Laurie Halse Anderson

Infobox Writer


imagesize =
name = Laurie Halse Anderson
caption =
pseudonym =
birthdate = birth date and age|1961|10|23
birthplace = Potsdam, New York, United States
deathdate =
deathplace =
occupation = Novelist
nationality = American
period = 1992-present
genre = Contemporary YA fiction, historical fiction, picture books for young readers, American Children's Writers, Writers of Young Adult Literature
subject =
movement =
notableworks = "Speak" (1999), "Fever 1793" (2002)
spouse = Scot Larrabee
children = 4
website = http://www.writerlady.com/
portaldisp = y

Laurie Halse (rhymes with "waltz") [Anderson, S. H., [http://www.writerlady.com/me.html "About Me"] , official site, 2004.] Anderson (born October 23, 1961) is a U.S. author who writes for children and young adults.

Background

Anderson was born on October 23, 1961 in Potsdam, New York. She was the daughter of Rev. Frank Halse and Joyce Halse, and has a younger sister named Lisa.After her senior of high school she moved out of her parents house. She moved to a farm land in Denmark.

Anderson graduated from Fayetteville-Manlius High School in 1979. She then attended Onondaga Community College for two years and worked at various odd jobs, before transferring to Georgetown University in 1981. She graduated in 1984 with a degree in Languages and Linguistics.

Anderson has two children with her first husband, Greg Anderson, whom she divorced. She remarried Scot Larrabee, her childhood sweetheart, who already had two children from a previous marriage. Anderson has a German Shepherd named Kezziah.

Anderson was diagnosed with melanoma in 2002, however it was caught early and the doctors were able to remove it all.

Anderson's hobbies include walking marathons, hiking in the mountains, and gardening.

Career

She began her career as a freelance reporter. She began to write many manuscripts, most of which were rejected. She began to get more books published as time went on however.

She wrote what is arguably her most famous novelFact|date=August 2008, "Speak" in 1999, which won numerous awards and was a New York Times bestseller. "Speak" was adapted into a (film) in 2004, starring Kristen Stewart in the lead role.

Anderson wrote "Fever 1793" and saw it published in 2000. Books such as the Wild at Heart series and "The Big Cheese on Third Street" are a salute to her adopted hometown of Philadelphia.Fact|date=August 2008

In 2002, she wrote "Catalyst", set in the same high school as "Speak", and featuring a few cameo appearances from the earlier book’s characters. A historical fiction book, "Thank You, Sarah! The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving" was published in 2002 as well.

After writing a number of more serious titles in which the main characters dealt with death or depression, she began to write lighter stories. She published "Prom" in 2005, which spent the spring of 2005 the New York Times bestseller list.

Upcoming works

It is expected that 2008 will see the publication of two historical novels, "Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution" a collaboration with illustrator Matt Faulkner, and "Chains", which has a release date for fall 2008. They both focus on the American Revolution.

Bibliography

Young Adult Novels

* "Wintergirls" (2009; forthcoming)
* "Chains" (2008)
* "Twisted" (2007)
**ALA Best Book for Young Adults 2008
**ALA Quick Pick for Young Adults 2008
**"New York Times" Bestseller List
**IRA Top Ten of 2007
*"Prom" (2005)
**IRA Young Adults' Choice
**"BookSense" Top Ten Bestseller List, Spring 2005
**"New York Times" Bestseller List

*"Catalyst" (2002)
**ALA Top 10 Best Books for Young Adults
**Barnes & Noble Best Teen Book 2002
**"BookSense" Top Ten Bestseller List, Winer 2002-2003
**YALSA Odyssey Audiobook Award

*"Fever 1793" (2000)
**Taught in curriculum across America and in some foreign countries with over three-quarters of a million copies sold.
***Recognized by 19 states for Historical Fiction
**IRA Teacher's Choice Award
**ALA Best Book for Young Adults
**Jefferson Cup Honor Book(for historical fiction)

*"Speak" (1999)
**Taught in curriculum around the world with over one million copies sold.
***Recognized by 17 states for Young Adult Fiction
**Turned into a Showtime Movie
**National Book Award Finalist
**Michael L. Printz Honor Book
**ALA Top-10 Best Book for Young Adults
**"New York Times" Bestseller List
**SCBWI Golden Kite Award
*"Independent Dames - What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution" - (2008)
*"Thank You, Sarah! The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving" (2005)
*"The Big Cheese of Third Street" (2005)
*"No Time for Mother's Day" (2001)
*"Turkey Pox" (1996)
*"Ndito Runs" (1996)

Series

*"Vet Volunteers" (2008)Previously published by Pleasant Company and was called "Wild at Heart".
#"Fight for Life: Maggie"
#"Homeless: Sunita"
#"Trickster: David"
#"Manatee Blues: Brenna"
#"Say Good-Bye: Zoe"
#"Storm Rescue: Sunita"
#"Teacher's Pet: Maggie"
#"Trapped: Brenna"
#"Fear of Falling: David"
#"Time to Fly"
#"Masks"
#"End of the Race"

References

External links

* [http://www.writerlady.com Official website]
**MySpace|id=lauriehalseanderson
** [http://halseanderson.livejournal.com Official Blog]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1547881/ IMDb citation]
* [http://www.allinfoaboutteenreading.com/laurie_halse_anderson.html Overview of Laurie Halse Anderson's books]