Tragedy to Triumph

Libba Bray is the New York Times bestselling author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Rebel Angels, both of which have appeared on ALA's Best Books for Young Adults list.

Cheryl Stritzel McCarthy and her eight siblings grew up with a paintbrush in their hands and a song in their hearts, working at their family's business of renovating old houses in Ames, Iowa. Her book, Many Hands Make Light Work: A Memoir is the rollicking true story of growing up in that family in the '60s and '70s. Cheryl is a journalist whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune, which distributed her articles to newspapers and websites around the country. She freelanced for years as a book critic for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland. On assignment for publications, she's traveled to Turkey, Hawaii, and Scotland. She lived in London for seven years, writing for global magazines. She holds an MBA from City University in London and a bachelor's in journalism from Iowa State University.Today, she ghostwrites, edits, and helps publish memoirs. (See cherylstritzelmccarthy.com) Cheryl, her husband, and their three daughters have lived in Shaker Heights, Ohio; Toledo, Ohio; and Naperville, Illinois. She now resides with her husband in Bellingham, Washington, and travels frequently to visit grandchildren.