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Lauren Myracle

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Lauren Myracle
Myracle with husband Randy Bartels in 2022
Myracle with husband Randy Bartels in 2022
Born (1969-05-15) May 15, 1969 (age 55)
Brevard, North Carolina, U.S.
OccupationNovelist
EducationUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)
Colorado State University (MA)
Vermont College of Fine Arts (MFA)
GenreYoung adult fiction
SpouseRandy Bartels
Website
Official website

Lauren Myracle (born May 15, 1969) is an American writer of young adult fiction. She has written many novels, including the three best-selling "IM" books, ttyl, ttfn and l8r, g8r. Her book Thirteen Plus One was released May 4, 2010.

Early life

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Myracle was born in Brevard, North Carolina, and 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] 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 graduation, Myracle worked for some time as a middle-school teacher in Gwinnett County, Georgia, and participated in the JET Programme in Japan.[2] 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.[citation needed]

Career

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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 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 comprises ttyl (talk to you later), ttfn (ta ta for now), and l8r, g8r (later, gator). It features three 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 novel to be written entirely in instant messages.[2] 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."[3]

Censorship

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Myracle's books, especially the Internet Girls series, have regularly been included in the American Library Association's lists of the most frequently banned and challenged books in the United States. Challengers content the book due to offensive language and sexually explicit content, as well as being unsuited for the age group and going against a religious viewpoint.[4] The series was the ninth-most censored book between 2010 and 2019.[5] In 2009 and 2011, they topped the association's list for the top ten most censored books of the year.[4] The book was also included in the top-ten list for 2008 (third) and 2007 (seventh).[4]

Scholastic Books nearly refused to carry Luv Ya Bunches at its national school book fair events because the book features lesbian mothers.[6] Scholastic recanted its initial decision after a large internet outcry.[7]

In 2022, three of Myracle's novels (ttyl, ttfn, and Shine) were listed among 52 books banned by the Alpine School District following the implementation of Utah law H.B. 374, “Sensitive Materials In Schools,"[8] 42removed books “feature LBGTQ+ characters and or themes.”[9][10] Many of the books were removed because they were considered to contain pornographic material according to the new law, which defines porn using the following criteria:

  • "The average person" would find that the material, on the whole, "appeals to prurient interest in sex"[11]
  • The material "is patently offensive in the description or depiction of nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sadomasochistic abuse, or excretion"[11]
  • The material, on the whole, "does not have serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value."[11]

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."[12]

Awards and honors

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Her first novel, Kissing Kate, was selected an Allie McNamara ALA Best Books for Young Adults for the year 2004.[13][14] Booklist selected it 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[15] and was nominated for "Best Books for Young Adults" by the American Library Association.[2]

National Book Foundation controversy

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In October, 2011, a controversy occurred when the National Book Foundation listed Shine as one of the five finalists for its annual National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Then it announced a mistake: Chime was the intended finalist; it would make an exception and consider six finalists.[16][17] Shortly thereafter, NBF asked her to withdraw Shine from consideration and Myracle agreed to do so.[18]

Published works

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Series

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The Winnie Years (2004–2010)

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  • Ten (2010)
  • Eleven (2004)
  • Twelve (2007)
  • Thirteen (2008)
  • Thirteen Plus One (2009)

Internet Girls (2005–2014)

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Flower Power (2009–2013)

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  • Luv Ya Bunches (2009)
  • Violet in Bloom (2010)
  • Oopsy Daisy (2011)
  • Awesome Blossom (2013)

The Life of Ty (2013–2015)

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  • Penguin Problems (2013)
  • Non-Random Acts of Kindness (2014)
  • Friends of a Feather (2015)

Upside-Down Magic (2015–2019)

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This series was co-written with Sarah Mlynowski and E. Lockhart.

  • Upside Down Magic (2015)
  • Sticks & Stones (2016)
  • Showing Off (2016)
  • Dragon Overnight (2018)
  • Weather or Not (2018)
  • The Big Shrink (2019)

Wishing Day (2016–2018)

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  • Wishing Day (2016)
  • The Forgetting Spell (2017)
  • The Backward Season (2018)

Stand-alone novels, short stories, and comics

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References

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  1. ^ [1] Archived July 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c "Children's Literature - Meet Lauren Myracle". Childrenslit.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  3. ^ "The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle | 9781419707933 | Hardcover | Barnes & Noble". Barnesandnoble.com. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  4. ^ a b c Office for Intellectual Freedom (2013-03-26). "Top 10 Most Challenged Books Lists". American Library Association. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  5. ^ "Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books: 2010-2019". Advocacy, Legislation & Issues. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  6. ^ "ScholasticCensors Myracle's 'Luv Ya Bunches' from Book Fairs". Schoollibraryjournal.com. 2009-10-21. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  7. ^ "Scholastic to Sell 'Luv Ya Bunches' at Middle School Book Fairs". Schoollibraryjournal.com. 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  8. ^ "Ban on 52 Books in Largest Utah School District is a Worrisome Escalation of Censorship". PEN America. 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  9. ^ "School District Removes 52 Books From Libraries". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  10. ^ "Ban on 52 Books in Largest Utah School District is a Worrisome Escalation of Censorship". PEN America. 2022-08-01. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  11. ^ a b c Mullahy, Brian (2022-07-28). "Alpine School District pulls dozens of books from school library shelves". KUTV. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  12. ^ Abigail Pesta (April 11, 2012). "Should This Woman's Books Be Banned?". Daily Beast. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  13. ^ American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (2007-07-30). "Best Books for Young Adults Annotated List 2004". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  14. ^ American Library Association (2010-04-04). "Kissing Kate". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  15. ^ Silvey, Anita (3 October 2006). 500 Great Books for Teens - Anita Silvey - Google Boeken. HarperCollins. ISBN 0547523815. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  16. ^ Losowsky, Andrew (2011-10-12). "Wrong Title Announced At Presentation Of National Book Awards 2011 Finalists". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  17. ^ "National Book Awards mixup: The finalist who wasn't - The Reliable Source". The Washington Post. 2011-10-18. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  18. ^ Bosman, Julie (2011-10-17). "She Coulda Been a Contender: National Book Award Finalist Withdraws After Mistake". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
  19. ^ "Under the Moon". Goodreads. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
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