In addition to his memoirs, McLaurin is the author of four novels and a narrative poem. His books have won both popular and scholarly acclaim. In 1999, the North Carolina English Association presented McLaurin with the Reagan-Rubin award. His work has been listed among the New York Times' notable books. I see little difference between writing fiction and non-fiction.
Most good fiction is based on something the author knows personally.
At least, my fiction is. I guess the biggest reward of fiction is to create a world that didn't exist before. The biggest reward of non-fiction is to portray the real world well enough that someone would want to read it. McLaurin teaches writing at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He has been a guest on numerous television and radio programs, including a feature in Entertainment Weekly.