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Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra
ALLi Author Member
Location: United States of America (the)
Genres: Thriller, Literary Fiction, General Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Short/Flash Fiction Collection, Romance
Skills: Press/Media Interview, Reading/Literary Event, Speaking Engagement/Lecture, Writing Workshop
Award-Winning author, Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra, is a romantic suspense author with a unique point of view. Her adventure novels take place in locales across Europe and the United States, reflecting her international upbringing and extensive time as a global traveler. In her duology, The Coin and The Book of Hours, her characters, Gabriela and Richard, walk the same paths as their creator, though her life was never in so much danger.
Her short story collection, The Fish Tank: And Other Short Stories, is an imaginative ride through various genres. One section in particular, “Soul Songs”, delves into the gut-wrenching experience of exile with Ms. Alonso-Sierra’s fictionalized Cuban Diaspora stories, based on her own experience of exile.
The author is also featured in the short story anthology, Book Dreams: Volume 1. Her short-story, “Retribution Served”, is part of the volume and has been well received by readers.
Ms. Alonso-Sierra’s writing career began circa age thirteen with a very juvenile science fiction short story, but the writing bug hit, and she has been writing, in one capacity or another, ever since. She has worked as a professional dancer, singer, journalist, and literature teacher in both the university and middle school levels (and not necessarily in that order) and holds a Masters in English literature. She loves to hear from readers and, when not writing, roams around to discover new places to set her novels.
Ms. Alonso-Sierra lives in North Carolina with her husband and her dog, Amber.
Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra's books
The Coin
2018 BRONZE MEDAL WINNER READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS
WHO EVER THOUGHT FINDING A COIN COULD GET YOU KILLED?
Set in the exotic French Riviera, The Coin is a story of hatred, betrayal, love and duty—of terrible and painful choices that, nonetheless, bring about personal triumph.
France 1993
A DANGEROUS FIND
For artist Gabriela Martinez, life has become complicated. Seeking peace, she visits her favorite thinking spot in La Marbriére, the mountain overlooking her home in the Côte d’Azur. Distracted, she winds up in an unfamiliar clearing, where she discovers a 1945 French coin half-buried in the ground. Delighted with its beauty, she has it set on her favorite bracelet.
TREACHEROUS KNOWLEDGE
Richard Harrison, an American intelligence officer, is livid. A simple favor for his boss has turned his vacation in the French Riviera into a hellish assignment. Now, not only does he learn the truth about the coin, but he must also protect Gabriela from a cunning killer who will stop at nothing to keep his secret safe.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT
Together with Maurice Nôret, from French intelligence, Richard attempts to discover the madman’s identity, except his budding love for this beautiful artist is turning into a dangerous handicap. Soon, the psychological games to terrorize Gabriela escalate beyond his control, and if Richard doesn’t find a solution, it may be too late for them both.
The Book of Hours
2019 Winner Author Shout Recommended Read Readers’ Award.
FOR ARTIST GABRIELA MARTINEZ, PSYCHOPATHS DO HIT TWICE.
Set in California and London, The Book of Hours, the follow-up to The Coin, is a story about greed, obsession, family duty, and especially, deserved second chances.
A LOVE IN JEOPARDY
In 1993, artist Gabriela Martinez almost lost her life to a sociopath’s twisted vision. If not for Richard Harrison, the operative sent to protect her, she would have ended up dead.
A NEW THREAT
After catching a glimpse of Gabriela’s new artwork, The Book of Hours, Arnold Wickeham has been like a man possessed. Now, he will do anything—anything—in order to claim it. Nothing, especially not Gabriela, will stand in his way.
THE PAST IS CATCHING UP
Richard Harrison has never given up on his true love, Gabriela. Now someone new is threatening her life, and he will risk everything to protect her. But the stakes are now higher, and there is much more to lose. And if he doesn’t stay one step ahead of the danger, her life, but mainly their future, may very well go up in flames.
The Fish Tank: And Other Short Stories
SILVER MEDAL WINNER OF READERS' FAVORITE 2018 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS
SILVER MEDAL WINNER OF 2018 FEATHERED QUILL BOOK AWARDS
2018 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree
SHORT STORIES OF STRONG WOMEN, EXILE, GHOSTS...AND A MURDER.
An unexpected treasure handed over from an ex-spouse via the divorce lawyer; a classic mother-son bonding experience on a roller coaster ride; tragic tales of survival of ordinary Cuban citizens in the 1960s; a paranormal happening in the Museum of the Weird, the Sad, and the Wretched; and a complex murder mystery; a short fanciful poem – all of these stories in one volume from the mind of romantic suspense author Maria Elena Alonso-Sierra that will take your imagination on a ride across all genres.
Delve into For the Fun of Writing, where flights of fancy are given voice in “Jerry’s Gift” and “Rites of Passage.” Glide into Soul Songs, stories from the Cuban Diaspora, where the author weaves many of her own exile experiences in “The Fish Tank” (award winner), “Bubbles Don’t Bring Smiles,” “Lullaby,” and “A Day in the Life of Benito José Fuentes.” Take a peek at Prologues, two prequel short stories that introduce characters in upcoming novels. Twists and turns run rampant in “Into the Light,” and “Mirror, Mirror: A Detective Nick Larson Story.” Finally, enjoy, The End, a short short of whimsy in “Everyone’s a Critic.”
Hanging Softly in the Night: A Detective Nick Larson Novel
A QUESTIONABLE SUICIDE… A DETECTIVE'S SUSPICION... AND A DESPERATE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER BEFORE MORE VICTIMS ARE FOUND.
New York Police Department’s Sixteenth Precinct in Manhattan is under siege by the flu, and Detective Nick Larson and his partner, Detective Victor Sacco, are up to their armpits with work overload. The captain’s cigar is seriously chewed, and everyone is working around the clock. To complicate matters, on a personal level, things aren’t going smoothly, either. Laura Howard, the woman Nick loves, is also having issues with a psycho twin sister who is doing everything to ruin Laura's business and her life.
Then Nick's captain assigns a new case, a suicide. From the moment Nick steps on scene, however, something doesn't feel quite right, especially when, upon investigating the case further, the supposed suicide looks more and more like an actual homicide. Immediately, Nick's instincts kick into gear, but rev into overdrive when similar, questionable suicides pop up around the area. And with the way things have been going lately, it would just be Nick’s luck to have a serial killer on the loose.
Set in New York City, Hanging Softly in the Night is a story of murder, mental illness, determination, dedication, perseverance, and, ultimately, justice.
Mirror, Mirror: A Prequel Detective Larson Short Story
Detective Nick Larson is on the last stages of an investigation into a brutal murder. By all the evidence, this is a slam dunk—an open and shut case, with the killer caught on video committing the heinous crime. Easy. But something is wrong. Nick's gut is on fire, sending signals worthy of a five-alarm blaze. So, he has two choices: if he ignores his instincts, the repercussions could be detrimental to the suspect. And if he's wrong, there will be no justice for the victim. Only by reexamining the evidence, especially the damning video, will he be able to find the truth and solve the case.
+BONUS MATERIAL - 1st Chapter of upcoming Detective Nick Larson novel, Hanging Softly in the Night.