Photo:Thomas Van Cleave; Courtesy of Simon & Schuster
Thomas Van Cleave; Courtesy of Simon & Schuster
The name V.C. Andrews is cemented in the minds of readers across generations. The author’s iconic novel,Flowers in the Attic, follows four siblings forcibly locked away in their grandparents’ mansion, and still proves to be divisive. The book has sold nearly40 millioncopies worldwide since its 1979 release — and it’s faced complaints and outright banning for its depiction of incest, sexual assault and child abuse. Bookworms still remember that eerie cover, and the story’s secretive place in their own coming-of-age, to this day.
courtesy of Simon & Schuster
But for years, the novel’s author remained mysterious. It turns out she has a fascinating story of her own.The Woman Beyond the Attic, the biography of V.C. Andrews out June 13 in paperback, gives an insightful look into the life of an often misunderstood individual, just in time for her 100th birthday.Biography author Andrew Neiderman has an encyclopedic knowledge of Andrews, and for good reason — he has been her ghostwriter for nearly four decades, ever since just before her 1986 death. Neiderman was a high school creative writing teacher-turned-thriller writer when his agent, who he shared with Andrews, approached him, asking if he could help complete the author’s final, unfinished novel.“I remember going into libraries and studying like a graduate student,” Neiderman tells PEOPLE of his research process. “Once I was able to achieve the V.C. Andrews voice, it didn’t become easy, but it became doable.”
Courtesy of Andrew Neiderman
Thomas Van Cleave
Andrews only wrote seven books before her death, but Neiderman is actively continuing her legacy. Currently in the works are new novels withinThe Sutherland Series, as well as more books in theFlowerscanon.V.C. Andrews' Dawn, based on the Dawn Cutler book series, is headed to Lifetime on July 8— the cast list includes Brec Bassinger,Joey McIntyreandFran Drescher. The four-episode limited series is another addition to a long list of V.C. Andrews novels adapted for the screen, including the2014 Lifetime movie versionofFlowers in the Attic, which our critic called “crazy good.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.As for the author herself, Neiderman hopes that readers will not only gain a better understanding of who V.C. Andrews was, but also who Virginia, the girl who dared to publish her own dark tales, was too.“There is a great deal for them to learn,” Neiderman says. “It is a fascinating story.”The Woman Beyond the Atticis now available from Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
source: people.com
