Laura Pedersen

Laura Pedersen is an accomplished American playwright and author, born in Buffalo, New York in 1965. She spent her formative years in a community known as "God's frozen people" and has humorously shared her youthful experiences in her essay at 'Is there a Nurse in the Church?'. After completing high school, Pedersen moved to Manhattan where she began working on The American Stock Exchange. This period of her life served as inspiration for her first book, 'Play Money'.

Once determined not to pursue a career in journalism, Pedersen spent the better part of the 1990s writing for The New York Times. However, her passion for writing fiction persisted. In 1994, she was honored by President Clinton as one of Ten Outstanding Young Americans. She has made appearances on several television shows including Oprah, Good Morning America, Primetime Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman. Pedersen's writing has also extended to comedy, as she writes for several well-known comedians.

Pedersen's literary career took a significant turn when her first novel, 'Going Away Party', won the Three Oaks Prize for Fiction in 2001. This was followed by 'Beginner's Luck' in 2003, a novel chosen for the Barnes & Noble "Discover Great New Writers" program, Borders "Original Voices," and as a featured alternate for The Literary Guild. Her other novels include 'Last Call', 'Heart's Desire', 'The Sweetest Hours', and 'The Big Shuffle'.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Pedersen is deeply committed to community service. She teaches reading and plays Yu-Gi-Oh! cards at the Booker T. Washington Learning Center in East Harlem. Pedersen is also a member of the national literary association P.E.N. (poets, essayists and novelists), demonstrating her dedication to both her craft and to the literary community. She continues to reside in New York City.