Life, Love, and Lupus

About the Book

When Mary discovered the pain she was experiencing doing every-day things at school and at home was due to a disease called lupus, she was determined not to let it affect her life. What she didn’t know at the time was that the physical challenges of lupus would pale in comparison to the emotional challenges she would face when she fell in love with two very different men—and found that neither of them felt quite the same way about her. Never one to give up in the face of any obstacle, Mary began her long-term endeavor to change their minds. Life, Love, and Lupus is the story of Mary’s battle to overcome unrequited love and go after what she most desires, whatever the consequences and regardless of the limitations. Through narrative description, journal entries and email exchanges, the reader is taken along on an intimate journey with the sharp-witted Mary as she follows her hopes and dreams and finds out that sometimes you have to learn to love yourself first.

About the Author

Stephanie E. Bethel is a lifelong writer and social worker who uses her vast experience with helping others to infuse her writing with unique insights into the human condition. She has worked as a family specialist, a case manager in children’s services, and as an intern with newly paroled persons. When she found out in 1997 that she had lupus, she refused to let it get in the way of her dreams. In 2001, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from David Lipscomb University with a minor in political science. Due in part to the physical limitations of her disease, she was able to dedicate many hours to developing a distinctive and authentic writing voice that readers can instantly connect with. She currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she continues to write and take on any challenges lupus throws in her way.