Laura Zigman is an accomplished American author and journalist, best known for her clever and witty take on contemporary relationships and society. Raised in Newton, Massachusetts, Zigman pursued higher education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the Radcliffe Publishing Procedures Course. Before turning to writing full-time, she spent a decade working as a publicist in the book publishing industry in New York City, where she eventually experienced burnout. This led her to relocate to Washington D.C., where she found employment with organizations such as Share Our Strength and the Smithsonian Institute, all while working on her debut novel, "Animal Husbandry."
Zigman's debut novel, "Animal Husbandry," was published in 1998 and quickly became a national bestseller, translated into over 20 languages. The book's success caught the attention of Hollywood, resulting in the 2001 film adaptation titled "Someone Like You," featuring Hugh Jackman and Ashley Judd. Following the success of her first novel, Zigman went on to write several more thinly veiled autobiographical novels, including "Dating Big Bird" and "Her." In 2006, she published "Piece of Work," a novel based on her experience as a publicist, which was optioned by Playtone Pictures.
In addition to her fiction works, Zigman has contributed to various publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post. She has also been involved in freelance ghostwriting and has produced a popular online series of animated videos called "Annoying Conversations." Moreover, she is a co-host of "Hash Tags," an NPR affiliated show alongside Julie Klam and Ann Leary. Zigman's YouTube channel features her Xtranormal videos, and she has produced her first screenplay. She has also worked as a ghostwriter for notable figures such as Eddie Izzard and Wendy Davis.
Zigman's most recent novel, "Separation Anxiety," was published in March 2020, right before the pandemic. The book has been optioned by Julianne Nicholson for a limited television series. Her sixth novel, "Small World," was published in January 2023. Zigman has been a recipient of a Yaddo residency, a prestigious artist community in Saratoga Springs, New York. She currently resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she continues to write and create engaging and relatable stories for her readers.