I’ve been telling stories as long as I’ve been able to hold a pen, but I didn’t write a novel until I turned 30. A dear friend was battling terminal cancer and I’d just had my first child; I guess you could say life’s big questions were on my mind. I began writing at night after my daughter went to bed, and after many tough but exhilarating months, completed the draft that would become my debut, The Art of Forgetting. The experience changed me—even before I typed “The End,” I was ready to do it again.

Even so, it took me several years to write another novel that made it to print. A cross-country move, severe postpartum anxiety, and a heavy dose of second book self-doubt had me ready to throw in the towel. Then I sat down and began working on a story just for myself, which put the joy back in my writing. Less than a year after handing that book, Life and Other Near-Death Experiences, to my agent, it became the #1 Amazon Charts bestseller and remained there for three of the first four weeks after its publication. Life was optioned for film by Jessica Chastain’s Freckle Films. I’ve now published ten books that have sold nearly a million copies and have been translated into twenty languages; my eleventh novel will be out in spring/summer 2026.

I’ve come to realize that all of my work—from my fiction to my coaching and journalism—focuses on making the most of this wonderfully messy life. I write to figure out how I feel about the world, and to connect with others who are considering the same issues. Nothing makes me happier than hearing from a reader who says, “Your book helped me through a tough time,” or “That’s exactly how I felt.”

I tell true stories, too; you might have seen my essays and articles in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parade, Time, or WebMD, among other outlets. I spent more than two decades as a health and psychology journalist, and have been on staff at several publications and websites, most recently serving as the health editor at Real Simple magazine.

I’m also a master certified coach who helps writers create even better careers. If you’re an author or aspire to become one, check out the Career Novelist Podcast and the free resources on my coaching site.

When I’m not at my computer or talking shop with other novelists, you’ll find me with my nose in a book, running after my two kids and our nutty dog, or planning my next trip (most likely to Puerto Rico, where my husband was born and raised; we spend much of our summers there). After nearly a decade in Brooklyn and a stint in Chicago, my family and I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Drop me a line or connect with me on Facebook or Instagram; I’d love to hear from you.

—Camille