About Laura

Laura Dower worked in marketing and editorial in kid’s publishing for many years before taking a big leap to the full-time life of an author. Since 2000, she has penned 90+ books–from picture books to young adult fiction and nonfiction. Along the way, she had two sons and a daughter. Laura and her groovy family of five live in Yonkers, NY.

Of course that gives you no real idea what I am like. It’s the goofy, in-between stuff that really says it all.

So here are a bunch of other facts:

• Arrival on Planet Earth: I was born in Massachusetts, nearly delivered in traffic on the way to the hospital. Born near Boston means I am a lifelong Red Sox fan. My great-grandfather helped install the lights in Fenway Park. Many pals are Yankees folks, however, which can be a problem during baseball season.
• Siblings: I’m an only child. Well sort of. My dad and stepmom adopted a beautiful baby boy when I was in college, so I do have a step-brother. His name is Andrew and he plays drums.
• First childhood memory: Back in Massachusetts circa 1972: playing Matchbox cars in the windowsill, catching ladybugs in the kitchen, and singing Karen Carpenter tunes at the top of my lungs.
• Grown-up dreams: I wanted to be a writer for Mad magazine or Saturday Night Live (this was back in the late 70s when the show first arrived). I made up my own magazine with jokes and skits and called it COOL. As if! Meanwhile, I also considered a lifetime vocation to teach the deaf. This was probably because I was addicted to Helen Keller’s biography. Unfortunately I did not learn sign language–yet.
• Obscure injuries: Knock wood–I have never broken an arm or a tibia or anything like that. But I do have three cool scars over my right eye from where my face collided with a wall; where I tripped over a chair into a desk (second grade–and hey, I was pushed!); and where a miniature golf club made unfortunate contact with my eyeglasses–and eyeball.
• My start as a reader: my mom used to read to me. I still have the Winnie the Pooh book that we read together–and that I now read to my kids. Heffalumps are my favorite.
• First book: Hello, Rock. It is about a rock. And some pebbles. I still have the book saved in a Ziploc bag.
• My start as a writer: When I was in second and third grade I worked diligently on my very first story called Harry & Me. I have no idea who Harry was supposed to be (many characters we write are inspired by real peeps in our life, but Harry was a mish-mash of everyone I knew). I wrote it during recess.
• Most alarming fact about my childhood: I was good in math. An old friend just reminded me of our days in math club. Math club?!!
• Wannabe actress: I acted in whatever I could; whenever I could. When I was in high school, I won a Shakespeare recitation competition. A bunch of us competed NYC-wide; and the judging panel included legends Helen Hayes and Rosemary Harris! Can you say STAR STRUCK?! One of the biggest wows ever. I competed nationally in public speaking tournaments/ forensics competitions, too, performing in the category of Dramatic Interpretation. Ahem. Born a ham; always a ham.
• When acting and writing met: as a senior in high school I wrote and directed a short play called Lost Until Now.
• When did you realize you wanted to be a writer/illustrator for real? Two words: Judy Blume. And seven more words confirmed it: Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret?
• Some other favorite books as a kid: Blueberries for Sal; Little House books; Charlotte’s Web; T.H. White Once and Future King; and yeah, all those Helen Keller (and other) biographies.
• Biggest stumbling block for being a writer: I was a pretty good speller but kind-of, sorta, okay TERRIBLE at grammar, comprehension, etc. which was a problem when those testing years kicked in. Did extra-credit all through high school to make my writing better. Still working at it. Daily.
• Strangest talent: uncanny ability to retain useless trivia. Still waiting for the call from the producers of Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune.
• My genes: My mom is such a talented artist. I’m trying to convince her to start painting again. I just signed up for a drawing class. Do you doodle? I can’t help myself. I think I’ve passed down my doodle gene to my kids.
• College stuff: Graduated from Columbia College, Columbia University with a B.A. in English. I was the third class of women accepted at the school. It went co-ed in 1983. Most of my best college buds I met the very first week of college. They’re FFL: friends for life.
• First job ever: babysitting. Then assorted waitressing, coffee-making, switchboard-operating jobs.
• First book ever: Scooby Doo’s Guide to Life
• Favorite book(s) I’ve written: Madison Finn and Monster Squad series and whatever I am working on right this very minute…
• Inspiration for my writing: eavesdropping on unsuspecting strangers; analyzing dreams; re-reading my old diaries; talking to my kids and their pals; reading anything from the newspaper to junk mail; and MY KIDS (of course).
• Best advice I ever got about writing: “Trust Laura and her perceptions of things.” My college adviser wrote that on a file card for me nearly 20 years ago, I still have the coffee-stained and torn card framed on my desk.
• Other random tidbit from my past: in high school I was featured in a Seventeen magazine spread. It was a makeover that I was photographed for throughout my senior year. Some fancy haircutters chopped my locks and got my photo taken all over NYC.
• Not-so-great-habit: I am often late. It drives everyone I know crazy, especially my kids.
• Gets my writing motor humming: rainstorms; highly competitive games of Scrabble and Boggle; crossword puzzles; really good books; really trashy magazines; classical music; and Venti, toffee nut Americanos from Starbucks.
• In my spare time: I am a Cub Scout den leader (with 8 scouts) and a Girl Scout Brownie troop co-leader (with 18 scouts). This takes up extraordinary amounts of time, but I love. LOVE. Anyone out there a cub scout or girl scout?
• Dreaming big: would like to be able to hike up a very big mountain and camp at the top; play the violin in an orchestra; and train as a gourmet cook. But truth is, I had a dream that I could be a mom and a writer. And I’m doing just that. Blessings counted.