Sweeter Than Life

by Laura Stewart Schmidt

Like pancakes and garlic—and 17-year-old Wendy’s family—some things aren’t meant to be blended. When her six-year-old stepbrother bursts into her room and destroys her English project, it doesn’t matter that he has severe autism. Her father and his wife blame Wendy. Her mother’s recent remarriage means that the one place she could escape to is now a shared bedroom with a hostile stepsister.

Wendy gets a job after school to escape her families and earn money for college. She meets Sam and falls in love for the first time. Sam gives her the acceptance she needs and he becomes Wendy’s refuge—until she discovers he has been keeping a dangerous secret. When trouble strikes, Sam lashes out at Wendy, and his reckless fury causes a tragedy for which Wendy feels responsible. Is the family she rejected the only thing that can save her?

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2015

About the author

Laura Stewart Schmidt is a lifelong avid reader and writer who was inspired by “Good Books for Bad Children” such as Harriet the Spy and Emily of New Moon. She has an MFA in Fiction Writing from Lindenwood University and studied Political Science and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Laura spent several years working as a community education coordinator, encouraging parents to read to their preschoolers and starting reading clubs for middle-school students.
She worked for several years at a non-profit agency offering one-on-one support for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families.
Her ghost story "The Longest Chase" appeared in Archer Publishing's "Dark and Stormy" anthology in 2023. She won the St. Louis Writers Guild Short Story Contest in 2023 with "Going Under" and in 2025 with "A Good Time to Break Down."
Laura is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She lives near St. Louis, Missouri with her husband and two dogs.
SWEETER THAN LIFE is Laura's debut novel.
UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT, a YA mystery, was published by Black Rose Writing and is available from Amazon.
DON'T FEAR, MY DARLING, a domestic suspense novel, is available from Black Opal Books.

Reviews

[Ellen Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

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