Cancer claims life of novelist Mazer

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MONTPELIER, Vt., Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Novelist Norma Fox Mazer, known for her books focusing on the dark aspects of adolescence, died of brain cancer in Montpelier, Vt., her daughter, Anne, said.

Mazer, 78, enjoyed a literary career spanning more than 30 books, including 1973's "A Figure of Speech" and 1987's "After the Rain," The New York Times reported Sunday.

The novelist earned a reputation for creating believable young characters facing troubling times ranging from separating families to the death of a parent.

In a 1988 interview, Mazer attempted to clarify the intent behind her stories, saying she hoped to offer a moral, not a lecture, to readers.

"I hesitate to say I'm delivering messages," she said. "I'm writing stories and novels. I hope there's an underlying feeling for the reader -- a hope, perhaps a moral. But I'm not preaching. I'm telling stories."

Mazer, who died Oct. 17, is survived by her husband, Harry; her daughters, Anne and Linda Fox; her son, Joseph; two sisters, Adele Machia and Linda Fox; and two grandchildren.