Van Keuren, Luise: - L.W. van Keuren is a writer of fiction and drama for children, often with a strong connection to history. Her story "Highland Gray," winner of the Ralph Nading Hill Prize, concerns a famous 19th century racehorse whose name is still enshrined in slate on his barn roof. Her play 109 Hats to Bennington was commissioned by the state of Vermont for its bicentennial and was performed in many schools and every county, and on the floor of the state legislature. The Remarkable Christmas Package (Blooming Tree Books, 2004) was inspired by an account in a 1907 newspaper. Professor Emerita from California University of Pennsylvania, she taught literature and creative writing for many years before becoming a full-time writer. She received her Ph.D. in English from the University of Delaware and also studied abroad in Austria, Spain, and Ireland. She also is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. The author makes her home in mid-coast Maine with six cats and flock of geese.