Author. Born Cleo Virginia Andrews in Portsmouth, Virginia, she attended Woodrow Wilson High School and was diagnosed in her early teens with rheumatoid arthritis. She completed a four-year art correspondence program, after which she made a living as a commercial artist and fashion illustrator. As mobility became an issue in her life, she depended increasingly upon a wheelchair, and remained in her mother's house, where in the 1970s, she began to write stories. In 1979, she published the novel, 'Flowers in the Attic' which despite a harsh critical reception, quickly collected a cult following. It topped the best-seller list within weeks of its release. She wrote three sequels almost immediately; 'Petals on the Wind' (1980), 'If There Be Thorns' (1981), and 'Seeds of Yesterday' (1984) collectively known as the Dollanganger series. A second series was begun in 1985 with 'Heaven', the Casteel series continued with 'Dark Angel' the following year. During her work on the new series, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but refused to commit to treatment until her book was done. Two months before her death, Pocket Books offered her a $3 million contract for two more books; a third Casteel series novel, and a lead in to Flowers in the Attic. She succumbed to cancer at the age of 63 before they could be written. After her death, her estate employed the ghostwriter, Andrew Neiderman, to finish novels in accordance to outlines she left behind, including 'Garden of Shadows' (1987), 'Fallen Hearts ' (1988), 'Gates of Paradise ' (1989) and 'Web of Dreams' (1990). Several screen adaptations have been made of her work.
Author. Born Cleo Virginia Andrews in Portsmouth, Virginia, she attended Woodrow Wilson High School and was diagnosed in her early teens with rheumatoid arthritis. She completed a four-year art correspondence program, after which she made a living as a commercial artist and fashion illustrator. As mobility became an issue in her life, she depended increasingly upon a wheelchair, and remained in her mother's house, where in the 1970s, she began to write stories. In 1979, she published the novel, 'Flowers in the Attic' which despite a harsh critical reception, quickly collected a cult following. It topped the best-seller list within weeks of its release. She wrote three sequels almost immediately; 'Petals on the Wind' (1980), 'If There Be Thorns' (1981), and 'Seeds of Yesterday' (1984) collectively known as the Dollanganger series. A second series was begun in 1985 with 'Heaven', the Casteel series continued with 'Dark Angel' the following year. During her work on the new series, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but refused to commit to treatment until her book was done. Two months before her death, Pocket Books offered her a $3 million contract for two more books; a third Casteel series novel, and a lead in to Flowers in the Attic. She succumbed to cancer at the age of 63 before they could be written. After her death, her estate employed the ghostwriter, Andrew Neiderman, to finish novels in accordance to outlines she left behind, including 'Garden of Shadows' (1987), 'Fallen Hearts ' (1988), 'Gates of Paradise ' (1989) and 'Web of Dreams' (1990). Several screen adaptations have been made of her work.
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