Hello, I’m Laura. I grew up in Dallas, Texas with my nose in a book—usually a copy of Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, or Choose Your Own Adventure. When I wasn’t reading, I could be found playing dress-up games and dreaming up stories about magical worlds in the backyard.

I kept up my love of reading, writing, making things and solving mysteries as I grew, joining the robotics team and literary magazine clubs at school, attending anime conventions with my friends, playing video games, and reading armchair treasure hunt books in my spare time.

In college, I discovered the world of alternate reality games (ARGs), and was a dedicated player and forum moderator of several games including Perplex City, which ran from 2004-2007. So dedicated, in fact, that even after the game ended, I pursued one of the game’s unsolved puzzles, “Billion to One”, for 15 years, until it was solved in 2021.

After moving to Portland, Oregon, I was introduced to the puzzle community through Puzzled Pint, and a group of friends and I opened one of the nation’s first escape room games, the award-winning Spark of Resistance.

Now, I create in-person and online games with Meridian Adventure Co.*, do immersive and interactive client game projects with Timberview Productions, and write books about games, including Katamari Damacy, and Planning Your Escape, a guide on the history of immersive entertainment and how to be the best escape room player ever.

I’m currently working on a fiction book, and an educational and archival resource for the history of immersive art. In Portland, we’re excited to present new jubensha games to the public — sign up for more info here.

You can also find me online on the Fediverse, Bluesky, or Instagram.

* Book a session of our award-winning online game, The Traveler’s Guide to Little Sodaburg, a time-travel comedy puzzle adventure for 2-6 players, here!