Featured Neighbor

month, we are thrilled for Lauren Zutavern to tell us her story of how making their home here in Canyon Creek and writing her fi rst published novel go hand in hand. Neighbors, please hear from Lauren in her own words!

In our home, we often tell the kids that things that are worth doing often take time. This is our philosophy in our life. We play the long game.

Take our house for example. In 2010, we bought a very brokendown house in the Canyon Creek neighborhood. Everything needed to be renovated—and not because we didn’t like the tile color or countertops—we needed to fi x pipes, termite damage, and scare off the uninvited animals that had taken residence. Our extended family thought we were crazy for selling our perfectly respectable house in Dallas to move into a live-in project, but we loved the neighborhood with its fantastic people and stellar schools. Luckily my husband is handy and was up for the challenge.

It was six-weeks after closing before any part of the house became inhabitable. It was another six months of my husband working night after night (after coming home from his day job), until we could live in more than 30% of the square footage.

I helped Zach when the kids were asleep (and when my handywoman skillset would allow), and my other long-term goal kept me busy. While my children were in their beds and my husband was in the garage, I would sit crisscross in the hallway with my laptop, because I wanted to be a writer. I was working on my second novel when we moved into Canyon Creek. (The fi rst manuscript I penned was great for learning—but not for reading.)

Now, seven years later, the long game has led to some big changes for our family. We can now use every room in our house (it is not “done” necessarily, but house projects never really are) and all my late-night typing has turned into a real-live book. My debut middle grade novel, EXIT STRATEGY, was published by Simon & Schuster in June of this year.

The release of my novel is defi nitely on the shortlist for one of my all-time-favorite moments, and it was made even sweeter by the support and love I’ve gotten from my neighbors. But it also took our family away from the neighborhood for a while. Just after my book was released, our family took a fi ve-week RV trip around the country visiting independent bookstores and promoting EXIT STRATEGY.

Our family loved being on the road. Surprisingly, we all got a long so well in the tight spaces. Maybe because there wasn’t enough room to fi ght, but I’d like to think it’s from all the practice we had sharing

Lauren Zutavern Author

Did you know that Canyon Creek has a published author? This

a room during our extreme renovation.

The trip defi nitely had some challenges--we dealt with a pickpocket, a major tire blowout, and a bookstore that forgot about my book signing. My kids immediately noticed that outside of our state, some people are not willing to chat, hold a door, or offer a smile. But, still we met some kind people and got to visit place. After thirtysix days on the road, we learned so much and agreed the trip was amazing—but we are also very glad to be home.

Now that we are back in the neighborhood, our life has settled down. The kids are back in school, and Zach is back to working in the day and fi nishing home-improvement projects at night. I’m enjoying being a published author as I plan school visits and book events. I’m also back at the computer every day and writing my next book. Maybe when this one is published we’ll get to take another epic adventure— but one of the best parts is having a great place where we can come back home.

About the Author and the Book

Website: LaurenAllbright.com Twitter: @laallbright Instagram: lauren_allbright

Lauren Allbright (from publisher Simon & Schuster)

Lauren Allbright roamed the southern states before landing in Texas and calling it home. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Texas A&M University. After graduation, she spent her days teaching middle schoolers and her nights reading books. Now when she is not writing (or momming), she enjoys training for half-marathons and triathlons as well as camping with her family. She lives in Dallas with her patient husband, three high-energy children, six (give or take) fi sh, one overly excitable cocker spaniel, and (the slowest ever) guinea pig named Blaster.

Lauren’s Fun Facts:

• We visited 24 states this summer • EXIT STRATEGY is my fi rst published novel, but it is the fi fth book I’ve written. • The original title of EXIT STRATEGY was HOW TO BE

FUNNY, but the publisher changed it so it didn’t sound like non-fi ction • I use my maiden name, Lauren Allbright, as my pen name • With all my books combined, I’ve received over 200 rejections as a writer.

EXIT STRATEGY

Aladdin |176 pages | ISBN 9781481479127 | June 2017 | Grades 4 - 8

Ross Stevens has changed schools twelve times in the last three years but when his beloved Pops becomes ill, Ross and his mom must plant roots—which means no more school moves. And no more moves mean no more school exits, and Ross has perfected the science of leaving a school with an epic prank. Worse, it means he will actually have to learn how to make friends and do a science project, two things he’s never had to do before.

Then Ross hits on a hypothesis: if pranks are cool because they are funny then maybe he could discover the formula for funny! If his nerdy “peer review” partner doesn’t cramp his style and if the embarrassing notebook full of his “research” doesn’t get out, then maybe Ross can actually be happy staying in one place.

But can he really fi gure out the formula for ultimate middle school happiness?