CANR
WORK TITLE: Joy
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WEBSITE: http://daniellesteel.com/
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NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: LRC 2020
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PERSONAL
Born August 14, 1947, in New York, NY; daughter of John and Norma Schuelein-Steel; married Claude-Eric Lazard (a banker), 1965 (marriage ended); married Danny Zugelder (marriage ended); married William Toth (marriage ended); married John Traina (a vintner), 1981 (marriage ended); married Thomas Perkins, 1998 (marriage ended, 2002); children: (first marriage) Beatrix; (third marriage) Nick (deceased); (fourth marriage) two stepsons, Samantha, Victoria, Vanessa, Maxx, Zara.
EDUCATION:Graduated from Lycée Français de New York, 1963; attended Parsons School of Design, 1963, and New York University, 1963-67.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and novelist. Supergirls, Ltd. (public relations firm), New York, NY, vice president of public relations, 1968-71; Grey Advertising, San Francisco, CA, copywriter, 1973-74; worked at other positions in public relations and advertising; taught creative writing, 1975-76. American Library Association, national chair; Nick Traina Foundation (mental health support organization), founder; Yo Angel Foundation (homeless assistance), founder; Steel Gallery of Contemporary Art, founder, 2003-07. National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, spokesperson; American Human Association, national spokesperson.
AWARDS:Outstanding Achievement Award in Mental Health, California Psychiatric Association; Distinguished Service Award, American Psychiatric Association; Service to Youth Award for improving the lives of mentally ill adolescents and children, University of San Francisco Catholic Youth Organization and St. Mary’s Medical Center, 1999; Chevalier of the Distinguished Order of Arts and Letters, Government of France, 2002; Outstanding Achievement Award for work with adolescents, Larkin Street Youth Services, 2003; inducted into the California Hall of Fame, 2009; Distinguished Service in Mental Health Award, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical School, and Cornell Medical College, 2009; Chevalier of the Order of the Legion d’Honneur, 2014.
WRITINGS
Contributor to The Fabergé Case: From the Private Collection of Traina, by John Traina. Contributor of articles and poetry to numerous periodicals, including Good Housekeeping, McCall’s, Ladies’ Home Journal, and Cosmopolitan.
Numerous works have been adapted for film or television: Now and Forever, adapted into a movie and released by Inter Planetary Pictures, 1983; Crossings, made into an ABC-TV miniseries, 1986; Kaleidoscope and Fine Things, made into NBC television movies, 1990; Changes, Daddy, and Palomino, aired by NBC, 1991; Jewels, adapted as a four-hour miniseries, 1992; Secrets, 1992; Heartbeat, Star, and Message from ‘Nam, 1993; Once in a Lifetime, A Perfect Stranger, and Family Album, 1994; Mixed Blessings, 1995; the miniseries Danielle Steel’s “Zoya,” 1996; No Greater Love, The Ring, Full Circle, and Remembrance, 1996; and Safe Harbour, 2007. Several of Steel’s other novels, including Wanderlust and Thurston House, have also been optioned for television films and miniseries.
SIDELIGHTS
Author of scores of best-selling novels, Danielle Steel is nothing less than a publishing phenomenon. Since the publication of her first hardcover in 1980, she has consistently hit both hardcover and paperback best-seller lists, and there are reportedly over 800 million of her books in print in twenty-eight languages in forty-seven countries. Her popularity has also spilled over into television, where several film versions of her books have been produced and garnered good ratings. [open new]Her name is widely recognized as synonymous with romance.
Steel’s original career aspiration was to become a fashion designer. After attending French school in New York and acquainting herself with European milieux through travel, she entered the Parsons School of Design. About her experience there, she told Alison Beard of the Harvard Business Review, “Parsons was very intense: It weeds out the people who aren’t made for the stress of the fashion business. I was 15 when I landed there, and one of their things was to have somebody from Seventh Avenue come and criticize your work. It was terrible. I was left absolutely crushed.” Diverted from fashion, Steel found work with an advertising and public-relations agency, among whose clients was Ladies’ Home Journal, for which Steel also freelanced—well enough to prompt the publisher to encourage her to write a book. Still just nineteen, she brazenly attempted a novel. One reputed agent patronized the effort, but another, a woman, recognized her talents and sold the book to Simon & Schuster. Although her next half dozen manuscripts went unpublished, Steel was hooked on the possibility of making a career as a writer, and after five years at the ad agency and several teaching creative writing, her efforts bore fruit after fruit after fruit. As of the early 2020s, having written some two hundred books, she was still using the Olympia typewriter with which she began her career, purchased for twenty dollars at a junk shop.[suspend new] Steel once told CA: “I want to give [readers] entertainment and something to think about.”
Steel’s fiction is often peopled by women in powerful or glamorous positions; often they are forced to choose among the priorities in their lives. Thus, in Changes a New York anchorwoman who weds a Beverly Hills surgeon must decide whether her career means more to her than her long-distance marriage does. Jewels tells of the struggles of an American-born noblewoman, the Duchess of Whitfield, to find peace and raise her children in pre-World War II Europe.
While reviewers seldom express admiration for the style of romantic novelists in general—Chicago Tribune Book World contributor L.J. Davis claimed that Changes is written in “the sort of basilisk prose that makes it impossible to tear your eyes from the page even as your brain is slowly [turning] to stone”—some reviewers, such as a Detroit News writer, found that the author’s “flair for spinning colorful and textured plots out of raw material … is fun reading. The topic [of Changes ] is timely and socially relevant.” Toronto Globe & Mail contributor Peggy Hill similarly concluded about 1988’s Zoya: “Steel has the ability to give such formula writing enough strength to not collapse into an exhausted state of cliche. Zoya is a fine example of that achievement.”
Steel sometimes confronts serious issues in her books. Mixed Blessings looks at issues of infertility in a work that a Rapport reviewer called “not only well written but extremely well researched.” “On the whole,” the reviewer concluded, “ Mixed Blessings is definitely one of Steel’s all-time best books.” Vanished confronts the problem of kidnapped children in a story “set mainly in 1930’s Manhattan,” explained a Kirkus Reviews contributor. “The questions Steel raises about the tug-of-wars between guilt and responsibility … are anything but simple,” stated Stuart Whitwell in Booklist. “The author of Mixed Blessings keeps her secrets well,” stated a Publishers Weekly reviewer, “and … presents a strong portrait of a tormented young woman moving toward stability.”
In Accident, Steel offers a story about the stresses placed on a family after a serious car accident puts a couple’s teenage daughter in the hospital from a brain injury. Romance reenters protagonist Page Clark’s life when she falls for the Norwegian divorced father of her daughter’s friend—this after having learned that her husband has been having an affair with another woman. “The ending is predictable but pleasant,” declared a Publishers Weekly contributor, “bound to delight Steel’s fans.”
Malice is the story of Grace Adams’s attempts to deal with her self-defense murder of her abusive father, while The Gift tells how a 1950s family slowly comes to accept the death of their youngest daughter and welcomes an unmarried expectant mother into their fold. “The narrative,” stated a critic in a Publishers Weekly review of The Gift, has “well-meaning characters, uplifting sentiments and a few moments that could make a stone weep.” A Rapport reviewer asserted that the most significant part of the story is “the affirmation of the grand design of tragedy and its transcendent message of purpose.”
In 1998 Steel produced The Klone and I: A High-Tech Love Story. “While sticking to the typical Steel plot … this time around, she throws a bit of humor and weird sexual fantasy into the mix,” commented Kathleen Hughes in Booklist. The story revolves around Stephanie, who, having been left by her husband, meets a new man, Peter, on a trip to Paris. Stephanie soon learns that Peter has cloned himself, and Stephanie must decide between the two of them. Critics were largely positive in their assessment of The Klone and I. “Give Steel points for turning from her usual tearjerkers … and trying her hand at a playful romantic comedy with a twist,” wrote a contributor to Kirkus Reviews. A Publishers Weekly critic argued that although “the SF element is minimal (approximately one part Ray Bradbury to thirty-five parts Steel), Steel’s speculative whimsy spices her romantic concoction to produce a light but charming read.”
In 2000, the prolific Steel published three new novels, The House on Hope Street, The Wedding, and Journey. Critics generally felt these novels gave Steel’s fans exactly what they were looking for. In a Booklist review of The Wedding, for example, Patty Engelmann wrote: “All the key elements are here: a glamorous Hollywood setting along with the beautiful people and all their insecurities.” Engelmann called the work “a good old-fashioned love story,” claiming Steel is in “peak form.” Engelmann felt similarly about The House on Hope Street: “Standard Steel fare and an excellent beach book, this will definitely please her readers.” Journey received a similar reaction from critics. “Steel has her formula down pat, and she executes her story with her usual smooth pacing,” concluded a critic in Publishers Weekly.
In Second Chance, Steel features a high-roller fashion editor who falls for a conservative businessman. Hughes remarked in Booklist: “Steel’s fans will enjoy the detailed descriptions of privileged lifestyles and the ultimate happy resolution.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer noted that although some readers will dislike the fact that the heroine gives up her career, “others will enjoy the usual Steel frills: plenty of gorgeous outfits, fine dining and exquisite real estate.”
Ransom, like Second Chance, was released in 2004, amidst promises that it would be different from most of Steel’s prior fiction. The story involves a kidnapping, and its characters include an ex-drug dealer, a widow, a shady businessman, and a police officer. In Brandweek, Ginger Danto suggested that the edgier flavor of the novel was a sign of the times. Danto wrote: “ Ransom deals with crime, and apparently more violence than either writer or devoted reader are accustomed. As such, it is a deft reflection of the times, as movies and TV shore up more violence in the name of entertainment than ever before, perhaps to remain relevant alongside searing coverage of current events.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer found the book disappointing: “The novel begins slowly … and never picks up speed, with Steel narrating as if from a distance, glossing over critical scenes and skimping on dialogue.” Engelmann, writing again in Booklist, reached a similar conclusion: “This lackluster suspense novel and its plastic characters will have automatic appeal for Steel fans, but other readers may find it wanting.”
Three hard-partying, serial-dating bachelors find their confirmed singles lifestyle endangered by love in Toxic Bachelors. Wealthy philanthropist Charlie Harrington, attorney Adam Weiss, and artist Gray Hawk are a trio of best friends, all in their forties, who have dedicated themselves to living lives free of romantic commitment. Instead, they party hard on Harrington’s yacht and engage in a stream of never-ending serial dating with gorgeous but superficial women. All three bear the painful scars of a well-concealed past relationship that launched them on their freewheeling path. However, each man in turn finds his attitude changing when falling in love with a woman that defies their usual dating type and style: Gray with Sylvia, an art gallery owner, Charlie with Carole, a social worker, and Adam with Maggie, a waitress. A Kirkus Reviews critic named the novel a “by-the-numbers romance, with pop psychology overtones.” The book displays one of the “happy endings that will keep her fans reading and waiting for more,” commented Booklist contributor Hughes.
Veronica and Virginia, the twin-sister protagonists of Coming Out, are eighteen years old and decidedly different in attitude and temperament. Virginia is crazy over boys and shopping and being a girl, while Veronica is much more serious and politically and socially aware. When the two young women receive an invitation to a debutante ball, their mother, Olympia, who was a debutante herself, encourages them to attend. Virginia enthusiastically supports the idea, while Veronica finds the whole concept distasteful, elitist, and anti-Semitic, and refuses to participate. The situation worsens when their status-conscious father demands they both attend and threatens to cut off both girls’ college fund if either refuses to go to the ball. As Veronica and Virginia spar with each other, older brother Charlie, a college senior, struggles with his own emerging identity as a gay man. A Kirkus Reviews critic called the book “a slight confection that spares no heartwarming family cliche, but one that acknowledges the unique challenges of today’s mixed families.”
