Told in wry emails and brilliant little one-act plays, this laugh-out-loud debut novel offers quirky characters, a whimsical tour around New York City, and an appealing story about what it means to be a good friend.Laura Toffler-Corrie was born in a big hospital in New York City, but shortly thereafter moved to the little town of Oceanside, Long Island. There she spent a good deal of her childhood (yes, you guessed it) not far from the ocean. She loved it when her grandmother took her to Manhattan, where she remembers her stepping boldly into the street, arm raised high, vigorously shouting "Yoo-hoo! Taxi!" into the onslaught of oncoming traffic, much like the Miss Sophia character in this book.During her school years, she and her best friend amused themselves by writing each other funny letters and plays about their lives: boys, friends, boys, neighbors, boys, school, dating, boys. well you get the picture. This activity actually continued way into college and became the inspiration for her first novel,The Life and Opinions of Amy Finawitz.Laura holds an M.

S. in school psychology, as well as an M.F.A. in dramatic writing from New York University. She and her family live in South Salem, NY.