After graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a BA in Technical Theater, Michele Kwasniewski spent over fifteen years in film and television production. Starting out as a film set assistant on movies such as INDEPENDENCE DAY, FACE/OFF, PRIMAL FEAR, and EVITA. Michele eventually switched to the small screen and worked her way up the ladder to production manager, gaining experience on television shows such as BIG BROTHER, ADOPTION STORIES, EXTRA YARDAGE and MEET THE PANDAS. She is also a proud member of the Producers Guild of America. Michele's colorful experiences in the industry inspired her to write THE RISE AND FALL OF DANI TRUEHART trilogy. Michele lives in San Clemente, California with her husband, their son, and their disobedient dachshund. Michele’s series THE RISE AND FALL OF DANI TRUEHART series consists of books entitled RISING STAR, BURNING BRIGHT and FALLING STAR.
All three books in Michele’s YA series have won multiple awards including BEST PERFORMING ARTS BOOK for the 2022 AMERICAN WRITING AWARDS, BEST YOUNG ADULT FICTION BOOK and GENERAL FICTION BOOK for the 2022 ROYAL DRAGONFLY AWARDS and BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK for the 2023 PENCRAFT SEASONAL BOOK AWARDS (WINTER), 2023 NYC BIG BOOK AWARDS WINNER FOR BEST TEEN FICTION, 2023 NYC BIG BOOK AWARDS DISTINGUISHED FAVORITE in TEEN FICTION, FINALIST in the 2023 CANADIAN BOOK CLUB AWARDS for YOUNG ADULT BOOKS, 2023 FINALIST for the AMERICAN FICTION AWARDS for TEEN FICTION, FINALIST in the 2022 INDEPENDENT AUTHOR BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS, FINALIST for BEST BOOK in PERFORMING ARTS and TEEN FICTION in the 2023 NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS, FINALIST in the 2023 ERIC HOFFER AWARDS, FINALIST in the 2023 HAWTHORNE AWARDS and SEMI-FINALIST in the 2022 CHANTICLEER DANTE ROSSETI AWARD.