Lemuel Lawrence de Bra was an American author active in the early to mid-twentieth century, best known for his prolific output of short stories. Before dedicating himself fully to writing, de Bra worked in public service, holding positions with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and later the Secret Service in California. These professional experiences in law enforcement and government administration provided a rich backdrop for his subsequent literary endeavors.
Throughout his career, de Bra wrote under several names and explored diverse genres. Using the pseudonym Edmond Lawrence, he penned adventure stories aimed at young boys, while publishing verse under the initials L. L. de Bra. For his adult fiction, published as Lemuel L. de Bra and L. de Bra, he frequently focused on the lives and experiences of Chinese immigrants in America, a recurring theme in his narrative work. In addition to his fiction, he authored non-fiction pieces, often focusing on agricultural topics.
Around 1922, de Bra transitioned to writing as his primary profession and relocated to Florida, where he continued his literary pursuits until his death in 1954. His body of work reflects the popular magazine fiction trends of his era, spanning adventure, cultural drama, and practical non-fiction.
