The Romance Author Who Seemed To Rise From The Grave Two Years After Alleged Suicide
The death of romance author Susan Meachen was announced by her daughter in October 2020 (via People). Meachen penned 14 novels, including "Losing Him & Finding You," "Special Delivery," and more (per USA Today). Meachen wrote in her Amazon author biography, "I'm a wife, mom, meme, and friend. I live in the Southeastern corner of Tennessee with my husband of 24 years with our two cats and our four snakes. If you don't see me running around online then I'm normally off creating a world for others to enjoy."
Meachen was also heavily active on Facebook. There, she expressed her disdain over her literary career (via Insider). In September 2020, she told her 1,300 followers that she had previously attempted to kill herself and that she was planning to release her final novel in October. Shortly after making this post, her death was announced. Meachen's daughter broke the news on Facebook and noted that she would use the platform to bolster her mother's name and her final novel, "Love to Last a Lifetime," according to the New York Post.
Meachen's followers quickly provided her family with condolences, reports USA Today. One person said, "Good luck to you and your family, hun. I pray the best for you in the future and know your mom would be proud and thankful for what you've done. Nothing but blessings for the best sent your way." However, it appears that Meachen never died in the first place.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Susan Meachen speaks out
In early 2023, Susan Meachen made a post on a private Facebook group called The Ward, People reported. She wrote (via USA Today),"I debated on how to do this a million times and still not sure if it's right or not. There's going to be tons of questions and a lot of people leaving the group I'd guess. But my family did what they thought was best for me and I can't fault them for it. I almost died again at my own hand and they had to go through all that hell again. Returning to The Ward doesn't mean much but I am in a good place now and I am hoping to write again. Let the fun begin."
Needless to say, this news shocked the romance community. Samantha Cole, an author and acquaintance of Meachen, told the New York Post that she had no idea that the author had faked her death. Cole messaged Meachen after seeing the stunning announcement on The Ward and shared screenshots of their conversation on Facebook. Cole asked, "What is going on????," to which Meachen replied, "Nothing. I simply want my life back. My family was in a bad place and did what they thought was best for me." Meachen went on to explain that she was getting help for her mental health and that her "death" allowed her "to get in a better place."
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Her daughter appears to have remained active on her Facebook account
Susan Meachen's daughter reportedly took over her Facebook account after her "death," according to USA Today. In one post, her daughter wrote, "Sorry thought everyone on this page knew my mom passed away. Dead people don't post on social media I've been on this account for a week now finishing her last book my wedding gift from her." Furthermore, her daughter used her Facebook page to fundraise for suicide prevention and to find an editor to work on Meachen's novels. In February 2021, Meachen's daughter made a disgruntled post regarding her mother's fruitless book sales (per the New York Post).
She stated (via Insider), "Her sales and page reads have been zero for a few months now and it's a waste of my time to work them every morning after work with zero movement hell we hired a PA to help and it's not helped any so far. So if you want any of her work then now is the time to pick them up." Meanwhile, fellow authors used her Facebook to honor her memory and to celebrate her birthday, USA Today notes. Some, as one Twitter user pointed out, even dedicated their novels to Meachen. With that said, People questions if the individual posting on Facebook was actually her daughter or if it was Meachen herself.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
The author received severe backlash
Susan Meachen's announcement that she is in fact alive and well has not been met kindly, per the New York Post. Samantha Cole is devastated that she and the rest of the romance community were lied to. She told outlet, "It (Meachen's death) really tore the book world apart for a couple of months." She added, "When this came out just the other night, it ripped us apart again. We're grieving all over again, and this time for somebody that we thought was our friend, that did this to us, and sat back under a different profile and just watched it all happen."
Cole also alleges that Meachen created another Facebook account under the name TN Steele in order to stay on social media while she was "dead," Insider states. Cole is not the only person who is having a hard time wrapping their head around this news. Author Karen Hall responded to Meachen's Facebook post on The Ward and said (via People), "I can forgive many things, but I don't think I could ever forgive you faking your death." Another author, Gretchen Felker-Martin, tweeted, "Susan Meachen faking her own suicide and then wandering blithely back online because she 'got bored' is so exquisitely insane." She added, "Romance writers really are operating on another plane of reality."