Lauren Myracle

Lauren Myracle at LA Times Festival of Books 2012

Lauren Myracle (born May 15, 1969 in Brevard, North Carolina) is an American author of young adult books. She is the oldest of three sisters and has three older brothers. She grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where she attended Trinity School and The Westminster Schools.^[1][2] Myracle earned a BA in English and Psychology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. After that, she worked for some time as a middle-school teacher in Gwinnett County, Georgia and participated in the JET Programme in Japan.^[3] Myracle later earned an MA in English from Colorado State University, where she taught for two years and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College.^[1] She has written many novels, including the best-selling "IM" books, ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r. Her book Thirteen Plus One was released May 4, 2010. Myracle's younger sister, Susan Rebecca White, writes adult fiction, including Bound South (2009), A Soft Place to Land (2010), and A Place at the Table (2013).

Career

Myracle's first novel, Kissing Kate, was released in 2003. Her middle-grade novel, Eleven, came out 2004, and Twelve came out in 2007. Myracle published The Fashion Disaster that Changed My Life in 2005. Thirteen was released in March 2008. She recently also came out with the book Thirteen Plus One in 2010. She also wrote Rhymes with Witches and Bliss, which came out in 2008, is its prequel. She also has a book entitled How to Be Bad with E. Lockhart and Sarah Mlynowski.

The Internet Girls series, ttyl (talk to you later), ttfn (ta ta for now), l8r, g8r (later, gator)) are about 3 friends—Zoe, Maddie, and Angela—who experience typical high school drama: boys, drugs, alcohol, parties, driving, and college prep. The novels ttyl and ttfn were both New York Times bestsellers, and ttyl was the first-ever novel to be written entirely in instant messages.^[3] Most of Myracle's novels take place in Atlanta, Georgia and are inspired by her childhood friends and experiences, and her large diverse family.

In November, 2011, she published Shine, which is set in rural western North Carolina and deals with a young girl's search for the perpetrators of a hate crime against her gay friend.

Her latest work, released in August, 2013, is entitled The Infinite Moment of Us. According to Publishers Weekly, the coming of age story "is a rewarding account of two young people whose insecurities and personal histories weigh on the romance they work to build with each other."^[4]

Controversy

According to the American Library Association, Myracle's books were the most challenged books of 2009 and 2011.^[5] Her books continue to be challenged in school libraries, usually for scenes of alleged sexuality, homosexuality, or alcohol use. Scholastic Books nearly refused to carry Luv Ya Bunches at its national school book fair events due to the fact that the book features lesbian mothers.^[6] Scholastic recanted its initial decision after a large internet outcry.^[7]

Myracle is highly critical of adults attempting to keep books away from teenagers, believing that kids are smart enough to understand the message in books and learn their lessons. Regarding her own children's reading, she says "As a mom, I want my kids to read any book they want! I want them to read."^[8]

Awards and honors

Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected an Allie McNamara ALA Best Books for Young Adults for the year 2004.^{[citation needed]} It was named by Booklist as one of the "Top Ten Youth Romances" of the year, as well as one of the "Top Ten Books by New Writers".^{[citation needed]}

Rhymes with Witches, is included in Anita Silvey's "500 Great Books for Teens",^[9] and was nominated for "Best Books for Young Adults" by the American Library Association.^[3]

National Book Foundation controversy

In October, 2011, a controversy occurred when the National Book Foundation announced that Shine was listed as one of the finalists for that year's National Book Award in youth literature, and then issued a correction, stating that it was meant to list Chime instead. Due to the mistake, the Foundation made an exception and included it as an extra finalist.^[10][11] Shortly thereafter, she was asked to withdraw her book from competition and agreed to do so.^[12]

Published works

Series

The Winnie Years

1. Ten (2002)
2. Eleven (2004)
3. Twelve (2007)
4. Thirteen (2008)
5. Thirteen Plus One(2009)

Internet Girls series

1. ttyl (2005)
2. ttfn (2007)
3. l8r, g8r (2008)
4. bff (2009) (A special fill-in-the-blank book.)

Flower Power series

1. Luv Ya Bunches (2009)
2. Violet In Bloom (2010)
3. Oopsy Daisy (2011)
4. Awesome Blossom (2013)

Other works

• Kissing Kate (2003)
• The Fashion Disaster that Changed My Life (2005)
• Rhymes With Witches (2005)
• Four Summer Stories: Fireworks (short story anthology)- "Such a Pretty Face" (2007)
• Prom Nights from Hell, co-written with Meg Cabot, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, and Stephenie Meyer (2007)
• How to Be Bad, co-written with Sarah Mlynowski and E. Lockhart (2008)
• Bliss (2008)
• Let It Snow, co-written with Maureen Johnson and John Green (2008)
• Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks (2009)
• Shine (2011)

References

External links

• Official website
• An Interview with Lauren Myracle on Veronika Asks