Laurie Boris, 60, is an award-winning novelist and short story author who has written fiction for more than 25 years. She currently works as the website administrator at Dutchess Community College.

Kingston Wire: How did you and your family come to Kingston?

Laurie Boris: My mom and dad were both born in Brooklyn and they moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan when they got married. They moved from there to Hopewell Junction in Dutchess County when we were kids. They stayed in Dutchess County and I came [to Kingston] through Boston because after college I went to Boston for five years and then came back to Ulster County. My husband-to-be lived here, and then I stayed. It’s a nice area.

KW: What do you like to do in Kingston?

LB: I love to walk around here because of all the history. It’s just so nice. I go to the bookstores and cafés. I used to live on Fair Street so it was great to just be able to go walk to things. I’d walk to the bakery, to get the paper, to go to Dietz. I’d walk there, and walk home. It was just a beautiful walkable city.

KW: What would you like to see change about Kingston?

LB: Better parking. It’s always changing. Things come, things go. It’s kind of sad to see some of my favorite stores go like Bop to Tottom. But it’s nice to see new people come in and make it what they want. I was working here and living here back when IBM was everything so it was all IBM people and this was just like an IBM community.

KW: How has the pandemic changed Kingston?

LB: Well, I’m not sure. For a while it was quiet and the restaurants weren’t so busy. I really tried to keep my couple of favorite restaurants going and always tried to get takeout there. I love how they’ve taken over the streets and put out benches and things so people can eat outside. Maybe [the pandemic] contributed to some stores going under, and that’s not so great, but it was tough everywhere.