Romance author faked her death only to announce she’s alive two years later

Susan Meachen, an indie romance writer, was believed to be dead by suicide for the last two years but it turns out she is alive.

 

In October 2020, a post shared on The Ward Facebook group – a private fanclub dedicated to Meachen – announced the aspiring author had taken her own life after she was bullied by fellow authors to the point of suicide.

 

 

Just one month before Meachen’s alleged death, the romance novelist posted on Facebook, lamenting about her career woes and the literary industry.

 

Meachen revealed in the post that she’d previously attempted suicide and would be publishing her final book on 30 October.

 

A post was later shared announcing Meachen’s death.

 

 

The post, alleged to have been written by her daughter, said that Meachen’s family wanted to honour their mother’s memory by publishing the book she had started.

 

 

People then began making donations for Meachen’s “funeral” and for her final book to be published.

 

Her family even released a post in February 2021 emotionally blackmailing people to donate towards publishing Meachen’s book. They said if donations are not made “in the next 21 days”, all her books “will be unpublished”.

 

So, people donated and her family published the books.

 

 

Following news of Meachen’s death, fellow book lovers and members of The Ward Facebook group shared their condolences. 

 

Two fundraisers also appeared to be shared on Meachen’s Facebook page to support suicide prevention, as recent as February 2022.

 

Editors offered to copy edit Meachen’s posthumous novel, free of charge.

 

A group of authors even dedicated an anthology to her titled “Bully King”. The authors wrote in the book dedication: “For Susan Meachen, an author of what she called Perfectly Flawed Romances. The world is a little less bright without her.”

 

 

However, Susan Meachen changed her name to TN Steele and continued writing under her new identity. She was even commenting on Facebook posts shared by other authors with her new name.

 

 

She even had a TikTok account and continued to post videos there while people thought she was dead.

 

 

Then, on 2 January 2023, Susan Meachen resurfaced.

 

Taking to The Ward Facebook group under her personal Facebook account once again, Meachen announced that she was never dead at all.

 

She wrote: “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.”

 

 

Her announcement angered friends and fellow authors as they realised the friend they once grieved was never dead at all.

 

Many have taken to Facebook to slam Meachen and her family.

 

Meachen even replied to some of the posts criticising her for faking her death. 

 

“FYI there was no fundraiser for me,” she said in response to one post calling out her family for starting fundraisers after deceiving the world that she is dead.

 

 

Meanwhile, Samantha A. Cole, a former police officer and paramedic turned author, who used to be friends with Meachen, has shared screenshots of her chat with Meachen after she resurfaced. 

 

In it, she is seen asking Meachen for an explanation for faking her death.

 

See below.