Welcome! My name is Laurie, and I live on the north shore of Long Island, NY with my husband, two boats and a three-legged dog named Abby. I’m also an author and illustrator of picture books and middle grade novels.

I’ve been drawing ever since I got my hands on that first box of crayons. I think the first thing I drew was a cat. My love of writing came much later when my husband and I took our 85-foot classic wooden boat south on the Intracoastal Waterway from Virginia to Florida. What an adventure! Dolphins swam and jumped in our wake, alligators lurked along the shore. Hawks and eagles soared above, and when we stopped to explore Edisto Island in Georgia, a wild boar ran right in front of us, snorted and scurried off! I even collected shells along the way that inspired MAYA’S TREASURE.

I was born in NYC and grew up in Queens NY, with lots of pets. At one point my family accumulated one lizard, two dogs, a hamster and 21 cats! Dinnertime was a critter carnival. I named every one of them and each had their own remarkable personality. Animals have incredible spirits and have always been a huge part of my life. You’ll notice I try to include them in much of my work.

My first book, MISADVENTURES OF A MAGICIAN’S SON, (Blue Whale Press) is a middle grade story. It’s about a boy named Alex, who after losing his father— a celebrated magician— to a fateful illusion, finds a unique deck of cards in his dad’s old desk. My newest picture book, MAYA’S TREASURE, (Peter Pauper Press) is about a determined young girl who finds beauty and purpose in what others deem broken and ugly.

I love to write about heartfelt characters. Many must navigate challenging situations only to discover something wonderful about themselves in the process. But I also really enjoy conjuring up funny stories that make kids and grown-ups giggle. GIGGLING IS IMPORTANT! When I’m not writing, I’m drawing. Sometimes with pastel, sometimes with pencils and watercolor, and sometimes on my IPAD in Pro Create. I’ll start sharing my process here soon!

I’m a member of SCBWI and Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 Picture Book Challenge. And I always enjoy taking part in contests like Vivian Kirkfield’s #50 Precious Words. These groups have been super helpful in strengthening my work both as an author and an illustrator.

Take a look around. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me!

Oh yeah, this is a photo of a few of the dolphins that swam in our wake. I didn’t get to take one of the wild boar. By the time I clicked my dinosaur of a digital camera, he was gone!