Terry McMillan

American author · United States · On the map · Writers · Born 1951 · age 75

Terry McMillan is an American novelist known for her vivid portrayals of African American women's lives, relationships, and journeys of self-discovery. Her best-selling works, including Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, have resonated widely for their humor, authenticity, and emotional insight.

Terry McMillan is read about 182 times a day, in 14 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 104 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2016“…A lot of women write about messy, complex and complicated things.”In their wordsOn being insulted by the term “chick lit” in “An Interview with Terry McMillan” in Read It Forward (2016) (an archived copy on The InternetRead the whole statement

“Life is a lot of stops and starts, but when you get in your 50s, you see there is a finish line, and I want to go out sliding into home.”In their wordsOn reaching your 50s in “Terry McMillan's Latest: Revisiting Past Loves, Rediscovering Yourself” in NPR (2016 Jun 21)Read the whole statement

2010Michigan Women's Hall of FameAward2005“I'm not trying to be Toni Morrison or Katherine Anne Porter or Virginia Woolf. I'm not trying to do anything except tell stories.”In their wordsAugust 2005On being content with the genre that she writes in in “INTERVIEWS: Terry McMillan - Crisis management” in Book Page (August 2005)Read the whole statement

“I would say that I write out of frustration. If I were a witch, I would twitch my nose and fix it all and make things easier for all of us. That's what's underneath it.”In their wordsAugust 2005On why she writes in “INTERVIEWS: Terry McMillan - Crisis management” in Book Page (August 2005)Read the whole statement