Tanya Harris is a dedicated mother, loving wife, and up-and-coming writer in Bungalow 2. Her career as an author of stories and soap-opera scripts is flourishing, and her family life and marriage to husband, Peter, remain happy and stable. Tanya faces a difficult decision, however, when her agent presents her with an enticing offer: movie producer Douglas Wayne wants her and her alone to work on a new film screenplay, but it will require moving to Los Angeles for almost a year. Tanya is hesitant to leave her husband and children for an extended time, fearing repercussions as her daughters enter their senior year of high school. However, Peter realizes this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and encourages her to accept the offer. Eventually, she agrees to go, and finds the process of movie making both repulsive and deeply fascinating at the same time. She resists romantic overtures from Wayne, remaining faithful to her husband, but is devastated when Peter asks her for a divorce. Soon, Tanya finds herself single and adrift in Hollywood, where fantasies have a tendency to become unexpected reality. A Kirkus Reviews contributor called the book a “wholesome Cinderella story for the over-forty set.”
Steel considers the effects of a natural disaster on both landscape and lives in Amazing Grace. When a powerful earthquake strikes Los Angeles, three women abruptly find their personal worlds shattered in the aftermath. The quake comes during a charity dinner organized by Sarah Sloane, a rich socialite. Soon after, Sarah discovers that her husband, Seth, a hedge-fund manager, is involved in illegal financial activity and cannot conceal his involvement because of the power outage caused by the quake. Melanie Free, a popular nineteen-year-old singer performing at the dinner, sheds her pop-star image and immediately dives into helping people, in the process revealing that she’d rather be a nurse than a performer. Both Sarah and Melanie are supported by Sister Maggie Kent, a nun who organizes and runs the camp for those displaced by the earthquake. Maggie finds herself in turmoil as she realizes she’s falling in love with a photographer covering the aftermath of the disaster. “Typical Steel fare, this is a fast, uncomplicated read,” commented Booklist reviewer Hughes. “Steel delivers a sparkly story with an uplifting spiritual twist,” observed a Publishers Weekly reviewer.
Carole Barber, the fifty-year-old protagonist of Honor Thyself, is an award-winning actor who puts her career on hold after the death of her second husband. Reflecting on her past, she writes a semiautobiographical novel but still struggles to make sense of where she’s been and what she wants to accomplish. Hoping to recapture some of the happiness and excitement of her earlier days, she travels to Paris. There, however, she is severely injured in a terrorist bomb attack and lies brain-damaged and comatose for weeks. When she regains consciousness, she cannot remember any aspect of her life before her injury. Her adult children, ex-husband, and assistant try to help her recover her identity, with varied success. It is only when she encounters Matthieu, a lover from fifteen years prior, that she finds a renewed interest in life and the courage to embrace a renewed love and revitalized identity. “Faithful readers will be catapulted by Steel’s staccato pacing and straightforward prose to a predictable yet satisfying conclusion,” remarked Carol Haggas, writing in Booklist. A Publishers Weekly critic concluded that Steel “delivers a sympathetic heroine and a scene or two that makes the heartstrings quiver.”
With Rogue, Steel “doctors up a familiar formula with fresh results,” according to a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Maxine Williams is a forty-two-year-old psychologist specializing in childhood trauma and teen suicide. She is the single mother of three, having divorced her successful but immature dot-com husband Blake five years earlier. They are still friends, but he seems content enough to travel widely and bed as many young women as he can. Maxine finally finds another man who fits her model for a husband. Charles West is a doctor who seems serious and steady. Blake, in the face of a traumatic incident, however, suddenly takes another look at his life, and now wants to reconcile with Maxine, who now must make a hard decision. The Publishers Weekly reviewer felt that Steel, while never probing too deeply into her characters’ inner lives, still “keeps the pages turning and offers a satisfying twist.” Fresh Fiction website contributor Sandi Shilhanek termed Rogue a “story that gives readers character we love to hate, and that we truly love, and perhaps even envy just a bit.” Likewise, Genre Go Round Reviews website reviewer Harriet Klausner found Rogue “an entertaining romantic triangle with a terrific final twist.”
Steel delves into history for her novel A Good Woman. Annabelle Worthington loses her father and brother when they go down on the Titanic in 1912. Her mother survives but is badly shaken by the tragedy. Annabelle remained home because of the flu; now, to occupy herself, she becomes a medical volunteer at Ellis Island where she meets much older Josiah Millbank, falls in love, and gets married. However, after a couple of years of unconsummated marriage, Millbank admits that he has syphilis and that he wants to leave her for his male lover. Annabelle refuses to give Millbank a divorce, so he spreads the rumor that she is an adulterer, and society makes her the villain. Again she escapes into work, this time traveling to France where she works at a hospital during the fighting in World War I. Once more Annabelle finds a new and surprising turn in her life. Reviewing A Good Woman in the Europe Intelligence Wire, Sue McNab noted that Steel “takes us on another unforgettable journey and introduces us to a woman with unbreakable spirit.” Similarly, Booklist reviewer Shelley Mosley felt Steel “has combined triumph and tragedy to create the story of a woman who … manages to survive on her own terms.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor was less enthusiastic about the novel, commenting: “After a slow-moving start, the action accelerates during the war sections, but Steel’s tin ear and simplistic prose, even more than the predictable plot, make for a leaden tale.” Higher praise came from a Publishers Weekly contributor who concluded: “Steel’s fans will eat this up—Annabelle is one of the better protagonists Steel’s conjured recently.”
In Matters of the Heart, Steel tells the story of photographer Hope Dunne, who is hired by award-winning author Finn O’Neill to take his photo for his next book. Traveling to London for the shoot, Hope is seduced by the charming Finn, who sweeps her off to his family home in Ireland. There Hope discovers that Finn is not quite right. He is in fact a sociopathic liar who has become obsessed with her. Booklist contributor Mosley felt that “Steel’s fans will be delighted by this story of a woman seduced by a man who is too good to be true.” A Femail magazine contributor also had a positive assessment of Matters of the Heart, calling it “an unforgettable tale of danger and obsessive love.”
One Day at a Time features wealthy young Coco Barrington, who gives up her fancy life in Los Angeles, drops out of law school, and moves to Northern California. There she lives a bohemian lifestyle, finding romance with a young man who subsequently dies while hang gliding. In bereavement and house-sitting for her sister, Coco then meets British actor Leslie Baxter, a man on the run from a former lover with little control over her emotions. Coco and Leslie hit it off, face some initial difficulties, but then solidify their love, even as Coco begins to renew her relationship with her domineering mother. “Fairly brief and lighthearted; nonetheless, Steel’s fans will enjoy,” wrote Booklist contributor Hughes. Associated Content website reviewer Betty Alexander had similar praise for One Day at a Time, noting: “This latest novel from Danielle Steel has us mesmerized from beginning to end, as usual.” And Genre Go Round Reviews contributor Klausner termed the novel “an engaging contemporary fiction tale.”
The plot in the 2010 novel Family Ties revolves around Annie Ferguson, an up-and-coming architect who is grieving for her sister and brother-in-law. Annie’s loved ones die in a plane crash, leaving her to care for their three young children. Annie sacrifices dating in order to raise them while furthering her career. The children grow into successful adults, but Annie struggles to let them go. She distracts herself by reviving her romantic life, and she begins seeing a television news anchor. While the story is uplifting, critics were ambivalent, and a Kirkus Reviews contributor stated that it features “a listless narrative not helped by Steel’s plodding prose.” Despite this, the contributor acknowledged that Steel’s “legion of fans aren’t in it for the surprise.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer was somewhat more evenhanded, remarking that Steel is “not known as a prose stylist, although there’s a glimmer of a good plot.” Seconding this neutral opinion in her Xpress Reviews article, Samantha J. Gust found that reading Family Ties is “not an unpleasant way to spend a few hours, thanks to the various characters and story lines.” Engelmann, writing once more in Booklist, was far more impressed, announcing that the novel contains “all the trademark elements of Steel’s novels … making her latest another sure hit with her loyal fans.”
Additional novels that Steel released in 2010 are Big Girl and Legacy. In the latter, Brigitte Nicholson has just broken up with her boyfriend, an archaeologist. Less than forty-eight hours later she loses her job working for a university admissions office. Brigitte distracts herself from her woes by helping her mother with some family research. As she delves into her ancestry, Brigitte learns that a Dakota Sioux was buried in Brittany beside a long-lost relative. The Sioux was buried as Marquise de Margerac, but was once named Wachiwi. As Brigitte attempts to find out more about Wachiwi, she travels from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and then on to Paris, following in Wachiwi’s footsteps. In Paris, she encounters a literature professor at the Sorbonne named Marc Henri. Brigitte and Marc inevitably fall for one another, and the narrative cuts back and forth between their love story and the progression of Wachiwi’s adventures.
Like Family Ties, Legacy received mixed reviews. For instance, a Kirkus Reviews critic complained that “the two women’s stories are compelling—if only they weren’t weighted down by cliches and artless exposition.” On the other hand, a contributor to the Night Owl Reviews website felt that the novel is “a good quick read, almost all the characters were positive while the rest of the characters’ negativity was due to societal belief systems.” Shelley Mosley, writing again in Booklist, was even more laudatory, finding Steel’s work to be an “engrossing, exciting chronicle.” Mosley went on to note that Legacy is “a novel that is sure to be a hit with a broad array of readers.” Proffering further praise in Publishers Weekly, a critic called the book an “inspiring story” that portrays “a doubly absorbing romantic adventure.”
In her next book, 44 Charles Street, Steel presents another woman who has recently been dumped. Francesca Thayer, an art dealer based out of Manhattan, is left financially destitute when her boyfriend (who is also her business partner) breaks up with her. In a desperate attempt to avoid foreclosure, Francesca rents her home’s spare rooms to a teacher named Eileen, a good-looking father named Chris, and a well-known chef named Marya. The four bond immediately, and they support one another as Marya attempts to avoid a married man who wants to date her and as Eileen struggles with her attraction to quintessential bad boys. Chris, meanwhile, is in a nasty custody battle with his unstable ex-wife. Francesca’s roommates’ troubles allow her to forget her own, and she is finally able to let go of the life she planned in order to live the life she has been given.
While 44 Charles Street received a warmer critical reception than its recent predecessors, it was still not without its detractors. For instance, Virginia Blackburn, writing in the online London Express, quipped: “Steel churned out a couple of best-selling page-turners and has continued the churning process ever since. They are still best sellers but are they page-turners? One doesn’t wish to be unkind.” Samantha J. Gust, writing this time in Library Journal, however, commended the book for its thoughtful content. She pointed out that 44 Charles Street “touches on difficult social issues, such as abusive relationships and drug abuse.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor, however, called the novel “classic Steel, phoned in.” According to the contributor, there is “much repetitious ruminating and a stultifying, unmusical prose style too often obstruct the intended edgy escapism.” Booklist reviewer Mosley also called the book “classic Steel,” but she qualified this statement by commenting that there is “lots of emotion, friendship, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and danger.” Mosley concluded that Steel’s “countless fans are guaranteed to find it impossible to put down.” A Publishers Weekly critic lauded the novel as well, announcing: “Steel keeps the tone gentle and soothing in this warm, cozy tale.”
