About the Author

Danielle Ariano was born and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, but became a Baltimorean when she moved to the city for college. She was charmed by Baltimore’s quirky, artsy vibe.

Ariano’s newly released memoir, The Requirement of Grief, is a meditation on the complexities of the sister bond and the grief that comes when that bond is broken by a sibling’s suicide.  

Ariano received her MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Baltimore. As part of her thesis, she wrote, designed and published her first book, Getting Over the Rainbow, a memoir recounting her humorous and sometimes painful experiences coming out as a lesbian.

Ariano’s work has been published in Salon, Huff Post, Baltimore City Paper, Baltimore Fishbowl, North Dakota Quarterly, Cobalt Review, and Welter. She is a former columnist for Baltimore Gay Life, and she has been featured on WYPR’s radio show, The Signal.

When she is not writing, Ariano works as a cabinetmaker. She has great reverence for the hallowed, dusty smell of a woodshop. She finds it thrilling to see a thing take shape from scratch. She loves trees and all the beautiful patterns that can result in woodgrain from stress, insect damage, or even the loss of a limb. She believes that people are very similar to trees in this respect. She lives in Lutherville, Maryland with her wife, son, and dog. 

Praise for The Requirement of Grief

“Written in clear, vivid language, the book comprises short chapters focusing on key moments in Alexis’ descent into self-destruction and on the ways her life and death affected all who knew and loved her. For those who have felt the paradoxical combination of overwhelming grief and quiet relief at the death of a suffering family member, Ariano’s writing may have healing power.

An honest, affecting remembrance of a beloved sister’s descent into self-destruction.”

— Kirkus Review

"The Requirement of Grief left me floored — and I will be forever transformed. Pain is universal, and Ariano's prose perfectly articulates the rollercoaster of emotions we confront in the grieving process, showing us that we are not alone. I highly recommend that you not only read this book but use it as a tool to give yourself grace and understand that healing takes time.”

— D Watkins, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Cook Up and Black Boy Smile 

“From the first electrifying paragraph, Danielle Ariano pulls you in to the intimacy of mental illness and the ripple effect it has on loved ones. With breathtaking honesty, poignancy, and even humor, she grapples with the conflicting emotions of love and resentment, of idolization and vexation, as she witnesses her gifted sister’s mental acuity spiraling out of control. This is the book for everyone who has loved someone against all odds.”

— Judith Krummeck, author of Old New Worlds

Contact Danielle