Well folks, this one is a little different. This week, we're diving into a book by an author that was recommended to us by someone in the family. Lurlene McDaniel has an impressive collection of young-adult books that deal with some pretty heavy subjects like chronic illness and loss. To convince us, Liz's brother Mike (see EP 017 - Heirs of the Force) gave us a box full of her stories for Christmas. Six Months to Live is no exception as it is a story about a 13 year old girl named Dawn Rochelle who receives the unfortunate news that she has leukemia. The rest of the book deals with her treatment, emotions, forming friendships with other kids in similar situations, and teenage love. While we wouldn't classify this as a Dumpsterpiece, the subject matter and intensity are pretty over-the-top - this is apparently how Lurlene McDaniel rolls. Remember After School Specials? Lurlene cranks that up to an 11. This story motivated us to make a donation to St Jude's Children's Research Hospital and we hope it would encourage others to do the same.
This book was an afternoon read, but it might be difficult to find. It's also difficult to read... If you're brave enough, or in the unfortunate situation where you or a loved one are dealing with childhood cancer, then this might be a bit cathartic. We think this is where Lurlene's books really shine. At any rate you can just follow along and you'll get the gist, though you might get choked up occasionally.
