Acclaimed author Belva Plain dies at 95 at NJ home

[October 18, 2010]  SHORT HILLS, N.J. (AP) -- Belva Plain, who wrote more than 20 best-selling novels during a literary career that spanned several decades, has died. She was 95.

Plain's daughter, Barbara, said the author died in her sleep Tuesday at her home in New Jersey. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Plain, known for epic novels of family and forgiveness, never owned a computer and wrote her novels longhand on a yellow pad. And while she had written short fiction for women's magazines in her younger days, Plain didn't start writing novels until after she became a grandmother.

Her first novel, "Evergreen," was published in 1978. It went on to spend more than 40 weeks on The New York Times best-seller list and was developed into a TV miniseries.

Shortly before her death, Plain completed a sequel to "Evergreen," which will be published in February.

[Associated Press]

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