The Author
This is Laurel’s fourth book and first novel. What began as a single edition, blossomed into a series of books called The Eagle and the Lion and based upon the life adventures of John and Anne Hamilton, their families and friends. This first book, A Strange Turn of Fortune is the first of the many adventures, trials and tribulations, and blessings they will encounter over the years.
A lifelong voracious reader, Laurel credits the husband of her father’s cousin, Allen Cook, the author of many books himself, with getting her started in writing. Mr. Cook recently published a book about his wife, Bonny, who was a pioneer in shattering the glass ceiling in a time when women were not at in executive positions in the IT industry.
She self published three cookbooks, one of which is a partial collection of her mother’s, grandmothers’ and aunts’ recipes throughout the years. This is especially poignant as her mother sudden passed away last year and now her collection is finite. Laurel plans to publish (in her mother’s name) a collection of recipes that her mother was developing. Laurel is now one of her widowed father’s caregivers. Laurel lives in northern California wine country and in her spare time, she spends time with her golden retriever, Sofie, gardens, rides horses, and raises orchid cactuses. She eventually wants to cross a couple of roses and to do more travelling.