The 2011 novel Hotel Vendome tells the story of a handsome, young hotelier named Hugues Martin. The Swiss-born Martin buys a dilapidated hotel in Manhattan and painstakingly restores it, making it one of the world’s most celebrated luxury hotels, the Hotel Vendome. It becomes a regular destination for the rich and famous and is known for its outstanding service and discretion. Hugues installs himself, his wife, and their young daughter Heloise in one of the hotel’s suites. Hugues’s wife leaves him for a guest at the hotel, rock star Greg Bones, so Hugues becomes a single father. Hugues makes sure that Heloise has a full and exciting life, interacting with the hotel’s colorful guests and adoring staff. Hugues and Heloise develop a very close relationship. Hugues avoids meaningful relationships with women because he is so devoted to being a good father to Heloise. He does have flings occasionally, but he is careful to keep them from Heloise. Heloise loves her life at the hotel and determines that she will eventually take over the management duties from her father. She goes off to Switzerland to attend the same hotel school that Hugues attended, École Hotelière in Lausanne. While she is away, Hugues meets the beautiful interior decorator Natalie Peterson and falls for her. Hugues worries about telling Heloise of his newfound love, and when he finally does, she becomes angry and insists that Natalie only wants him for his money. Father and daughter eventually make amends. The book follows Heloise as she finds love and eventually takes over the management of the hotel from her father.
A writer in Kirkus Reviews commented of the male protagonist of the book: “Hugues Martin strides into this novel as the perfect romantic hero,” and suggested that the book “will appeal to the most dedicated of Steel’s fans.” A writer in Publishers Weekly suggested that Steel prefers solid details over nuances. “Steel leaves nothing of her character’s feelings, backgrounds, or attitudes to reader inference, preferring to spell out every last detail,” the reviewer wrote. Rowan Coleman, a contributor to the London Express website, remarked that because of the book’s fast pace, “the exciting plots and sub-plots of Heloise’s life can feel a little glossed over.” However, Coleman also stated that Steel creates “a world of glamour, fantasy, intrigue, and passion” in the book. Booklist writer Amy Alessio commented: “This charming, upbeat, upscale, and heavily promoted father-and-daughter tale will be particularly alluring.”
Natasha Leonova is the title character in Steel’s 2017 novel The Mistress. Her lover is the billionaire Vladimir Stanislas. When Vladimir commissions a painting of Natasha by Theo Luca, he does not expect his mistress to fall for the artist. A critic on the Quick Book Reviews website commented: “ The Mistress by Danielle Steel is a great book with some wasted potential that could have elevated it to the level of excellence. Ultimately, the predictability of the story at certain segments is overshadowed by the quality of the writing and the characters we are presented with, making this book the perfect read to pass a quiet day or two if you are a fan of romance novels.”
In The Right Time, also published in 2017, Alexandra Window writes crime novels under the pseudonym Alexander Green. She has been posing as a man throughout her career. When she finally reveals her true identity, she must deal with the consequences of her lengthy deception. Rebecca Kositzke, a contributor to the New Englander website, suggested: “The writing style followed the rushed form of the pace of the book. It was hard to know how much time had passed. … The other characters felt very flat, because they were in and out of the picture so much. It felt less like a plot and more a description of what happened in each year of her life and how she wrote book after book, and became her own assistant. It felt a little too unrealistic.”
Set in the 1960s, The Good Fight follows Meredith McKenzie, who moves with her family to Germany when she is a child. Her father is a lawyer at the Nuremberg trials. Back in the United States years later, Meredith attends Vassar, where she befriends a Holocaust orphan named Claudia. Meanwhile, Meredith’s brother is sent to war in Vietnam; later Meredith adopts an orphan from that country. Writing on the American Israelite website, Sheryl Pockrose remarked: “If compared to various great works of fiction or historical writing, this book is lightweight, skipping over any time periods or events that don’t push the action forward. When evaluated for what it aims to be, an entertaining bit of historical fiction, it offers a bit more food for thought than other novels of this kind.”
Accidental Heroes, a 2018 novel, tells the interconnected stories of Bernice Adams, Ben Waterman, and Helen Smith. Bernice, a TSA agent, finds a disturbing postcard at the airport, and Ben investigates. He becomes suspicious of Helen, a pilot grieving for her husband. Balbina Yang, contributor to the Diamondback website, offered a mixed review of the book, stating: “The plot is fresh and the characters are confident”; however, “the first half of the story almost dragged by, and in a sense was predictable.”
A middle-aged divorcée named Kait Whittier is the protagonist of The Cast. Kait is a respected columnist with three grown children. At a holiday party, she meets a television producer named Zack who encourages her to write about her grandmother’s life and offers to make her story into a film. A writer on the Sam Still Reading website suggested: “Definitely a great winter read or one to take to the beach, The Cast will leave you delighted.” A reviewer on the Lancashire Post website remarked: “Filled with fascinating characters, dramas both on set and behind the scenes, real-life problems that everyone can recognise and plenty of twists and turns, this is the perfect summer, escapist read and Danielle Steel at her storytelling best.”
In Lost and Found, a successful photographer named Madison Allen goes on a road trip, hoping to revisit three significant relationships from her past. Amanda Barrett, critic on the Mrs. B’s Book Reviews website, asserted: “ Lost and Found will be sure to enthrall fans who love to get their regular Danielle fix. It is classic Steel fare.”
Blessing in Disguise, published in 2019, follows Isabelle McAvoy as she goes from being an art gallery intern to having a relationship with an older man to becoming a single mother in New York. A reviewer on the Times of India website described the book as “a heart-warming novel about the highs and lows of being a single mother.”
A proud mother must grapple with the decisions of her adult children in Child’s Play. In an interview with Tara Sonin for the Barnes and Noble website, Steel explained: “My observations in Child’s Play come from my experience as a mother (of many children. I have nine), and from what I’ve seen around me among young people and parents. We want the best for our kids, but our plans for them aren’t always what they want or what is suited to their life. It takes strength and courage to find the right path in life, and it takes patience, understanding and great love to let your children follow the path that seems right to them.”
[resume new]High Stakes revolves around the exploits of five ambitious women working at a New York City talent agency. Reviewer Amanda Barrett of Mrs. B’s Book Reviews appreciated the incorporation of the Me Too movement into the plot. Barrett observed that the women’s diverse personal lives allow Steel to “zone in on issues of parenting, motherhood, separation, divorce, finances, power, privilege, authority, ambition, passion and more.” In Without a Trace, a disillusioned husband nearly dies when his car plummets off a cliff. He swims to safety, but the authorities presume him dead, and he has the chance to decide whether to return to his life or start a new one. A Jathan & Heather reviewer declared: “Without a Trace is a beautiful novel that examines what it takes to seize happiness, and why it takes honesty and great courage to do so, especially when life has pushed us to our breaking point.”
In Joy, Allegra Dixon dreams of living happily ever after with Shep Williams, but he progresses from West Point to a military career that leaves her sidelined, and she may need to rethink things in order to find contentment. A BookEvaluate reviewer called Joy a “touching and emotionally charged story that will resonate with readers who appreciate a more somber, reflective narrative.” The reviewer concluded that Steel’s “talent for crafting complex, relatable characters is on full display” and that Joy “offers a compelling look at one woman’s quest for love and happiness.” Opening in Berlin in 1937, Only the Brave concerns Sophia Alexander’s efforts to save Jewish children as the Holocaust unfolds.[suspend new]
Steel has also written a number of books for younger readers, including the “Max and Martha” series and the “Freddie” series. The “Freddie” books feature a five-year-old boy as he first encounters significant, sometimes frightening events and learns to understand them. The books, starring the young and earnest Freddie, “deal realistically” with “milestone experiences of early childhood,” commented a Publishers Weekly reviewer. Freddie’s First Night Away concerns the young boy’s anxieties at the prospect of spending a night at a friend’s house, the first time he has ever been away from his family for an entire night. Freddie’s Trip describes the youngster’s reactions to his first lengthy car trip and how he learns to deal with the boredom of long stretches in the car. The Publishers Weekly contributor remarked that children will “enjoy spending time with the sprightly Freddie and his family.”
Steel produced a stand-alone children’s title with the 2009 The Happiest Hippo in the World, a cautionary tale about differences. The hippo in question is bright green but born to a family of gray circus hippopotamuses. Too green for the circus, Greenie takes off for New York where he hopes to find a group to fit in with. While most children at a playground laugh at him, young Charlie thinks Greenie is just fine. “There’s nothing subtle about Steel’s … belabored narrative,” noted a reviewer in Publishers Weekly.
In addition to her novels, children’s fiction, and poetry, Steel ventured into biographical memoir in 1998 with His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina. The intensely personal memoir recounts the nineteen turbulent years of Steel’s son’s life—a life of manic depression, drugs, punk rock, and ultimately suicide. Susan McCaffrey wrote in Library Journal that while Steel “is at times melodramatic and the pace is sometimes hampered by the inclusion of lengthy letters and poems, this is a compelling and surprisingly objective portrait of the devastating effects of mental illness.” Steel founded the Nick Traina Foundation after her son’s death to benefit mental health and other children’s causes. Proceeds from His Bright Light went directly to the foundation.
[re-resume new]Asked by Beard about why her novels have proven so popular, Steel posited: “I’ve had a very full life and experienced a lot—divorce, losing a son—and I write from the heart about stuff that happens to all of us. I’m open and honest about emotions and the things that hurt us or scare us or make us happy. People relate to that. The other thing is, I feel a real responsibility to give people a sense of hope and encourage them to hang on. Yes, bad things happen to my characters, but I bring them home to a safe harbor.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Almanac of Famous People, 6th edition, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1998.
Bane, Vickie L., with Lorenzo Benet, The Lives of Danielle Steel: The Unauthorized Biography of America’s Number One Best-Selling Author, St. Martin’s Press (New York, NY), 1994.
Bestsellers 89, Issue 1, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1989.
Bestsellers 90, Issue 4, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1991.
Contemporary Popular Writers, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1997.
Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd edition, 17 volumes, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1998.
Newsmakers, no. 2, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1999.
Steel, Danielle, His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1998.
