. ▁As ▁a ▁student , ▁she ▁showed ▁an ▁early ▁interest ▁in ▁writing , ▁specifically ▁during ▁the ▁second ▁grade . ▁ ▁Anderson ▁enjoyed ▁reading — es pecially ▁science ▁fiction ▁and ▁fant asy — as ▁a ▁te en ager , ▁but ▁never ▁en vision ed ▁herself ▁becoming ▁a ▁writer . ▁ ▁Anderson ▁attended ▁F ay ette ville - Man lius ▁High ▁School , ▁in ▁Man lius , ▁New ▁York , ▁a ▁sub urb ▁of ▁Sy rac use . ▁ ▁During ▁Anderson ’ s ▁senior ▁year , ▁she ▁moved ▁out ▁of ▁her ▁parents ' ▁house ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁six teen ▁and ▁lived ▁as ▁an ▁exchange ▁student ▁for ▁th ir teen ▁months ▁on ▁a ▁p ig ▁farm ▁in ▁Den mark . ▁After ▁her ▁experience ▁in ▁Den mark , ▁Anderson ▁moved ▁back ▁home ▁to ▁work ▁at ▁a ▁cl othing ▁store , ▁ear ning ▁the ▁minimum ▁w age . ▁This ▁motiv ated ▁her ▁to ▁attend ▁college . ▁ ▁After ▁att ending ▁On ond aga ▁Community ▁College , ▁she ▁transferred ▁to ▁Ge or get own ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁and ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁with ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁languages ▁and ▁lingu istics . ▁ ▁Family ▁Laur ie ▁H alse ▁Anderson ▁married ▁Greg ▁Anderson . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁they ▁had ▁their ▁first ▁child , ▁Steph anie ▁Hol comb . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁they ▁had ▁their ▁second ▁child , ▁Mer ed ith ▁La uren . ▁The ▁couple ▁later ▁divor ced . ▁ ▁Years ▁later ,