Laurie A. Conley began her career as a fashion illustrator and an advertising agency staff artist after earning her BFA from Syracuse University. She has created hundreds of drawings for early readers, textbooks, workbooks, and recently illustrated a middle-grade novel. Laurie also creates fine art pieces and especially enjoys drawing whimsical and spooky haunted house portraits. She and her husband raised three children in Maryland, where they still live with their youngest son in their long-time family home.