Twentieth-Century Romance and Historical Writers, 3rd edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1994.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 1, 1992, Denise Perry Donavin, review of Jewels, p. 1413; October 15, 1992, review of Mixed Blessings, p. 380; October 15, 1994, Stuart Whitwell, review of Vanished, p. 372; April 15, 1995, Kathleen Hughes, review of Lightning, p. 1453; October 15, 1995, Kathleen Hughes, review of Five Days in Paris, p. 364; March 1, 1996, Kathleen Hughes, review of Malice, p. 1077; October 15, 1996, Kathleen Hughes, review of Silent Honor, p. 379; March 15, 1997, Mary Carroll, review of The Ranch, p. 1205; June 1, 1997, Melanie Duncan, review of Special Delivery, p. 1620; September 15, 1997, Kathleen Hughes, review of The Ghost, p. 181; February 1, 1998, Kathleen Hughes, review of The Long Road Home, p. 877; April, 1998, Kathleen Hughes, review of The Klone and I: A High-Tech Love Story, p. 1278; September 15, 1998, Sally Estes, review of Silent Honor, p. 220; October 15, 1998, Kathleen Hughes, review of Mirror Image, p. 371; March 1, 1999, Melanie Duncan, review of Bittersweet, p. 1104; May 1, 1999, Melanie Duncan, review of Granny Dan, p. 1559; February 1, 2000, Patty Engelmann, review of The Wedding, p. 997; March 15, 2000, Patty Engelmann, review of The House on Hope Street, p. 1294; August, 2000, Whitney Scott, review of Journey, p. 2076; February 1, 2001, Patty Engelmann, review of Lone Eagle, p. 1020; March 15, 2001, Diana Tixier Herald, review of Leap of Faith, p. 1333; August, 2001, Kathleen Hughes, review of The Kiss, p. 2053; September 15, 2001, Whitney Scott, review of Lone Eagle, p. 243; May 1, 2003, Kathleen Hughes, review of Johnny Angel, p. 1507; September 15, 2003, Kathleen Hughes, review of Safe Harbour, p. 181; January 1, 2004, Patty Engelmann, review of Ransom, p. 790; June 1, 2004, Kathleen Hughes, review of Second Chance, p. 1671; October 1, 2004, Kathleen Hughes, review of Echoes, p. 283; February 1, 2005, Kathleen Hughes, review of Impossible, p. 918; September 1, 2005, Kathleen Hughes, review of Toxic Bachelors, p. 7; March 15, 2006, Kathleen Hughes, review of The House, p. 6; April 15, 2007, Kathleen Hughes, review of Bungalow 2, p. 5; September 15, 2007, Kathleen Hughes, review of Amazing Grace, p. 4; December 1, 2007, Carol Haggas, review of Honor Thyself, p. 4; September 1, 2008, Shelly Mosley, review of A Good Woman, p. 5; December 1, 2008, Kathleen Hughes, review of One Day at a Time, p. 4; March 15, 2009, Shelley Mosley, review of Matters of the Heart, p. 5; September 1, 2009, Kathleen Hughes, review of Southern Lights, p. 5; February 1, 2010, Kathleen Hughes, review of Big Girl, p. 5; April 1, 2010, Patty Engelmann, review of Family Ties, p. 4; July 1, 2010, Shelley Mosley, review of Legacy, p. 8; February 1, 2011, Shelley Mosley, review of 44 Charles Street, p. 27; September 15, 2011, Amy Alessio, review of Hotel Vendome, p. 24.
Books, July, 1992, review of Jewels, p. 18.
Bookseller, October 28, 2005, review of Toxic Bachelors, p. 14; February 24, 2006, review of The House, p. 10.
Brandweek, March 15, 2004, Ginger Danto, “A Literary Bandwagon,” review of Ransom, p. 25.
Chicago Tribune Book World, August 28, 1983, L.J. Davis, review of Changes.
Detroit News, September 11, 1983, review of Changes.
Europe Intelligence Wire, March 20, 2009, review of A Good Woman.
Globe & Mail (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), July 9, 1988, Peggy Hill, review of Zoya.
Kirkus Reviews, October 1, 1992, review of Mixed Blessings, p. 1212; June 1, 1993, review of Vanished, p. 685; January 1, 1994, review of Accident, p. 16; April 15, 1994, review of The Gift, p. 504; September 15, 1994, review of Wings, p. 1225; April 1, 1995, review of Lightning, p. 422; October 1, 1995, review of Five Days in Paris, p. 1377; March 1, 1996, review of Malice, p. 328; April 1, 1998, review of The Klone and I; August 15, 2000, review of Journey, p. 1141; August 15, 2001, review of The Kiss, p. 1160; August 15, 2002, review of Answered Prayers, p. 1170; April 15, 2003, review of Johnny Angel, p. 566; August 15, 2003, review of Safe Harbour, p. 1042; October 1, 2004, review of Echoes, p. 936; January 15, 2005, review of Impossible, p. 81; September 1, 2005, review of Toxic Bachelors, p. 941; May 1, 2006, review of Coming Out, p. 436; January 15, 2007, review of Sisters, p. 48; May 1, 2007, review of Bungalow 2; September 15, 2008, review of A Good Woman; April 1, 2010, review of Family Ties; August 1, 2010, review of Family Ties; August 15, 2010, review of Legacy; February 15, 2011, review of 44 Charles Street; October 15, 2011, review of Hotel Vendome.
Library Bookwatch, January, 2005, review of Echoes; February, 2005, review of Echoes.
Library Journal, October 15, 1993, review of Vanished, p. 110; October 15, 1994, review of Wings, p. 89; April 15, 1997, Kathy Ingels Helmond, review of The Ranch, p. 121; June 1, 1998, Kathy Ingels Helmond, review of The Klone and I, p. 161; December, 1998, Susan McCaffrey, review of His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina, p. 172; November 1, 2003, Carol J. Bissett, review of Safe Harbour, p. 126; March 1, 2005, Carol J. Bissett, review of Impossible, p. 80; October 1, 2005, Samantha J. Gust, review of Toxic Bachelors, p. 69; February 15, 2011, Samantha J. Gust, review of 44 Charles Street, p. 102.
New York Times Book Review, August 19, 1984, review of Full Circle, p. 18; March 3, 1985, review of Family Album, p. 22; July 9, 1995, review of Lightning, p. 21.
People, November 7, 1983, review of Now and Forever, p. 10; June 18, 1984, Margot Dougherty, review of Full Circle, p. 21; April 29, 1985, Margot Dougherty, review of Family Album, p. 22; April 17, 1989, Joanne Kaufman, review of Star, p. 35; August 20, 1990, Ralph Novak, review of Message from ‘Nam, p. 30; July 15, 1991, Ralph Novak, review of Martha’s New Puppy, p. 29; December 16, 1991, Joanne Kaufman, review of No Greater Love, p. 39; September 29, 1997, Cynthia Sanz, review of Special Delivery, p. 40; December 22, 1997, Cynthia Sanz, review of The Ghost, p. 37; May 18, 1998, Cynthia Sanz, review of The Long Road Home, p. 45.
Publishers Weekly, June 18, 1984, Margot Dougherty, review of Full Circle, p. 21; April 13, 1990, Sybil Steinberg, review of Message from ‘Nam, p. 56; October 18, 1991, review of No Greater Love, p. 49; March 30, 1992, review of Jewels, p. 88; June 15, 1992, review of Freddie’s First Night Away, p. 103; June 15, 1992, review of Freddie’s Trip, p. 103; October 26, 1992, review of Mixed Blessings, p. 55; June 7, 1993, review of Vanished, p. 52; January 10, 1994, review of Accident, p. 41; May 23, 1994, review of The Gift, p. 76; October 10, 1994, review of Wings, p. 60; May 1, 1995, review of Lightning, p. 41; October 16, 1995, review of Five Days in Paris, p. 44; March 25, 1996, review of Malice, p. 63; October 28, 1996, review of Silent Honor, p. 58; March 17, 1997, review of The Ranch, p. 74; June 16, 1997, review of Special Delivery, p. 46; October 27, 1997, review of The Ghost, p. 54; February 2, 1998, review of The Long Road Home, p. 78; April 20, 1998, review of The Klone and I, p. 44; June 1, 1998, review of The Klone and I, p. 34; October 26, 1998, review of Mirror Image, p. 45; March 15, 1999, review of Bittersweet, p. 46; May 24, 1999, review of Granny Dan, p. 65; February 14, 2000, review of The Wedding, p. 171; April 17, 2000, review of The House on Hope Street, p. 46; August 28, 2000, review of Journey, p. 50; March 5, 2001, review of Lone Eagle, p. 61; May 21, 2001, review of Leap of Faith, p. 82; August 19, 2002, review of Answered Prayers, p. 64; June 2, 2003, review of Johnny Angel, p. 32; October 6, 2003, review of Safe Harbour, p. 58; January 12, 2004, review of Ransom, p. 36; May 31, 2004, review of Second Chance, p. 53; October 4, 2004, review of Echoes, p. 68; January 24, 2005, review of Impossible, p. 220; May 2, 2005, review of Miracle, p. 175; August 22, 2005, review of Toxic Bachelors, p. 34; April 24, 2006, review of Coming Out, p. 34; August 28, 2006, review of H.R.H., p. 27; December 11, 2006, review of Sisters, p. 46; April 16, 2007, review of Bungalow 2, p. 29; August 13, 2007, review of Amazing Grace, p. 40; December 24, 2007, review of Honor Thyself, p. 28; April 21, 2008, review of Rogue, p. 33; August 11, 2008, review of A Good Woman, p. 26; August 24, 2009, review of The Happiest Hippo in the World, p. 61; September 7, 2009, review of Southern Lights, p. 26; January 4, 2010, review of Big Girl, p. 28; May 17, 2010, review of Family Ties, p. 28; August 2, 2010, review of Legacy, p. 30; February 7, 2011, review of 44 Charles Street, p. 42; July 4, 2011, review of Hotel Vendome, p. 41.
Rapport, Volume 17, number 3, 1993, review of Mixed Blessings, p. 23; Volume 18, number 1, 1994, review of The Gift, p. 26.
Saturday Evening Post, January, 1999, Patrick Perry, review of His Bright Light, p. 65.
School Library Journal, November, 2001, Claudia Moore, review of Leap of Faith, p. 192.
Time, November 25, 1985, review of Secrets, p. S1; October 13, 1986, review of Wanderlust, p. 102; March 16, 1987, review of Fine Things, p. 81; January 11, 1988, review of Kaleidoscope, p. 76.
Xpress Reviews, June 18, 2010, Samantha J. Gust, review of Family Ties.
ONLINE
American Israelite, https://www.americanisraelite.com/ (November 7, 2018), Sheryl Pockrose, review of The Good Fight.
Associated Content, http://www.associatedcontent.com/ (April 6, 2009), Betty Alexander, review of One Day at a Time.
Barnes and Noble website, https://www.barnesandnoble.com/ (October 7, 2019), Tara Sonin, author interview.
Biography, https://www.biography.com/ (February 19, 2020), author biography.
BookEvaluate, https://bookevaluate.com/ (November 8, 2024), review of Joy.
Bookreporter.com, http://www.bookreporter.com/ (February 19, 2008), biography of Danielle Steel.
Bookworm’s Shelf, http://bookworm9281110.blogspot.com/ (April 22, 2012), review of Hotel Vendome.
Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/ (May 10, 2019), Ivan De Luce, author interview.
Danielle Steel website, https://daniellesteel.com (November 8, 2024).
Diamondback, https://www.dbknews.com/ (April 23, 2018), Balbina Yang, review of Accidental Heroes.
Express, http://www.express.co.uk/ (April 10, 2011), Virginia Blackburn, review of 44 Charles Street; (October 16, 2011), Rowan Coleman, review of Hotel Vendome.
Femail, http://www.femail.com.au/ (September 3, 2009), review of A Good Woman and Matters of the Heart.
Forbes, https:/ /www.forbes.com/ (June 3, 2019), author profile.
Fresh Fiction, http://freshfiction.com/ (July 18, 2008), Sandi Shilhanek, review of Rogue.
Genre Go Round Reviews, http://genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com/ (June 12, 2008), Harriet Klausner, review of Rogue; (October 6, 2008), Harriet Klausner, review of A Good Woman; (March 2, 2009), Harriet Klausner, review of One Day at a Time.
Glamour, https: //www.glamour.com/ (May 9, 2019), Samantha Leach, author interview.
Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/ (November 1, 2021), Alison Beard, “Life’s Work: An Interview with Danielle Steel.”
