Laura Chapman Hruska
Encyclopedia
Laura Chapman Hruska was an American
lawyer, novelist, and co-founder and editor in chief of the Soho Press
.
Born as Laura Mae Chapman in The Bronx
, she was raised in Manhattan
. After graduating from Cornell University
, she attended Yale Law School
. After a short career as an attorney, she quit to start a family and focus on writing. She published three novels (as Laura Chapman). In 1986, she, her husband, Alan Hruska, and their friend, Juris Jurjevics, the former editor in chief of the Dial Press, founded Soho Press with the objective of publishing serious literature by authors who had yet to be discovered. The publishing house is unusual in accepting—and actually reading—unsolicited works.
One of Soho Press's notable discoveries was Breath, Eyes, Memory
by the then-unknown Haitian
-born author Edwidge Danticat. In 1994, the company started the Soho Crime imprint dedicated to mysteries
with foreign settings. In 2008, it forged a partnership with Constable & Robinson
to publish British
crime fiction in the United States.
Hruska died on January 9, 2010 of cancer, aged 74, in Manhattan
. She was survived by her husband, three children, six grandchildren and her sister.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, novelist, and co-founder and editor in chief of the Soho Press
Soho Press
Soho Press is a New York City-based publisher. Founded by Laura Hruska in 1986, the company's primary focus is literary fiction and international crime series, with the occasional memoir...
.
Born as Laura Mae Chapman in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, she was raised in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. After graduating from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, she attended Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
. After a short career as an attorney, she quit to start a family and focus on writing. She published three novels (as Laura Chapman). In 1986, she, her husband, Alan Hruska, and their friend, Juris Jurjevics, the former editor in chief of the Dial Press, founded Soho Press with the objective of publishing serious literature by authors who had yet to be discovered. The publishing house is unusual in accepting—and actually reading—unsolicited works.
One of Soho Press's notable discoveries was Breath, Eyes, Memory
Breath, Eyes, Memory
Breath, Eyes, Memory is Edwidge Danticat's acclaimed 1994 novel, and was chosen as an Oprah Book Club Selection in May 1998.-Plot introduction:...
by the then-unknown Haitian
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
-born author Edwidge Danticat. In 1994, the company started the Soho Crime imprint dedicated to mysteries
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
with foreign settings. In 2008, it forged a partnership with Constable & Robinson
Constable & Robinson
Constable & Robinson Ltd. is an independent British book publisher of fiction and non-fiction works. Founded in Edinburgh in 1795 by Archibald Constable as Constable & Co. it is probably the oldest independent publisher in the English-speaking world still operating under the name of its...
to publish British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
crime fiction in the United States.
Hruska died on January 9, 2010 of cancer, aged 74, in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. She was survived by her husband, three children, six grandchildren and her sister.