Fox Cities Book Festival: Connecting writers and readers across our diverse communities.

First-time children’s book author Laura Kuehl, 30, moved to Appleton, Wis., from the Madison area several years ago. The route was far from direct, as Laura fled from an abusive partner, after giving birth as a teenager to their daughter.
The refuge Laura found at the local domestic violence shelter set the foundation for her to obtain the support she needed on her path to healing. A small grant of just $1,000 from the Allstate Foundation was the spark she needed to purchase a laptop and books to help her in securing her GED, followed by a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice client services.

Laura spent several years working as an advocate for women and children at the same agency she had received help from before deciding to become a full-time stay-at-home mom. She runs a local moms’ networking and support group, and serves avidly on her child’s school’s Parent-Teacher Organization.

Passionate about helping people, Laura has decided to continue advocating for families by writing books for children with an uplifting message. She’s committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from her books to local nonprofit agencies serving children.