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Everyone loves a good cry, and no one delivers heartwrenching
stories better than Lurlene McDaniel.
But there's more to her books than that. McDaniel has written over
40 novels about kids who face life-threatening illnesses, who
sometimes do not survive. These are powerful, inspirational stories
about courage, love, and strength in the face of overwhelming
trauma. McDaniel’s books touch the hearts and spirits of the
teenagers and adults who read them. Her following is a devoted
group of appreciative fans. McDaniel says: "These are books that
challenge you and make you think."
Some readers—and their parents—have wondered why McDaniel chooses
to write about sad situations. "I tell them that sometimes tragedy
hits people—kids, too. They want answers. They want to know 'why.'
By using novels, I show ordinary kids confronting and overcoming
great odds." McDaniel's books are ultimately optimistic and
life-affirming.
McDaniel began writing about young adults when her son Sean was
diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of 3. His illness
changed the lives of everyone in her family forever. "I saw what
life was like for someone who was chronically ill, and I
experienced how it affected the dynamics of the family," says
McDaniel. She says she found that writing about the trauma and its
effects was therapeutic.
To make certain that her books are medically accurate, McDaniel
conducts extensive research. She interviews health care
professionals and works with appropriate medical groups and hospice
organizations, as well as the Tennessee Organ Donor Services. "I
study medicine and traditional grief therapy techniques to give the
novels a sense of serious medical reality," she says. "I also study
the Bible to instill the human element—the values and ethics often
overlooked by the coldness of technology."
Growing up, McDaniel lived in different parts of the country
because her father was in the Navy. Eventually her family settled
in Florida. She attended the University of South Florida in Tampa,
where she earned a B.A. in English. She now lives in Chattanooga,
Tennessee.
In addition to her popular YA novels, McDaniel has written radio
and television scripts, promotional and advertising copy, and a
magazine column. She is a frequent speaker at schools, writers’
conferences, and conventions.
McDaniel's books have been named to several bestseller lists,
including Publishers Weekly. Three of her novels were selected by
children as IRACBC Children’s Choices: Somewhere Between Life and
Death, Too Young to Die, and Goodbye Doesn’t Mean Forever. Six
Months to Live has been placed in a literary time capsule at the
Library of Congress, to be opened in the year 2089.
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