Inthenews.co.uk, http: //www.inthenews.co.uk/ (March 12, 2007), Chine Mbubaegbu, review of Sisters.
Jathan & Heather, https://jathanandheather.com/ (January 7, 2023), review of Without a Trace.
Lancashire Post, https://www.lep.co.uk/ (June 11, 2018), review of The Cast.
Mrs. B’s Book Reviews, https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com/ (July 14, 2019), Amanda Barrett, review of Lost and Found; (January 9, 2023), Amanda Barrett, review of High Stakes.
New Englander, https:/ /www.the-new-englander.com/ (October 30, 2017), Rebecca Kositzke, review of The Right Time.
New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/ (February 2, 2018), Tina Jordan, author interview.
Night Owl Reviews, http://www.nightowlreviews.com/ (August 16, 2011), review of Legacy.
O, the Oprah Magazine, https://www.oprahmag.com/ (December 19, 2019), Elena Nicolaou, author interview.
People, https://people.com/ (April 23, 2024), Carly Tagen-Dye, “Danielle Steel Says She’s ‘Terrified’ She’s Lost Her Touch Every Time She Puts Out a New Book: ‘It Keeps Me Humble.'”
Quartz, https:/ /qz.com/ (May 11, 2019), Ephrat Livni, author interview.
Quick Book Reviews, https://quick-book-review.blogspot.com/ (April 8, 2017), review of The Mistress.
Random House website, http://www.randomhouse.com/ (September 3, 2009), biography of Danielle Steel.
Sam Still Reading, https://samstillreading.wordpress.com/ (June 19, 2018), review of The Cast.
This Is Nottingham, http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/ (March 20, 2009), Sue McNab, review of A Good Woman.
Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/ (April 23, 2024), Ron Charles, review of Only the Brave.
Danielle Steel has sold 1 billion copies of her books internationally, and every one of her books is a bestseller. She is published in 69 countries and 43 languages.
Steel’s latest novel is Triangle. Other recent bestsellers include Joy, Resurrection, Only the Brave, Never Too Late, Upside Down, The Ball at Versailles, Second Act, Happiness, Palazzo, Worthy Opponents, Without a Trace, The Whittiers, The High Notes, The Challenge, Suspects, and Beautiful, all of which have leapt to the top of the New York Times bestseller list, the Wall Street Journal list, and comparable best seller lists around the world.
Steel has written more than 210 books, 182 of which are novels; 18 children’s books, including Pretty Minnie in Hollywood and Pretty Minnie in Paris about her white long-hair teacup Chihuahua; four works of nonfiction, including His Bright Light: The Story of Nick Traina, A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless, and Pure Joy: The Dogs We Love; a book of poetry; and she has written the lyrics for a music album.
She also founded and runs two foundations, one named in honor of her late son, The Nick Traina Foundation, which finances organizations involved in mental illness, child abuse, and suicide prevention. The second foundation was established to assist the homeless. In 2002 Steel was decorated by the French government as an “Officier” of the distinguished Order of Arts and Letters and in 2014 she was decorated as a Chevalier (Knight) of the Order of the Legion d’Honneur in Paris. She lives in Paris and San Francisco and is the mother of nine children.
For more information about Danielle and her books, visit www.daniellesteel.net. Follow Danielle on Instagram, @officialdaniellesteel; Twitter, @DanielleSteel; and on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Danielle Steel
Born Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel
August 14, 1947 (age 77)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation Novelist
Alma mater New York University
Period 1973–present
Genre Romance
Contemporary
Spouse
Claude-Eric Lazard
(m. 1965; div. 1974)
Danny Zugelder
(m. 1975; div. 1978)
William George Toth
(m. 1978; div. 1981)
John Traina
(m. 1981; div. 1998)
Thomas Perkins
(m. 1998; div. 2002)
Ian Matthews
(m. 2015; div. 2022)
Children 9 (7 biological, including Nick Traina, and 2 ex-stepsons Trevor Traina and Todd Traina)[1][2]
Signature
Website
www.daniellesteel.com
Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel (born August 14, 1947) is an American writer, best known for her romance novels. She is the bestselling living author and one of the best-selling fiction authors of all time, with over 800 million copies sold.[3] As of 2021, she has written 190 books, including over 140[4] novels.
Based in California for most of her career, Steel has produced several books a year, often juggling up to five projects at once. All of her novels have been bestsellers, including those issued in hardback, despite "a resounding lack of critical acclaim" (Publishers Weekly).[5] Her books often involve rich families facing a crisis, threatened by dark elements such as prison, fraud, blackmail, and suicide. Steel has also published children's fiction and poetry, as well as creating a foundation that funds mental illness-related organizations.[6] Her books have been translated into 43 languages,[7] with 22 adapted for television, including two that have received Golden Globe nominations.
Early life
Steel was born Danielle Fernandes Dominique Schuelein-Steel in New York City to a German father and a Portuguese mother. Her father, John Schuelein-Steel, was a German-Jewish immigrant and a descendant of owners of Löwenbräu beer. Her mother, Norma da Camara Stone dos Reis, was the daughter of a Portuguese diplomat.[8][9][10][11] She spent much of her childhood in France,[12] where from an early age she was included in her parents' dinner parties, giving her an opportunity to observe the habits and lives of the wealthy and famous.[10] Her parents divorced when she was eight, and she was raised primarily by her father, rarely seeing her mother.[8]
Steel started writing stories as a child, and by her late teens had begun writing poetry.[13] Raised Catholic, she thought of becoming a nun during her early years.[14] A 1965 graduate of the Lycée Français de New York,[15] she studied literature design and fashion design,[13] first at Parsons School of Design and then at New York University.[16]
Career
1965–1971: Career beginnings
While still attending New York University, Steel began writing, completing her first manuscript at 19.[13] Steel worked for a public-relations agency in New York called Supergirls. A client, Ladies' Home Journal editor John Mack Carter, encouraged her to focus on writing,[11] having been impressed with her freelance articles. He suggested she write a book, which she did. She later moved to San Francisco and worked as a copywriter for Grey Advertising.
1972–1981: First novels and growing success
Her first novel, Going Home, was published in 1973. The novel contained many of the themes that her writing would become well known for, including a focus on family issues and human relationships. Her relationship with her second husband influenced Passion's Promise and Now and Forever, the two novels that launched her career.[11] With the success of her fourth book, The Promise, she became a participant in San Francisco high society.[11]
1981–1996: Fame and expansion to new genres
Beginning in 1991, Steel had become a near-permanent fixture on The New York Times hardcover and paperback bestsellers lists. In 1999, she was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having a book on the New York Times Bestseller List for the most consecutive weeks of any author—456 consecutive weeks at that time.[17] Steel is a prolific author, often releasing several books per year.[17] Each book takes 2½ years to complete,[13] so Steel has developed an ability to juggle up to five projects at once, researching one book while outlining another, then writing and editing additional books.[17] Since her first book was published, every one of her novels has hit bestseller lists in paperback, and each one released in hardback has also been a hardback bestseller.[8]
During this time, Steel also expanded to non-fiction work. Having a Baby was published in 1968 and featured a chapter by Steel about suffering through miscarriage.[18] The same year she published a book of poetry, Love: Poems.[19] She also ventured into children's fiction, penning a series of 57 illustrated books for young readers. These books, known as the "Max and Martha" series, aim to help children face real-life problems: new baby, new school, loss of loved one, etc. In addition, Steel has authored the "Freddie" series. These four books address other real-life situations: first night away from home, trip to the doctor, etc.[19]
In 1993, Steel sued writer Lorenzo Bene, who had intended to disclose in his book that her son Nick was adopted by her then-current husband John Traina, despite the fact that adoption records are sealed in California.[8] A San Francisco judge made a highly unusual ruling allowing the seal on Nick's adoption to be overturned, although he was still a minor. This order was confirmed by a California Appellate Judge, who ruled that because Steel was famous, her son's adoption did not have the same privacy right,[8] and the book was allowed to be published.[20]
1997–present: Continued success and awards
After years of near-constant writing, in 2003 Steel opened an art gallery in San Francisco, Steel Gallery, which showed contemporary work and exhibited the paintings and sculptures of emerging artists. The gallery closed in 2007.[21] She continues to curate shows a few times a year for the Andrea Schwartz Gallery in San Francisco.
In 2002, Steel was decorated by the French government as an Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, for her contributions to world culture.
She has additionally received:
Induction into the California Hall of Fame, December 2009.
"Distinguished Service in Mental Health Award" (first time awarded to a non-physician) from New York Presbyterian Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Columbia University Medical School and Cornell Medical College, May 2009.
"Outstanding Achievement Award" for work with adolescents from Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco, May 2003.
"Service to Youth Award" for improving the lives of adolescents and children with mental accessibility issues from the University of San Francisco Catholic Youth Organization and St. Mary's Medical Center, November 1999.
"Outstanding Achievement Award" in Mental Health from the California Psychiatric Association
"Distinguished Service Award" from the American Psychiatric Association
In 2006 Steel reached an agreement with Elizabeth Arden to launch a new perfume, Danielle by Danielle Steel.
In 2014, she wrote an article for SFGate writing about her concern that San Francisco was losing its heart.[22]
Personal life
Danielle Steel's longtime residence in San Francisco, Spreckels Mansion was built in c.1913 as the mansion of sugar tycoon Adolph B. Spreckels and his wife Alma Spreckels.
Steel married French-American banker Claude-Eric Lazard in 1965 at age 18 and gave birth to their daughter Beatrix.[23] Steel and Lazard separated in 1972. While still married to Lazard, Steel met Danny Zugelder while interviewing an inmate in a prison near Lompoc, California, where Zugelder was also incarcerated. He moved in with Steel when he was paroled in June 1973, but returned to prison in early 1974 on robbery and rape charges. After receiving her divorce from Lazard in 1975, she married Zugelder in the prison canteen. During their relationship, Steel suffered multiple miscarriages. She divorced Zugelder in 1978.[24]
Steel married her third husband, William George Toth, in 1978, while pregnant with their son, Nick. They divorced in March 1981.
Steel married for the fourth time in 1981, to John Traina, a shipping and cruise magnate and later vintner and art collector who was the ex-husband of Dede Wilsey.[25] Together they had five children, Samantha, Victoria, Vanessa, Maxx, and Zara.[23][25][26] Traina adopted Steel's son Nick and gave him his family name and Steel also became stepmother of Traina's sons Trevor and Todd. Determined to spend as much time as possible with her children, Steel often wrote at night, making do with only four hours of sleep.[8] Steel and Traina divorced in 1995.[27]
Her fear of flying created many challenges in the early 1980s; she went through an eight-week course based at the San Francisco airport to overcome her fear.[28]
Steel married for a fifth time, to Silicon Valley financier Thomas James Perkins, but the marriage ended after four years in 2002.[29] Steel has said that her novel The Klone and I was inspired by a private joke between herself and Perkins.[30] In 2006, Perkins dedicated his novel Sex and the Single Zillionaire to Steel.
