Author Laura Mazzuca Toops is a Chicago-based writer with more than 20 years of professional experience. She is currently the editor of  American Agent & Broker, a business-to-business magazine for independent insurance agents. Her writing, editing and reporting experience includes stints at Chicago's legendary City News Bureau, Crain Communications, freelance work for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and other local and national publications. She also worked for five

years as a film critic for a Chicago monthly entertainment magazine. Most recently, she has written for Lake Magazine. Her degree in journalism is from Columbia College, and she teaches workshops in fiction writing.   She is the author of four books:  A Native's Guide to Chicago's Western Suburbs, The Latham Loop, Slapstick, and Hudson Lake. * Complete sitemap with text links * All written content ©2012  Laura Mazzuca Toops (unless otherwise indicated) Website design & maintenance by itpwebdesign Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks is being displayed under the fair use provision as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. The image has been significantly changed from the original form, is low resolution, an old work of art, and is displayed for informational purposes only. The sidebar illustration is a detail from Hopper’s Night windows and the same fair use claim is made for its display. This site updated August 24, 2012