dr. Michelle Naegele  Adolescent readers will appreciate this true-to-life account of the ambivalence, pain, and emotional struggle of living with an eating disorder. The seemingly 'normal' drive to achieve, win the favor of a young man, and please one's parents is captured in a readable text that does not underplay the real consequences and health risks that accompany eating disorders. The importance of spiritual connection, not always portrayed in similar stories, is an added bonus. --Julie Campbell-Ruggaard - PhD, LPCC, RN

Originally published in 2010 How far will she go to make him notice her? Lindsey is gorgeous, but inside she feels alone. It seems no one truly understands her, not even her friends or family--until she meets Noah. Noah possesses a calm self-confidence that Lindsey craves. But what price will she pay to escape to the comfort of Noah's soft words and strong arms? Will Lindsey discover what truly matters before it's too late?   Hot captures the struggles, temptations, trials and victories of a generation battling for purity. A great read for teens and parents! --National Director, Silver Ring Thing, Jason Burtt Readers will easily identify as Lindsey navigates first love, social pressure, and church teaching to determine her own convictions about chastity. Smith writes with unlimited grace. --Bethany Pierce, author of Feeling for Bones

Emma is angry. She’s angry at her siblings, who she always has to baby sit; her parents, who are divorcing and ruining her life in the process; and herself for not measuring up to anyone’s standards, not even her own. With her simmering feelings ready to spill over at any time, Emma's self-worth plummets. Her faith in God is tested in the face of overwhelming hurt that threatens to send her over the edge. Can she turn back in time? Angry is compelling and heart-wrenching. Laura Smith grabs your attention and has it throughout the entirety of the book. As Emma goes through hard times, you feel for her as if it were you back in high school. --UP Magazine editor Kelci House Smith writes as if she remembers her own teenage years, nailing the social drama, academic responisbilites and turbulent emotions of youth right on the head. --TotallyHer.com writer Melissa J. Carswell Laura L. Smith writes of a very familiar experience; life falling apart and falling back together with God's love and forgiveness. --Miami University student Amanda Tullis Emotion, familiarity and faith in Angry capture your attention to a point where you feel as if you are Emma, her anger is your anger, her struggles are your struggles, and her relief is your relief. --University student Olivia Krawczyk Laura Smith's books are about every day life! --High School student, Brianna Nixon