Steel's longtime residence was in San Francisco,[31] but she now spends most of her time at a second home in Paris.[32] Her 55-room San Francisco home, Spreckels Mansion, was built in c.1912 as the mansion of sugar tycoon Adolph B. Spreckels.[33]
Despite her public image and varied pursuits, Steel is known to be shy[31] and because of that and her desire to protect her children from the tabloids,[8] she rarely grants interviews or makes public appearances.[34]
Nick Traina and Yo Angel Foundations
Steel's son, Nick Traina, died by suicide in 1997. Traina was the lead singer of San Francisco punk bands Link 80 and Knowledge. To honor his memory, Steel wrote the nonfiction book His Bright Light, about Nick's life and death. Proceeds of the book, which reached The New York Times Non-Fiction Bestseller List,[19] were used to found the Nick Traina Foundation, which Steel runs, to fund organizations dedicated to treating mental accessibility issues.[35] To gain more recognition for children's mental health, Steel has lobbied for legislation in Washington, and previously held a fundraiser every two years (known as The Star Ball) in San Francisco.[36] In 2002, she founded Yo Angel Foundation to assist the homeless.[37]
Writing style
Steel's novels, often described as "formulaic,"[38] tend to involve the characters in a crisis that threatens their relationship. The novels sometimes explore the world of the rich and famous[38] and frequently deal with serious life issues like illness, death, loss, family crises, and relationships. There are claims that her popular story lines are based on the events of her life.[5] Despite a reputation among critics for writing "fluff", Steel often delves into the less savory aspects of human nature, including incest, suicide, divorce, war, and even the Holocaust.[17] As time has progressed, Steel's writing has evolved. Her later heroines tend to be stronger and more authoritative, who, if they do not receive the level of respect and attention they desire from a man, move on to a new life.[23] In recent years Steel has also been willing to take more risks with her plots. Ransom focuses more on suspense than romance, and follows three sets of seemingly unconnected characters as their lives begin to intersect.[39] Toxic Bachelors departs from her usual style by telling the story through the eyes of the three title characters, men who are relationship phobic and ultimately discover their true loves.[38]
To avoid comparisons to her previous novels, Steel does not write sequels.[13] Although many of her earliest books were released with initial print runs of 1 million copies, by 2004 her publisher had decreased the number of books initially printed to 650,000 due to the decline in book purchasing. However, her fan base was still extremely strong at that time, with Steel's books selling out atop charts worldwide.[40]
Adaptations
Twenty-two of her books have been adapted for television,[41] including two that have received Golden Globe nominations. One is Jewels, the story of the survival of a woman and her children in World War II Europe, and the family's eventual rebirth as one of the greatest jewelry houses in Europe.[17] Columbia Pictures was the first movie studio to make an offer for one of her novels, purchasing the rights to The Ghost in 1998.[41] Steel also reached an agreement with New Line Home Entertainment in 2005 to sell the film rights to 30 of her novels for DVDs.[42]
Writing process
Steel spends two to three years on each book, juggling multiple projects at once. According to Steel, once she has an idea for a story, her first step is to make notes, which are mostly about the characters. She told The New York Times in 2018: "I make notes for a while before I start work on the outline. The notes are usually more about the characters. I need to know the characters really well before I start — who they are, how they think, how they feel, what has happened to them, how they grew up."[43] In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, she reported often spending 20- to 30-hour periods on her typewriter, gaining her attention and criticism.[44][45]
Steel has written all of her novels on Olympia SG1 standard typewriters. She has two that she primarily writes on: one at her home in San Francisco and another at her home in Paris.[46] Her typewriter at her home in San Francisco has been in her possession since she bought it while working on her first book. According to Steel, she bought it second hand for $20.
Bibliography
Main article: Danielle Steel bibliography
Danielle Steel has written more than 185 books, including over 141 novels.[47] Her books have been translated into 43 languages and can be found in 69 countries across the globe.[7]
Her works consist of novels, non-fiction, picture books, and two series of children's books: the Max & Martha series and the Freddie series.
Filmography
The Promise (1979, theatrical film)
Now and Forever (1983, theatrical film)
Crossings (1986, miniseries)
Kaleidoscope (1990, television film)
Fine Things (1990, television film)
Changes (1991, television film)
Palomino (1991, television film)
Daddy (1991, television film)
Jewels (1992, miniseries)
Secrets (1992, television film)
Message from Nam (1993, television film)
Star (1993, television film)
Heartbeat (1993, television film)
Family Album (1994, miniseries)
A Perfect Stranger (1994, television film)
Once in a Lifetime (1994, television film)
Mixed Blessings (1995, television film)
Zoya (1995, television film)
Vanished (1995, television film)
The Ring (1996, television film)
Full Circle (1996, television film)
Remembrance (1996, television film)
No Greater Love (1996, television film)
Safe Harbour (2007, television film)
Life’s Work: An Interview with Danielle Steel
by Alison Beard
From the Magazine (November–December 2021)
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Working on an old Olympia typewriter that she’s had since the start of her career, Steel has written 170 novels (as well as nonfiction and children’s books). Her debut—Going Home—was published when the first of her nine children was a toddler, and she completed many of the rest while her kids were at school or sleeping, often juggling multiple drafts of different books at once. Her latest is Flying Angels. The best-selling author attributes her popularity to being able to write honestly about “the things that hurt us or scare us” while always giving her characters “safe harbor” and her readers “a sense of hope.”
Brigitte Lacombe
HBR: Why and how do you produce at such a crazy pace?
Steel: I used to not do as many books because I was bringing up nine children, which is time-consuming. But at a certain point, people were saying, “Can’t you write more? Can’t you write faster?” My publisher asked me to go from four to six books a year, and I thought, There’s a challenge. I’ve always worked on several books at once anyway—like an artist working on different canvases, putting them aside, then coming back. Then they asked me if I would go to seven, and I find that I enjoy it.
After so many books, how do you come up with new ideas?
Most of the time they fall out of the sky. Sometimes I read a story in the newspaper or hear about someone’s experience, and it sparks. And then I play around with it for a day or two and make notes. If I don’t like the way it feels in those preliminary scribbles, I don’t pursue it. But if it looks like it’s beginning to work, I go with it. I start thinking of the different twists and characters, and it snowballs. Eventually I handwrite an outline. That can be a six-month process, which is very important because I get to know the people, and the plot starts rolling. Then I do a typewritten outline that I send to my editor: Does she thinks it’s cuckoo or boring or good? Sometimes she loves the idea, or two or three things concern her, and she’ll share those. When she sends it back, I start.
How does the process go from there?
I write each first draft from beginning to end. If it’s stuck, I unstick it; otherwise it will stay stuck. I don’t work on some chapters of one book and then switch to another, because I would get confused. Once I accidentally put a character from one book in another, and when I was rereading, I thought, Oh my God, what is this person doing here? So I write a full draft, but I put it away while my editor goes over it and go to another book. I do about five drafts of each. The process is good. It’s like marinating and seasoning the books. When I come back, I see things that I want to add or things I think are unnecessary. It gives me perspective.
How do you manage all those deadlines?
I’m not one of those writers who do two or three hours in the morning and then lead their lives. When I’m working on a book, I really stay with it. I have a lot of energy, and I don’t sleep a lot. I have no hobbies. I don’t do gardening or macramé. I’ve never taken piano lessons. I’m very, very disciplined. I work about a 20-hour day. I take about five days off at Christmas, if my publisher allows, and a week in the summer. Part of it is that my house emptied out. When your kids are young, you’re running to ballet class and soccer practice and the orthodontist, and there aren’t enough hours. But when that’s gone, it’s like, What do I do now? My marriage ended around the same time the kids left, so I just worked more and more. I don’t have anything else to do!
But even when you were in the thick of parenting, you were still publishing quite often.
Four a year, which was more manageable. When they were very little, I wrote only when they were asleep. Once they were in school, I would write while they were there, stop and do all the running around with them, and then write again when they went to bed, so I would get about four hours’ sleep. Occasionally one would have a nightmare or an earache, and my sleep would go out the window. One of my sons had a gorilla under his bed for several years, which really interfered. But I just had a need to write. It’s a part of my soul.
When did you realize it could be your profession?
Like most things in life, it happened by accident. I always wanted to be a fashion designer. I was very artistic. I went to French school and spent a lot of my life in Europe, and my dream was to go to Parsons School of Design, which I did; it was a joint program with New York University. But then I got sidetracked. Parsons was very intense: It weeds out the people who aren’t made for the stress of the fashion business. I was 15 when I landed there, and one of their things was to have somebody from Seventh Avenue come and criticize your work. It was terrible. I was left absolutely crushed. So I ended up working in a boutique ad and PR agency, and one of our accounts was Ladies’ Home Journal. I freelanced for them, and the publisher told me, “You write very well. You should write a book.” I was 19 years old, married with a new baby, and I thought, Oh, OK. Youth is so bold: You think you can do anything. I tried it, and I enjoyed it. My husband had a friend whose father-in-law was an important agent, and I gave him my book. He took forever to get back to me and finally, very sweetly, said, “This isn’t your talent. You should enjoy your baby, learn to cook, blah, blah.” (I’ve never done that, by the way, as my children will testify; I cook, but it’s a terrible experience for everyone.) Then I found a second agent—a woman—who was very interested and sold the book to Simon & Schuster. By that point I’d already written another book. Then I wrote five more, but those didn’t sell to anybody, so don’t ask me why I kept writing. I just got hooked.
Why did you stick with it through that dry patch?
I’m terminally stubborn. I still had a job. I worked at that ad agency for five years and then I taught creative writing, so the books were a sideline. Finally, after about 11 years, I decided to give it a shot and see if I could make it on my writing. And I did. But it didn’t happen overnight.
You just believed you could find an audience for your books?
I actually never thought, Gee, what do they want? I just had stories in my head that I wanted to tell, so I kept writing more, and then I took off.
Did you have any mentors?
That man who told me to forget about writing was actually Alex Haley’s agent, and Alex, who wrote Roots, became my mentor. We met at a luncheon, and he read my first book and said, “You’re going to be famous one day.” He was a wonderful support system, a good friend and a father figure to me. I’m a terrible night owl, because I get so much more done at night, and he was too. He used to call me at 3 in the morning: “Are you working?” “Yes, I’m working.” “OK, that’s good.” Then he’d hang up.
What about agent relationships? How did you develop those?
I was with my first agent for a number of years, writing paperback originals, but my dream was to write hardcovers for men and women. She was very discouraging. But I wanted more. Then I met Mort Janklow, who has been my agent for 30-some years now.
What’s the key to great partnerships between writers and their agents and publishers?
With publishers, they have to want to kill themselves to make your book a success. Agents have to see something in you—the potential for growth—and be very energetic and extremely loyal. Publishing is much more difficult today than it was before, because there are so few big houses left, which means that if for any reason you’re not happy, there aren’t many places to go. Mort has always fought for me.
Surely, though, you approach the industry from a position of strength.
Even at my level, the publishers hold all the cards, call all the shots. Some are nice, and some aren’t, and if they don’t want to play, or don’t want to be good to you, it’s their game. I’ve always been told I would have done much better if I were a diva, if I had tantrums and scared them to death. But I’ve never been that person.
Do you think it would be different if you were a man?
There’s no question that people have done things to me professionally that they would never have pulled on a man. I think I’m often made to feel intimidated for a purpose.
But you’ve also had support from men like Alex and Mort.
Yes, and that support was important because I didn’t have it from anybody else. My parents were European and brought me up in a certain way: Women didn’t work. My first husband, who was 20 years older, did not like the fact that I was writing. He thought it was very inappropriate. But so long as I didn’t bother anybody with it, it was fine. My job was this dark secret—something Mom does at night when everybody sleeps. We never talked about it, and I was always tiptoeing around trying not to inconvenience anybody. I’ve always written under my maiden name, so it was a kind of second identity. But it became very awkward when I suddenly had this massive career and was famous. That was never my goal. It really snuck up on me. I wasn’t expecting it at all.
