At fifty-three, Maggie Harris has a good marriage and two mostly happy children. Perpetually anxious, she’s also accumulated a list of semi-reasonable fears: falling air conditioners, the IRS, identity theft, skydiving, and airbag recalls. But never once did Maggie worry that her husband of nearly thirty years would leave her.
On the day Adam walks out the door, everything that makes Maggie secure goes with him. Only then does she realize that while she’s been busy caring for everyone else, she’s become invisible to the world—and to herself.
Maggie cautiously begins to rebuild her life with a trip to Rome, a new career, and even a rebound romance. But when a fresh crisis strikes and an uncertain future looms, she must decide: How much will she risk to remain the woman she’s just become?
Reviews ~
“[Pagán’s] writing is fun and engaging. Maggie is a wonderful character, and readers will identify with her struggles and successes in rebuilding her life.” —Booklist
“Pagán (Forever Is the Worst Long Time) has created a winning character in Maggie. Watching her wake up to the world around her and realize that there’s more to life than a dull marriage is exciting and relatable. Women’s fiction readers will find a lot to like in this book.” —Library Journal
“Pagán does a wonderful job of bringing us a character that is so believable you feel like you know her…If you enjoy family drama and stories of growth you will find this a terrific addition to your library. Tie in drama and romance and this will also intrigue those more interested in finding a silver lining.” —Seattle PI
“The way the whole book unfolded was so true to real life…It’s an extremely well-written and accurate portrayal of what a woman would do after her life is shattered.” —Novelgossip
“Both entertaining and filled with life’s wisdom…Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties is an empowering story for women of all ages with a wise reminder not to lose our authentic selves.” —Bookreporter
Some Q & A with Camille ~
Tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you started writing.
I’m the author of four novels; my most recent book is Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to write fiction, but I didn’t attempt an entire novel until just before I turned 30. I had just had my first child and my dear friend was dying of cancer; for whatever reason, those two things made me feel it was imperative that I write a book right away. I was hooked even before I wrote the last scene of the first draft. I am not the type of writer who hates writing; I really love the drafting process and I’m already dreaming of my next book before I even finish the one I’m in the middle of.
Do you have a ‘day job’ as well?
I do; in addition to writing fiction, I’m also a health journalist and editor. I’ve written for Time, WebMD, Health, O: The O Magazine, and many others, and most recently served as the health editor at Real Simple magazine. I usually write fiction in the morning and work on journalism in the late morning and afternoon. When I’m really deep into a project—fiction or nonfiction—I often end up writing at night, but I mostly try to reserve that time for reading and hanging out with my family.
I do; in addition to writing fiction, I’m also a health journalist and editor. I’ve written for Time, WebMD, Health, O: The O Magazine, and many others, and most recently served as the health editor at Real Simple magazine. I usually write fiction in the morning and work on journalism in the late morning and afternoon. When I’m really deep into a project—fiction or nonfiction—I often end up writing at night, but I mostly try to reserve that time for reading and hanging out with my family.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
It’s interesting—I had more of a struggle getting my second novel published than my first. I wrote my first novel, The Art of Forgetting, quickly (in about four months), then took several months to edit it before I began looking for an agent. I signed with Elisabeth Weed, who is still my agent today, and she sold the book at auction to Dutton/Plume (Penguin imprints) and to a half-dozen international publishers.
After Forgetting came out, I wrote two books in a row that I didn’t love and didn’t want to publish. Then I wrote Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, which was such a joy to write—and my then-publisher passed on it, in part because sales for Forever had not been great. I was devastated, of course, because I really loved that book (still do). But this story has a happy ending: Lake Union bought Life and it has since sold more than 150,000 copies. But there was a several-year gap in which I didn’t know if I would ever publish a second book, and that was extremely hard.
After Forgetting came out, I wrote two books in a row that I didn’t love and didn’t want to publish. Then I wrote Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, which was such a joy to write—and my then-publisher passed on it, in part because sales for Forever had not been great. I was devastated, of course, because I really loved that book (still do). But this story has a happy ending: Lake Union bought Life and it has since sold more than 150,000 copies. But there was a several-year gap in which I didn’t know if I would ever publish a second book, and that was extremely hard.
What are you working on now?
I just finished the draft about a couple who exchanges lists of things of what they want the other person to change in order to attempt to save their marriage. It was fun to write, if uncomfortable at times—it’s hard to write a novel about marriage without taking a long, hard look at your own relationship.
Is anything in your book based on real life experiences?
Though I don’t write about the people in my life, most of my novels have been inspired by real-life experiences, though not in the way one might think—it’s not so much that I find the plot as I get sparks of inspiration from random situations. For example, Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties was inspired by a run-in I had in a grocery store; a college-aged man bumped into me, looked right through me without apologizing, and went on his way. It was a five-second incident that was the catalyst for an entire book.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
It’s always the same because it’s the single guiding principle of my career: write the book you want to read, regardless of what’s popular or what anyone else (whether your mother or your publisher) wants you to write. For me, that’s the only way to find joy in the process and produce a novel I’m proud of.
Thanks for having me on your site!
You can learn more about my books at camillepagan.com and facebook.com/camillepaganbooks.
You can learn more about my books at camillepagan.com and facebook.com/camillepaganbooks.
