According to Laurie, he really did do the pesky things Tommy does in the book, including trying to flush himself down the toilet. She says of the plays they put on as kids, "He was the perfect fearless hero or dastardly villain, the only one who could make dramatic death-defying leaps from the garage roof or top of a step ladder. My poor grandmother declined over baby-sitting again after Tommy repeatedly practiced running, diving, and 'surfing' down the second floor stairway on his stomach. His continuing bravery came in very handy once he reached Broadway!"

Laurie attributes her and her brother's creative successes in large part to their childhood experiences. As the eldest of six children, Laurie learned to create scary stories about various parts of their house in order to achieve some peace and quite for herself. Plus, their mother "never came outside to help sew costumes or paint scenery ... [she] left us alone and did not bother us as long as we did not burn the garage down. Her non-interference was indeed a gift!"