Why do you think your work is so popular?
I’ve had a very full life and experienced a lot—divorce, losing a son—and I write from the heart about stuff that happens to all of us. I’m open and honest about emotions and the things that hurt us or scare us or make us happy. People relate to that. The other thing is, I feel a real responsibility to give people a sense of hope and encourage them to hang on. Yes, bad things happen to my characters, but I bring them home to a safe harbor. I call it victory at a price. You don’t get out unmarked, but hopefully you can make the best of what happens.
Through those personal traumas, especially your son’s suicide, how did you cope? Was it difficult to work? Or did work help you get through?
Needless to say, the worst thing that ever happened to me was the death of my son, and in the three weeks after, I’d never written as much in my life. I decided to write about him, because at that time, nearly 20 years ago, there was a huge stigma. He was bipolar and an amazing kid, as many bipolar people are. But if I was at a dinner party and said in conversation, “I have a mentally ill son,” dropping a bomb on the table would have had less effect. It was such a taboo. To me, it was no different than if he’d had diabetes. We spent his entire life managing medications and treatments and trying to find solutions for him. His death left a gaping hole in our lives and in my heart. So I wrote a book about him, and it became—I think it still is—required reading in medical school psychiatry departments, because it was a very honest account of what it’s like to have a bipolar kid. Back then, they thought it couldn’t be diagnosed until patients were in their twenties. Today they diagnose them at age three, and you have a much better shot at helping. So that year I wrote intensively, and it did help.
But it’s hard to predict. I had another trauma that blocked rather than fueled me. And during the pandemic confinement here in France, I found it infinitely harder to write. It was like dragging a dead rhinoceros around. I sat there some days and produced two pages in 18 hours. It was ghastly. I never realized how much I’m like a bird making a nest when I’m writing. I’ll throw in a little thing that I saw that day on the street or in a restaurant, a sunset emerging, a child being silly. But we weren’t supposed to leave our houses, except to walk a dog. I was alone in my apartment for 77 days. There was no external input for the machine.
With so many best sellers, are you always chasing another?
In a word: yes. There are many yardsticks. First, can you get it published? Then, how much did you get paid, and how many people read it, and are you on the best seller list? I’m an anxious person by nature, so I’m always afraid that my next book will be the one everyone hates. And then I’m so thrilled when it isn’t. I mean, I don’t go into hysterics if it doesn’t hit number one. But I think, Why didn’t that do better? Should I have done something differently? I really try hard with every book. I’m very driven to compete with myself. I guess I chase excellence.
I have to ask about the typewriter.
I’m sitting six inches away from it, looking at it now. I’m just very low-tech. I do everything wrong on a computer; I get it all jammed up. The keys are too close together: They don’t clomp, clomp, clomp when I’m writing, and it’s so easy to hit the wrong button and erase something. It would give me heart failure. Also, I’m just used to the typewriter. When I was relatively poor, at the beginning of my career, I bought it for $20 at a junk shop. It’s a very fancy German machine: an Olympia, beautifully made, with a heavy, well-spaced keyboard. I’ve written all my books on it, and I just love it. I type the first draft once, and then it is a sea of hand notes, asterisks, arrows. My editor is very patient.
You do have an online presence, though.
I do a blog once a week, because I want to have some personal contact with the fans. The publisher takes bits of it and puts it on Facebook, and my assistant chases me around and says, “I need your Twitter,” which is like writing a haiku. My daughters bugged me to do Instagram. I thought it was taking pictures of your lunch, which for me is an egg or half a sandwich or a banana. There are papers all over my desk, I’m wearing my cashmere nightgown, my hair isn’t combed. I could not see putting that on Instagram. But I was badgered into it. So somebody in my house occasionally takes pictures of my dogs or me, and my daughter curates, and I write the text. One daughter now has this booming business selling tie-dye T-shirts and sweatshirts, so she sends me mountains of shirts to model. I put the pictures up, and then she says, “You owe me $300 for the 10 shirts.” And I say, “Zara, you have to pay the model—the model doesn’t pay you.” And she says, “But you’ve got the shirts.” So I told her I cannot afford to keep getting them. Anyway, although I’m very private, these things do establish a bond with readers. They feel closer to you, which is nice.
Do you see yourself ever slowing down?
When I die. I mean, I’ve done two things in my life. One, I brought up a bunch of children. Two, I write. I’m way prouder of my kids than I am of my career, but I like my career a lot too.
Danielle Steel Says She's 'Terrified' She's Lost Her Touch Every Time She Puts out a New Book: 'It Keeps Me Humble'
The author’s latest novel, ‘Only the Brave,’ hits shelves on April 30
By Carly Tagen-Dye Published on April 23, 2024 12:54PM EDT
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Novelist Danielle Steel attends The Apartment by The Line LA opening on October 15, 2015
Danielle Steel in 2015. Photo: Stefanie Keenan/Getty
Despite being the bestselling author of over 200 books, and selling 1 billion copies internationally, Danielle Steel still gets the jitters whenever she’s set to publish a new volume.
In an interview posted on April 23 with Robin Roberts for Good Morning America, the author, who was promoting her latest novel Only the Brave, admitted that she still has some fears about her her writing.
"I feel very lucky because I've been allowed to do what I love doing for my whole life,” the author said. “I never take it for granted. Every time I send a book either to my editor or my publisher, I'm terrified they're gonna hate it and I've lost my touch and I don't know what I'm doing. I'm amazed when they love it. I'm so grateful.”
The author also noted that being afraid of how a book may be received can also help propel her work further.
Danielle Steel is a guest on "Good Morning America," Monday March 13, 2017,
Danielle Steel on 'Good Morning America' in 2017. Lou Rocco/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
“I think that I'm fear-driven and it pushes me always to try harder and work harder,” she said. “But I never have the total confidence that, 'Oh, I can do this!' I don't know where it comes from, it's kind of a gift...It keeps me humble."
Lessons in Chemistry Author Talks Changes from Book to Series: 'I'm Not Going to Compare' (Exclusive)
Steel has written more than 210 books throughout her career, including 182 novels, four works of nonfiction and 18 children’s books, per her website. She continues to publish several books each year, and told Roberts that the secret to her prolific, yet joyful, writing process is “probably insanity.”
“I just can’t get away from it,” the author said. “I’ve always got a book cooking somewhere.”
Only the Brave, out April 30 from Delacorte Press, follows Sophia Alexander, a woman living in Germany during World War II who works as a nurse and makes efforts to save Jewish children.
Danielle Steel Only the Brave
'Only the Brave' by Danielle Steel. Delacorte Press
“There’s something about the people and the relationships between them. It hits on a lot of things that I like or am interested in,” Steel said of the novel. “I like that there are nuns in it. I always love writing about World War II…it sang to me.”
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Steel also relayed the lessons that she hopes readers take away from the book, and which remain important for her as a person, as well.
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“It's something that comes to me, and I think, 'Oh, that’s what I want to say with this book," she said. "It’s don’t give up, or be courageous, or believe in yourself. Messages we all need.”
In 1949, when Danielle Steel was just a toddler, Theodor Adorno declared that "to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric."
It took her awhile, but Steel has proved Adorno's point. Not that there's anything poetic about her new Holocaust novel, "Only the Brave," but using the Final Solution as the setting for a sentimental melodrama is profoundly unseemly. It's not good for the Jews. It's not good for anybody.
But the publicity machine grinds on.
Half a century ago, Steel published her first book, "Going Home," and over the decades she's become one of the best-selling novelists in the world, with more than a billion copies in print. Perhaps no other writer is so widely read and so rarely reviewed. It's a confirmed blind spot in our critical landscape: Unlike music, movie and TV reviewers, book reviewers pride themselves on avoiding what most people are consuming. Sometimes, I feel guilty about this. At the moment, I feel grateful.
By my count, "Only the Brave" is Steel's 152nd novel, but her publicist tells me, "It is closer to her 170th." Apparently, the actual number can only be guessed at, in the same way the total mass of dark matter in the universe is estimated by how it bends light. With some certainty, though, we can determine that "Only the Brave" is one of seven titles Steel plans to release this year, which means she writes a book more often than most people clean their fridge.
In the months leading up to this week's publication, Steel's publicist reached out repeatedly to insist that I not mention that the author is a 76-year-old romance novelist. As always, we're never ashamed of the right things.
"Only the Brave" opens in Berlin in 1937 with one of the book's typically perplexing observations: "Even at eighteen," Steel writes, "Sophia Alexander knew that things in Germany had changed in the past four years since the Nazis had come to power." Yes, nothing gets by our Sophia. Somehow, after Adolf Hitler established himself as a dictator, passed the Nuremberg Laws and remilitarized the Rhineland, this savvy young woman has managed to pick up a change in the air. That weird consummation of obviousness and obliviousness quickly becomes the novel's prevailing tone.
Sophia is a shy, "dark-haired beauty with huge green eyes, and always looked serious." Her younger sister, Theresa, is a pretty flirt with "little awareness that her natural sexiness was an aphrodisiac to the men who wanted her." These two schöne Mädchen live with their wealthy father, the most important surgeon in Berlin, who runs his own private hospital. Although Dr. Alexander treats high-ranking Nazis, he treats Jews, too. "Medicine was all that interested him," Steel writes. "He lived in a rarefied, isolated world."
Don't worry if you initially miss these details -- or others; they'll be repeated again and again. I experienced dejà vu so often while reading "Only the Brave" that I worried I was losing my mind and then began to hope so. Typical example: On Page 110, Steel writes, "Hitler's generals, led by Göring, were preparing the Final Solution, to eradicate all Jews from the face of the earth." On the facing page, we're told, "The Führer and his generals were obsessed with this plan, called 'the Final Solution,' to obliterate all Jews from the planet." This is the kind of book you can read while watching TV. Or operating heavy equipment.
In fact, Steel seems determined never to leave anyone behind. We learn from this historical novel that Hitler was a bad man and that the Holocaust was a disaster. Families disappear, people are murdered, and prisoners are brutally beaten, but the selection of details about the Shoah sometimes feels constrained within a narrow range of genteel taste. In Ravensbrück, for instance, "bunks were in short supply, latrines and toilet facilities were inadequate" -- so, like, two stars on Airbnb. Prisoners "were given boots of any random size, whether they fit or not, boots that had been worn by others who might have died in them," which makes the camp sound worse than a bowling alley. And even the most well-known historical horrors must contend with Steel's oddly banal tone. An early chapter begins by reporting that in Krakow and Warsaw, "it was the Nazis' hope to wipe out over a million Jews." That, Steel explains, is "an incredible number of men, women, and children to annihilate" -- a helpful appraisal for readers new to morality or math.
But despite all this suffering, the real focus is brave Sophia, a selfless woman compelled by her Christian faith. While her flighty sister marries a wealthy man and pursues a life of pleasantries and parties, Sophia works as a nurse in her father's hospital and aspires to become a nun -- which was, reportedly, once Steel's dream, too. When the Nazis insist that Dr. Alexander turn his hospital into a euthanasia center for undesirables, Sophia redoubles her efforts to save doomed patients and begins spiriting Jews out of Germany.
