Lael Jensen Littke (born 1929) is an American

author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

young adult literature Young adult literature (YA) is typically written for readers aged 12 to 18 and includes most of the themes found in adult fiction, such as family dysfunction, substance abuse, alcoholism, and sexuality. It is characterized by simpler world build ...

and around 75

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...

Biography

Littke grew up in Mink Creek,

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

and studied education and English at

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public university, public land grant colleges, land-grant research university with its main campus in Logan, Utah, United States. Founded in 1888 under the Morrill Land-Grant Acts as Utah's federal ...

. While working in Denver, Colorado as a secretary, she met her husband George through their local congregation of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

. They moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, where she attended the

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a Public university, public research university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York ...

and her husband studied at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

. They moved to California with their young daughter, Lori, when George was hired to teach political science at

California State University, Los Angeles California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is a public research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is part of the California State University system. Cal State LA offers 142 bachelor's degree programs, 122 m ...

. Littke would teach at

Pasadena City College Pasadena City College (PCC) is a Public college, public community college in Pasadena, California. It was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. History Pasadena City College was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. It originally o ...

and

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

(UCLA). Her husband died in 1991. Her first published pieces were for the ''

Relief Society Magazine ''Relief Society Magazine'' was the official publication of the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1915 to 1970. It succeeded the earlier and privately owned ''Woman's Exponent'', which was begun i ...

'', ''

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine ''Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'' is a bi-monthly American digest size fiction magazine specializing in crime fiction, particularly detective fiction, and mystery fiction. Launched in fall 1941 by Mercury Press, ''EQMM'' is named after the fic ...

'', ''

Ladies’ Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine that ran until 2016 and was last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century ...

'', and '' Seventeen''. She later began writing books, including titles for young adults and children, of which she has now published more than forty. She has served on the board of directors for the Miller Eccles Study Group, and has also been active with ''

Sunstone Sunstone is a microcline or oligoclase feldspar, which when viewed from certain directions exhibits a aventurescence, spangled appearance. It has been found in Southern Norway, Sweden, various United States localities and on some beaches along ...

'' and ''

Exponent II ''Exponent II'' is a quarterly periodical that publishes essays, poetry, and art created by women and gender minorities on the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Latter-day Saint spectrum. ''Exponent II'' was founded in 1974, "pois ...

'', publications about Mormon issues. She currently resides in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

Publications

*'' Prom Dress'' (1989),

Point Horror ''Point Horror'' is a series of young adult literature, young adult horror fiction books. The series was most popular among teenagers.Coles, Martin. Hall, Christine. ''Children's Reading Choices''. Routledge, 1998, p 46. History The ''Point Horro ...

series *''Lucinda'' (1991), included in the

anthology ''Thirteen: 13 Tales of Horror'') *''The Mystery of Ruby's Ghost'' (1992) *''The Watcher'' (1994),

series *''The Phantom Fair'' (1996) *''Haunted Sister'' (1998) *''Lake of Secrets'' (2002) *''Stories from the life of Joseph Smith'' (2003), coauthored with Richard Turley *''The Company of Good Women'', 3 volumes (2006–08), coauthored with Nancy Anderson and Carroll Hofeling Morris

Notes

External links

Lael Littke interview at California Readers website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Littke, Lael 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers American Latter Day Saint writers American horror writers American women novelists Living people Utah State University alumni American women horror writers 1929 births People from Franklin County, Idaho Latter Day Saints from Idaho Latter Day Saints from Colorado Latter Day Saints from New York (state) Latter Day Saints from California American women non-fiction writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers