Claire Scovell LaZebnik

Claire Scovell LaZebnik – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Discover the life and works of Claire Scovell LaZebnik — American author of fiction and autism-advocacy books. Explore her biography, writing journey, major works, philosophy, and memorable quotes.

Introduction

Claire Scovell LaZebnik is an American novelist and writer widely known for her novels, young adult fiction, and co-authoring influential works on autism. Her fiction often centers on familial relationships, emotional growth, and the complexities of love, while her nonfiction draws from personal experience raising a child on the autism spectrum. Through both genres, she speaks with warmth, insight, and honesty to readers who seek stories of resilience, connection, and hope.

Early Life and Family

Claire LaZebnik (née Scovell) was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts.

She comes from a creative and literary family. Her sister is Nell Scovell, a noted television and magazine writer and producer. Alice Scovell Coleman, is a children’s book writer.

Claire is married to Rob LaZebnik, a television writer and producer.

LaZebnik’s journey as a writer and mother has been deeply impacted by her personal experience raising a child diagnosed with autism, which later became central to her nonfiction work.

Education and Formative Years

At Harvard, Claire honed her writing skills and developed an intellectual foundation that would inform both her fiction and nonfiction.

After college, she began pursuing fiction writing. Her early ambition was primarily to write novels, particularly humorous or relationship-driven stories.

Her later entrance into autism advocacy writing came somewhat unexpectedly — via a call from Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel, who invited her to coauthor a book on autism. That invitation “snapped” LaZebnik out of what she describes as “second novel syndrome.”

Career and Major Works

Fiction Works

Claire LaZebnik has published a number of adult novels and young adult (YA) books.

Some of her notable fiction works include:

• Same as It Never Was (also published in the UK as Olivia’s Sister)

• Knitting Under the Influence

• The Smart One and the Pretty One

• If You Lived Here, You’d Be Home Now

• Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts

In YA fiction, her published titles include:

• Epic Fail

• The Trouble with Flirting

• The Last Best Kiss

• Wrong About the Guy

Her fiction tends to explore themes of love, identity, family dynamics, self-discovery, and the sometimes messy transitions between youth and adulthood.

Nonfiction & Autism Advocacy

Perhaps one of LaZebnik’s most impactful works is in the domain of autism and special needs parenting. She coauthored, with Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel, two important books:

1. Overcoming Autism: Finding the Answers, Strategies, and Hope That Can Transform a Child’s Life — This book blends clinical guidance with parental perspective. LaZebnik contributed her own experiences and reflections, particularly in the “parent voice” segments that conclude each chapter.

2. Growing Up on the Spectrum (2009) — This work addresses the everyday issues faced by adolescents on the autism spectrum.

Later, LaZebnik also contributed to or is associated with Hidden Strengths, which helps parents identify autistic children’s unique abilities and translate them into social tools.

Her nonfiction works are recognized for bridging professional strategies with the lived, emotional realities of raising a child with special needs.

Other Contributions

Claire has also contributed essays and pieces to magazines such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and anthologies like American Girls about Town. Motherhood Out Loud.

Themes, Style, & Philosophy

Across her body of work, certain recurring themes and stylistic signatures emerge:

• Family & Relationships – Many of her novels explore fractured or evolving family bonds, sibling relationships, adoption or inheritance of responsibilities, and how love can heal or strain familial ties.

• Voice and Humor – She often writes in a frank, witty, emotionally honest style, using humor to offset heartbreak or conflict.

• Resilience & Growth – Her characters often confront tough transitions (loss, change, identity) and must adapt, learn, or open themselves to new perspectives.

• Authenticity & Acceptance – In her nonfiction especially, she emphasizes accepting the child you have, not the “ideal” version, and valuing strengths and quirks.

• Bridging Professional & Personal – Her autism-related writing demonstrates how to translate clinical insight into everyday parent-friendly language and strategies.

Legacy and Influence

Though Claire Scovell LaZebnik may not be as widely known in mainstream culture as some authors, her impact is meaningful in several areas:

1. Empowering Parents & Families – Her nonfiction work has provided tools, compassion, and hope to families raising children on the autism spectrum.

2. Representation in YA & Women’s Fiction – Through her novels, she gives voice to young adults navigating emotional complexity, struggling relationships, and growth.

3. Bridge between Genres – She demonstrates that an author can write both for emotional entertainment (fiction) and serious advocacy (nonfiction) without losing voice or integrity.

4. Honest Portrayal of Challenges – Her willingness to share the real, difficult parts of parenting and familial tension gives her work emotional resonance.

5. Inspiration to Other Writers – Her career suggests that writers need not be confined to a single genre; life experience can fuel multiple creative avenues.

Her legacy is still unfolding — as she continues to write, influence, and support communities through both art and advocacy.

Famous Quotes by Claire Scovell LaZebnik

Below are several memorable quotes that reflect her voice, values, and emotional depth:

“No one’s family is normal. Normalcy is a lie invented by advertising agencies to make the rest of us feel inferior.” “I got lost in him, and it was the kind of lost that’s exactly like being found.” “Don’t think that there’s a different, better child ‘hiding’ behind the autism. This is your child. Love the child in front of you. Encourage his strengths, celebrate his quirks, and improve his weaknesses, the way you would with any child.” “Sometimes people say that kids with autism aren’t capable of love. That’s ridiculous. My son loves deeply. He just doesn’t communicate well.” “I love science. I hate supposition, superstition, exaggeration and falsified data. Show me the research, show me the results, show me the conclusions — and then show me some qualified peer reviews of all that.” “For a long time our son was a little boy with autism, which was a certain kind of challenge. Now that he’s a teenager with autism — and a teenager who notices girls — we’re faced with something else altogether.” “Hope for the best, survive the worst, find humor wherever you can.”

These selections illustrate her blend of emotional insight, advocacy, and grounded realism.

Lessons from Claire Scovell LaZebnik

From studying her life and writings, we can draw a number of broader lessons:

1. Let life fuel your art. Claire turned her personal experience with autism into a source of meaningful work that helps others.

2. Balance vulnerability and strength. She writes openly about struggles while also emphasizing hope, acceptance, and agency.

3. Grow beyond genres. She didn’t confine herself to just fiction or nonfiction; she navigated both with her authentic voice.

4. Write honestly, not perfectly. Her characters and essays resonate because they embrace imperfection, tension, and emotional authenticity.

5. Advocate through storytelling. Through narrative and lived voice, she transforms abstract or clinical topics into human, accessible experience.

Conclusion

Claire Scovell LaZebnik is an author whose work bridges the emotional landscapes of fiction with the real struggles and triumphs of parenting a child on the autism spectrum. Her novels speak to love, identity, family, and growth; her advocacy work lends voice and insight to families navigating special needs. Through honesty, warmth, and intellectual rigor, she continues to create stories that both entertain and heal.