Lawrence D. Elliott

Lawrence D. Elliott is an author, whose work has appeared in many popular books and publications, including several books in the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Born in San Diego, California, he's had a very interested life.

At the age of eight, he found a dead infant in a neighbor's trashcan while playing with cousins. It was the very first time he realized you didn't have to be old to die. The cruelty of life can even visit the very young.

In the early 1970's, his mother, his younger sister and he found themselves without a home in Hartford, CT after his father abandoned the family. He wasn't aware of it at the time, but he would learn a valuable lesson from his mom: hard work and perseverance are antidotes to adversity.

Two years later, he found himself among the first group of inner city minority children bused to predominantly white schools. In addition to the racial turmoil caused by such a move, he was placed in a reading development class. It was humiliating, just another stretch of adversity he'd have to face. But through the help of an inspiring teacher who diligently worked to improve his reading skills, he discovered he could write. His life would never be the same again.

And the fact that she was white, gave him a much-needed lesson, even through the turmoil that happened outside the classroom. Wonderful people, just like imbeciles, come in all colors.

Lawrence has done every job from cleaning toilets to working with hot asphalt on hot summer days. He's served as a U. S. Air Force Security Policeman and he spent almost twenty years in real estate. But, thanks to a very special teacher, he knows he was born to be a writer.

Or, in his words, "I'm just a storyteller, telling my stories."