Tuesday, May 20, 2025
48 ° Clear
48 ° Clear
Dan McMeans, a certified Advanced Prana Healer and Shaman Healer with Reiki Consultation, brings a unique background to the world of fiction. With certifications ranging from pranic psychotherapy to soul realization, and a lifelong belief in the connection between mind, body, and spirit, he’s channeling a different kind of energy into his first book, “The Adventures of the Lawndale Gang,” recently published by Virtualbookworm Publishing.
His book is a collection of 17 stories following a tight-knit group of friends from Northeast Philadelphia, known as the Lawndale Gang. The opening and closing chapters are nonfictional, based on Dan’s own life experiences. The rest provide a spirited dive into mystery, adventure, and the kind of camaraderie that withstands the test of time.
“The first chapter, “The Coming of Age of Lawndale,” is a firsthand account of my early years,” McMeans shares. “We found a corner in Lawndale that became our gathering place. The nucleus of our group was seven girls and nine guys.
From 13 to 18, we were inseparable.” From late-night conversations to shared prom experiences, the Lawndale Gang grew up together, and McMeans captures that nostalgia in the first chapter of his book.
He then builds upon this foundation by taking these real-life characters into fictional scenarios where they solve mysteries reminiscent of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.
McMeans instills each story with spirituality and life lessons, drawing from his own healing practices. “There are some life lessons in the adventure stories, and that’s where I incorporate the spirituality,” he notes. “One story, “The Lawndale Gang and the Law of Attraction,” explores how the mind is infinite when you tap into a level of spirituality. When you believe in a life with no limits, you are capable of incredible things.”
The final story, “Trotter Street”, brings readers back to reality. It's a personal account of McMeans’ transition into adulthood as a young father raising his family on Trotter Street, also in Northeast Philadelphia. For 16 years, he and his family formed a close-knit community with five other families, sharing life’s ups and downs.
“The message is about family,” McMeans describes. “We didn’t have much money, but we had each other. We’d take turns hosting Saturday night patio parties, and when they were over, we’d just walk back to our own homes.”
After a 25-year career with a Fortune 8 company as a top-ranked territory sales manager, McMeans’ long-time interest in holistic medicine never faded. Now retired from corporate life, McMeans, currently living in Somerton not far from his previous Northeast Philadelphia homes, is fully focused on his healing practice and writing.
At 110 pages, “The Adventures of the Lawndale Gang” offers a mix of nostalgia, suspense, and spiritual insight. Readers can purchase it through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or B&E Book Distributors.
McMeans is already working on his second book, “Mind Expansion,” this time a nonfiction book featuring the mind, body, and spirit connection, inspired by his healing practice.
For those interested in McMeans’ work, he welcomes you to contact him at dan_mcmeans@yahoo.com or 267-570-9042.
To purchase the “The Adventures of the Lawndale Gang,” visit thelawndalegang.com
