A New Voice in Romance...

Xpress Yourself Publishing announces the debut release of Secrets on Lake Drive by new romance author and Charlotte, North Carolina native Tina Martin.

Will he ever care enough to tell her?
(ISBN: 978-0-9845273-0-4, $14.95)

Monica and Sean clash at a parent-teacher conference when Monica accuses Sean of being too occupied with making money and chasing women to take a real interest in his son’s life. But Sean is no pushover. He knows how to hold his own and deal with Monica, but after the incident at school, he’s also come to realize that he can use Monica’s devotion to his advantage. He propositions her to move into his home to babysit five-year-old Roman for the three months of summer break, offering her a substantial amount of money, hoping that she’ll accept. But is babysitting the only reason he’s so anxious to get her into his mansion?

Monica accepts his offer against her better judgment, knowing the rumors of Sean and his womanizing ways. She tells herself that she’s doing this for Roman – that she can avoid her new, sexy, summer boss – his chiseled chest, pretty green eyes and charm that just won’t quit. But after only a few weeks, Monica finds it a struggle to keep her eyes off of Sean. Can she handle staying focused on her babysitting gig for three months without being swept off of her feet by Milwaukee’s finest? Or is Sean’s game too much for the young, conservative teacher to handle?

Having been heartbroken in the past, Monica is reluctant to play this dangerous game with a confirmed heartbreaker. But it’s what she doesn’t know about Sean that she should be concerned about. Sean knows her well – too well, and it’s those secrets that have the potential to make her love him or hate him.

Secrets On Lake Drive is an emotional story about a woman looking to correct wrongs in her life that could easily be solved by the secrets Sean quietly carries with him. The question is, will he ever care enough to tell her?

Fresh, real and exciting, Tina Martin is making her mark on the literary scene and is striding to take her seat next to some of the industry’s great Romance writers, with her debut novel, Secrets on Lake Drive.

* * *

Jessica Tilles, best-selling author and award-winning publisher of Xpress Yourself Publishing, chats candidly with Tina Martin.

Jessica: So, Tina, tell us about your passion for writing. What drives you? What impact do you want your book to make on the readers?

Tina: My passion for writing stems from my vivid imagination and an insatiable desire to have others see life through my creativity. I have a philosophy that I write to create my own world, and it’s my goal as a writer to take the reader out of their world and into mine.

I want readers to be entertained by stories of love & relationships, hope, failures and successes.

Jessica: Introduce us to your book, Secrets on Lake Drive.

Tina: Secrets On Lake Drive is a story of two people, Monica and Sean, who both have had failed relationships. She’s his son’s teacher. He’s a single father. They clash over what Monica considers to be child neglect, but after the matter is settled, they get to know each other on a personal level, finding out slowly that nothing is what it seems in any circumstance. It is an emotional, suspenseful romance about a woman looking to correct wrongs in her life that could easily be solved by the secrets Sean quietly carries with him.

Jessica: What inspired you to write this story?

Tina: I wrote this story because appearances are not always what they seem. Monica seems to have her life together, but she doesn’t by any means. Sean is rumored to be a womanizer and a dog just because he’s handsome (and single) with a lot of money. I think it’s important for people to not judge one another and find deeper meaning in friendships and relationships.

Jessica: Why a romance novel?

Tina: Why do we breathe? Why do we live? Why do we wake up in the morning? In some way or another, we all want to be loved, and my novels epitomize the desire within us all to love, to be in love and to be loved.

Jessica: On a personal note, what are your hobbies when you’re not weaving great stories?

Tina: I enjoy writing, bike riding, relaxing at the beach, writing poetry and spending time with family.


TINA MARTIN was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina. She took an interest in writing in high school. After graduating she wrote her first poem A Love So Extraordinary, and from that point forward, she used writing as an outlet to express all the drama going on in her life during that time.

It wasn’t until enrolling in college that she decided to explore fiction writing. In a Creative Writing course, she gained more knowledge on how to be creative and expressive through words. She cruised through the course with a perfect grade and from that point forward, she knew she had found her calling.

Tina has always been very talented and comes from a rich background of learning – Creative Writing, Arts, Acting, Desktop Publishing and Web Design. Graduating from college with a degree in Computer Technology and a certification in Accounting, her professors urged her to keep going to school to pursue even more technical knowledge, but Tina had other plans.

In 2007, Tina self-published her collection of poetry called Love Like Yours. Friends and family praise her for deep thoughts and expressions in her work which motivates her to continue doing what she loves.

Tina resides with her husband and son in Charlotte, North Carolina where she finished her novel, Secrets On Lake Drive, which is available in bookstores everywhere and at your favorite online retailer.

You can read more about Tina Martin at http://www.tinamartinbooks.com/

For more information, to order book, or to schedule an interview or appearance, please call (301) 390-3645 or email info@xpressyourselfpublishing.org.

Xpress Yourself Publishing, LLC
P.O. Box 1615, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773

Ph. 301-390-3645
www.xpressyourselfpublishing.com