20-Something Writers--Not Just Fiction

Anyone remember the book Like the Red Panda by Andrea Seigel (side note: whatever happened to her?)? I loved that book when I was in high school--it symbolized the possibilities the future held for an amateur writer. I thought if a 20-something girl could publish her fiction, well surely I could too. I'm sure there other, better examples of young successful authors, but that was my personal beacon of hope when I first started "seriously" writing.

Now, according to Publisher's Weekly "Nic Sheff, the one-time drug-addled son of New York Times reporter David Sheff (and subject of his dad's memoir, Beautiful Boy), has sold his second book to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Sheff's first memoir, about surviving his meth addiction, Tweak, was published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing in February 2008, around the same time as Beautiful Boy, and hit the Times andUSA Today lists. Sheff's new memoir, We All Fall Down, was acquired by Elizabeth Bewley and will pick up where Tweak left off, detailing his relapse and struggle to get sober. Amanda “Binky” Urban at ICM sold North American rights and pub is slated for spring 2011." 

That's right, his SECOND memoir in less than two years. Personally, I think one memoir per life is about the right ratio (if any at all), but hey let's give a hand to the 20-something who got published...again...and try to find some hope in that. I'll try not to be bitter if you will (or if you'd prefer to read some pithy commentary check out The Awl's article/comments.). Back to writing...

P.S. Why is LBB acquiring drug addiction/rehab memoirs for their "Young Readers" books? Seems like the wrong category to me...