At opposite ends of the teen / YA literature age range are two books by Lauren Myracle that deal with bullying in their content.  Ten addresses bullying peripherally to the primary narrative of the tenth year of its primary character, Winnie.  Shine is for late teens and has injurious bullying as a primary theme along with prejudice regarding sexual preference. Shine neither condones nor condemns anyone's sexual preference.  Rather it addresses prejudices that accompany…

An item in the Books section of Asheville Citizen-Times issue of Sunday, November 20 by Hilliel Italie commented on winners of the National Book Foundation awards for 2011 and noted that one author, Lauren Myracle, was announced as an award finalist then asked to withdraw from contention for the award.  Myracle is a WNC-born author now living in Ft. Collins, CO, and her present day book "Shine" is set in Transylvania County.  This YA book deals with poverty, effects of drug misuse, a hate…

Shine by WNC-born author Lauren Myracle is in the news.  Who wants to talk about it?  Look it over and let's discuss.

Those who are involved in YA literature might be interested in the discussion that took place on NPR's program Talk of the Nation that aired on Wednesday, July 6 when moderator Neil Conan invited Wall Street Journal critic Meghan Cox Gourdon and Lauren Myracle, author of Shine, the recently released YA book set in WNC to commen on the nature of contemporary YA books.  A link to the audio podcast is below.…

Lauren Myracle, well-known author of books for early, mid, and late teens, has a newly released book, Shine, that is set in Transylvania county.  This work of fiction for late teens and young adults involves themes of prejudice, poverty, drug use, and redemption as its heroine, Cat, endeavors to learn why and by whom her childhood friend Patrick was brutally beaten and left for dead tied to a gas pump at an isolated convenience store.  Along the way Cat must face her own traumatized…