Obviously, there's no end of dramatic possibilities with this material. The deadly predicament faced by Dr. Alexander recalls the shocking transformation in Cecil Philip Taylor's indelible play "Good." And the heroism of people who risked their lives to save Jews from the Holocaust has inspired deeply moving works of fiction and nonfiction. But Steel paints all of her protagonists in such bright primary colors that there can be no shades of moral anguish or suspense. These aren't characters so much as Weebles: They wobble, but they don't fall down. Dr. Alexander never considers acquiescing to the Nazis' demands. His elder daughter, the nursing nun, is "devoted to the human race as a whole, and willing to sacrifice herself for what she believed. She was a strong, brave woman."
Sophia never abandons her devotion to God, even when tempted by the adulation of adoring men. First, there's Claus -- "tall, blond, and handsome" -- who recruits her to the work of smuggling Jews across the border. Then there's Hans. "He was tall, blond, and would have been movie-star handsome if he hadn't been a Nazi." Steel spends a number of pages trying to spin this encounter into a cute Beatrice-and-Benedick romance, but in the end, "no matter how nice he seemed, he was a Nazi officer at a concentration camp. She hadn't lost sight of that, no matter how handsome he was." Sorry, Hans, but genocide is one of Sophia's turnoffs!
And finally, there's the American Army captain Theodore Blake, "a young, very handsome man" with "short blond hair." Will he be able to tear Sophia away from the convent and give her the life every woman truly desires?
Only the brave readers will find out.
Ron Charles reviews books and writes the Book Club newsletter for The Washington Post. He is the book critic for "CBS Sunday Morning."
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 The Washington Post
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"With 'Only the Brave,' Danielle Steel confronts the Holocaust." Washingtonpost.com, 23 Apr. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A791274629/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a41e78b9. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.
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Plot Summary of Joy
“Joy: A Novel” by Danielle Steel is a deeply moving tale of Allegra Dixon, a woman whose life is marked by abandonment and heartache. From a young age, Allegra faces emotional neglect from her parents, leading her to find solace in books and her own inner strength. As she grows older, her love story with Shep Williams, a West Point cadet, brings moments of happiness, but also deep sorrow as Shep’s military service changes him irrevocably. After a painful divorce, Allegra moves to the West Coast, where she finally discovers love and joy, only to face more loss. This novel is a poignant exploration of one woman’s search for love and happiness in the face of overwhelming adversity.
What I Loved About the Book
Danielle Steel’s writing in “Joy” is, as always, captivating. Her ability to create characters that feel real and relatable shines through in Allegra’s story. The depth of Allegra’s character, from her childhood struggles to her determination to find happiness, kept me engaged throughout the novel. The emotional weight of the story is balanced with moments of light, making Allegra’s eventual triumphs all the more rewarding. Steel’s depiction of the complexities of love, especially in the context of Shep’s military service, adds a layer of realism that is both touching and thought-provoking. The twists and turns in Allegra’s life, particularly her journey to the West Coast and the new life she builds there, kept me eagerly turning the pages.
Where It Fell Short
While I appreciated the depth of Allegra’s character and her journey, the pacing of the novel did feel slow at times. Some sections, especially those detailing her early life and relationship with Shep, seemed to drag on, making it a bit of a slog to get through. Additionally, certain subplots felt underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more depth in those areas. The repetition in some parts of the story could have been minimized with tighter editing, which might have helped maintain the narrative’s momentum. The overall tone of the novel is quite somber, with “joy” being somewhat elusive throughout much of the story, which might not be what some readers expect from a Danielle Steel novel.
Personal Reflections
As I read “Joy,” I couldn’t help but reflect on the resilience of the human spirit, especially in the face of repeated heartbreak. Allegra’s story, though fictional, resonates with the reality that life often doesn’t go as planned, and finding joy can be a hard-fought battle. This book reminded me of the importance of perseverance and the strength it takes to keep moving forward, even when the odds are stacked against you. While the novel is heavier than Steel’s usual fare, I found it to be a powerful reminder that happiness is worth pursuing, no matter how elusive it may seem.
Final Thoughts
“Joy: A Novel” is a touching and emotionally charged story that will resonate with readers who appreciate a more somber, reflective narrative. Danielle Steel’s talent for crafting complex, relatable characters is on full display, and while the book’s pacing and tone may not be for everyone, it offers a compelling look at one woman’s quest for love and happiness. If you’re a fan of Steel’s work and enjoy stories of resilience and personal growth, “Joy” is definitely worth a read. Just be prepared for a journey that’s as much about heartache as it is about finding joy.
Book Review: High Stakes by Danielle Steel
January 9, 2023Amanda Barrett
Title: High Stakes
Author: Danielle Steel
Published: March 8th 2022
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 320
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary
RRP: $32.99
Rating: 2.5 stars
High Stakes is the new compelling and thought-provoking novel from the world’s favourite storyteller. A group of successful women discover the high price of success at a prestigious New York literary agency.
Jane Addison is smart, young and ambitious delighted to have landed a job at a prestigious New York literary agency. Hailey West, her boss, is dedicated to her authors, but her home life is chaotic and challenging as a single mother following her husband’s tragic death. Francine Rivers, the stern and bitter head of department is also raising children on her own after an acrimonious divorce and has had to overcome financial hardship by paying the very highest price.
Meanwhile, Allie Moore seems to have it all. She relishes success and loves working with the talented actors she represents. Until a passionate relationship with one of her star clients threatens to derail her career. And Merriwether Jones, CFO for the agency, appears to have the perfect marriage until her husband’s jealousy over her career threatens her happiness.
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Jane quickly realizes that there are damaging secrets behind the doors of the agency. She has the least power, but she is also the least willing to accept things as they are. And when she tries to put things right, the consequences will leave no one unscathed.
In this riveting novel, five women at the top of their game navigate the challenges of career and ambition, family and personal lives in a world where it’s necessary to fight for what is right.
Review:
High Stakes is a 2022 contemporary women’s fiction release from powerhouse author Danielle Steel. A story that charts the personal and professional lives of a group of career women, High Stakes is a topical modern fiction tale.
Based around the lives of a small group of women who all work at the same New York talent agency, High Stakes reminds us of the sacrifices that are made to achieve success in the professional world. We meet Jane, a young woman who has high aspirations in her new role at the talent agency Fletcher and Benson. Jane’s boss is Hailey, a woman devoted to her clients and staff, but her personal life has taken a few knocks as result of this high commitment. Another member of this employment circle is struggling to balance her life as a single mother and divorcee. Francine is now experiencing great difficultly in managing her finances. Allie Moore seems to have no problems in the work or home environment, but she soon puts her lucrative role at the agency in jeopardy when a relationship with a key client goes pear shaped. The final member of this talent agency set is Merriwether Jones, the essential CFO of the business. But problems in Merriweather’s marriage have reached crisis point, can this career woman achieve success and a sense of fulfilment? High Stakes closely follows a group of five high flying women as they try to rise above the challenges of work versus home life.
High Stakes was published in March 2022 by Pan Macmillan. I missed getting to this one when it was first released, but I’ve been making an effort to catch up on some easy reads that are well overdue for review now school holidays have commenced. High Stakes is a standard model Danielle Steel novel. It is about success, fortune, power, privilege and love.
There are a lot of characters in High Stakes and I have to confess that I struggled to distinguish who was who throughout. I think I needed a guide at the front of the book as I found that I was turning to the back cover synopsis to help me stay on track. Each of the five focus women in the tale have different roles in the talent agency featured in the novel. Each key cast member has their own personal struggles outside the workplace. This allows Steel to zone in on issues of parenting, motherhood, separation, divorce, finances, power, privilege, authority, ambition, passion and more. I actually think Steel covers too much ground here as these themes are huge in their own right, but they are simply brushed over with one base coat. Steel definitely needed a few more decent coats in regards to the coverage level of her keynote themes in High Stakes.
Steel incorporates a #MeToo movement thread in High Stakes, which is illuminated by a New York talent agency setting. I am thankful for the #MeToo inclusion in the novel as I think we need to continue to put these stories out there in the public eye. With Steel’s star power and weight in the print industry, I’m sure readers will take note of what this prolific writer has to say about this topical cause. However, I feel the mode of storytelling here lacks depth and a thorough investigation into the issues at hand. Steel’s approach is more about entertainment value and High Stakes came across to me as a quick fix style read.
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A look at the ins and outs of a talent agency workforce with a specific focus on women’s issues, High Stakes is a hot topic read from bestselling author Danielle Steel.
High Stakes by Danielle Steel was published on 8th March 2022 by Pan Macmillan. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of High Stakes, Danielle Steel, visit here.
*Thanks extended to Pan Macmillan for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Danielle Steel Reminds Readers to Choose Happiness in ‘Without a Trace’ [REVIEW]
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A near-death experience makes one man reevaluate his life in Danielle Steel’s Without a Trace. (Photo by Moslem Sheihaky/500px/Getty Images)
A materialistic wife. A loveless marriage. A job he detests. Aside from his children, there is nothing keeping one man going. Then an opportunity presents itself to course correct his life. But at what cost? And is a clean getaway even realistic or possible? Find out in Danielle Steel’s newest thought-provoking novel, Without a Trace.
Danielle Steel's WITHOUT A TRACE
Delacorte Press
Charles Vincent may seem like he has an enviable life with his beautiful wife, successful children, lucrative career, posh Parisian apartment (with a view of the Eiffel Tower, no less), and even a chateau in Normandy. But in truth, the only thing he finds fulfilling is his relationship with his kids. The rest is meaningless, and happiness eludes him.
One night, following yet another argument with his employer, he leaves the city and drives up the coast toward his chateau and a weekend spent entertaining his wife’s friends. God forbid she invite anyone he actually enjoys spending time with. Halfway there, he falls asleep at the wheel and sails over a cliff. Miraculously, he survives, and swims ashore even as his car plunges to the bottom of the sea.
Presumed dead by the authorities, he spends the next five months figuring out his life. As his “widow” makes arrangements for his memorial service, he finds a job he enjoys, and makes new friends who become truly important to him. Still, at his core, he is an honorable man, and he must decide whether or not he can vanish forever, leaving everything behind—and everyone, including his family—or if he will rise from the dead and follow his heart.
Without a Trace is a beautiful novel that examines what it takes to seize happiness, and why it takes honesty and great courage to do so, especially when life has pushed us to our breaking point. Charlie is an empathetic character with a huge heart that readers will fall for, one who is faced with a choice many of us sometimes dream about, especially when we face insurmountable odds and relentless stress.
This is a great parable for our time, one I believe many of Steel’s fans will connect and identify with. I loved the lesson I learned by the time I closed this book. It left me feeling buoyant, optimistic, and hopeful, even though there are some very realistic, problematic, and nail-biting situations sprinkled throughout this richly layered story.
Once again, Steel knocks the ball out of the park with this one. Without a Trace is the perfect read to begin a new year. Fast paced, engrossing, suspenseful, and uplifting, it may even inspire you to choose happiness and make some much-needed changes in your own life.
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About the author
Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s bestselling authors, with almost a billion copies of her novels sold.
Her many international bestsellers include The Whittiers, The High Notes, The Challenge, Suspects, Beautiful, High Stakes, Invisible, Flying Angels, The Butler, and other highly acclaimed novels.
She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Expect a Miracle, a book of her favorite quotations for inspiration and comfort; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved, and the children’s books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.
To learn more, visit her home on the Web at DanielleSteel.com and her blog at DanielleSteel.net, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
WITHOUT A TRACE
By Danielle Steel
240 pp. Delacorte Press. $28.99
ISBN 978-1-9848-2186-7