Claire Oshetsky > Recent Status Updates

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So I figured out why I seem to be uncomfortable with my books being labeled “weird girl” fiction, even though I’m in such terrific company. It’s because I think of my protagonists as NORMAL. They're reacting to an irrational world in a deeply rational way. They aren’t weird. The circumstances they must endure, however commonplace, are what is “weird,” and my protags fight back the best way they know how. fwiw

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Hi everybody--here is my occasional reminder that I won’t be accepting friend requests on my “claire oshetsky” goodreads page because I’m visiting it very rarely BUT I would be delighted to be your reading buddy over on my reviewers page, so please send your friend requests here:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

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Hi everybody--here is my occasional reminder that I won’t be accepting friend requests on my “claire oshetsky” goodreads page because I’m visiting it very rarely BUT I would be delighted to be your reading buddy over on my reviewers page, so please send your friend requests here:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Ok here is another teaser question for intrepid lovers of unreliable narrators. Celia most certainly gets the name of the hotel wrong where she meets up with the notorious Sock Man. How do you know this? If you care to guess put it behind a spoiler tag…I’m not sure anyone will get this one though…

Evil Genius is out in the world now! And I want to go on record to say this story takes place in 2026, not 1974. It happened long ago. Celia is old. She gets the facts wrong now and then. Some of her mistakes are easy to spot and some are more like easter eggs. My favorite thing she gets wrong, probably, is the name of her lawyer, Mr. Petrocelli. If you can guess why, leave a comment here behind a spoiler tag!

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I keep trying to write a serious book to match the seriousness of our times but then I end up writing a silly story best described as a combo of

A High Wind in Jamaica

The Lathe of Heaven and

Finn Family Moomintroll

You just never know, as a writer, what the heck you’re supposed to be writing next, or whether it will come to anything, or why you’re writing what you are.

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some of you have friend-requested me on this account--first of all, thank you!--but second of all please come to my goodreads reader-account, where I hang out for the most part on this site, and friend me there:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

I don’t come to my “Claire Oshetsky” account very often. Lark Benobi is my alter-ego and he is a big reader. Thanks!

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I will be launching my next novel, EVIL GENIUS, on Wednesday Feb 18 at Bookshop Santa Cruz! If you can make it and you know me from Goodreads, please say hi! RSVP requested to reserve a seat. Here is the link: https://bookshopsantacruz.com/evil-ge...

I’m very excited about this book! It was 100% the most fun book to write, so far. I hope you can make it!

Some of you have asked to friend me here on my claire oshetsky page but I don’t come here so often, so I will friend you back over on my semi-secret lark benobi page, where I write most of my reviews, and hang out with other readers, or if you like you can resend a friend request to my lark benobi page yourself, here:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

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I just noticed there is a Goodreads Giveaway going on right now for Evil Genius, here:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Please sign up! I'd love it if people actually interested in reading this novel won a giveaway, vs. people who sign up for every giveaway offered because they like the idea of "free book" ...

It's a good long giveaway...28 days~!

For Netgalley readers who like audiobooks: The audiobook for EVIL GENIUS is ready to download! Narrated by Kimberly Farr:

https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...

Today I’ll be speaking with librarians about Evil Genius. I think I’ll tell them about The Crab Queen. She is the 3rd monstrously strong supernatural female guardian I’ve created to guide the protagonists in my novels. In Chouette it was “The Owl Lover.” In Poor Deer it was “Poor Deer.” The Crab Queen is my favorite monster-guardian of all though. Fearless. All powerful. Metes out justice without mercy. I love her.

What a joy to meet Jeff Vandermeer and to hear him speak about Area X! What a generous soul! I was bowled over by the attentiveness of Jeff's answers to the audience ?'s. Each of his answers was so thoughtful, and so personal. His is a great listener, and a great observer, and these qualities shine out in real life as much as they do in his novels. I can't recommend the his work enough, for a first read or a re-read!

7 PM on Monday Oct 20 at BOOKSHOP SANTA CRUZ I will be in conversation with JEFF VANDERMEER, in celebration of the upcoming PAPERBACK release of Jeff's fourth Area X novel, ABSOLUTION. You should be there! I hope you can make it!

xoxo (area) x,
claire

For all you ARC readers out there...

Evil Genius just got added to NetGalley!

https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...

Huh I just discovered that the chatty musings I've been sharing here about my potential novels-in-progress are being vacuumed up by Meta's AI and reported as fact, and since it's probable that I'm completely wrong about what this next book will be about in the end, I have deleted those remarks. I saved the feedback you all gave me, though, and I'm so grateful for everyone's encouragement.

*****EVIL GENIUS COVER REVEAL ****

🫣 I'm not sure if I'm in it for the long run, but just now it seems I'm writing a horror story next (post-evil-genius) and it's kind of creeping me out.

Two days ago I finished some last changes to EVIL GENIUS. The novel has now been "sent to production." Now comes the fun part: the cover, the inside design elements, and writing the jacket copy. Like my last two novels, this novel has scenes that are memoir-level true. It seems there always comes a point where I need to decide much to open up to the facts of my life, vs. keeping them safely part of a made-up story.

You heard it here first: my next novel, EVIL GENIUS, is coming In February 2026! :-)

I made a new author foto for the paperback publication of Poor Deer. I wore a purple shirt and purple spectacles so it would blend with the bold purple-and-orange Poor Deer cover. I've changed the profile pic here on Goodreads to be this latest foto, too. Now I'm wondering why authors don't always make new author fotos to match their book jackets when a new book comes out. Seems like something I would do, anyway.

The novel I'm working on at the moment has turned out, in part, to be a meditation on some of my favorite John Cheever stories. What an extraordinary writer. It constantly amazes me that he is thought of these days, if he is remembered at all, as someone who wrote about the vagaries of upper middle class suburban alcoholics and bad marriages. His stories are so varied, and so surreal, and so perfect.

I cut my hair off. Feels great.

Next week I will be on a book tour with my French publisher of Chouette, Phébus. Events are scheduled in Rennes, Nantes, Crest, Montargis, Nevers, and Paris. If you are in the neighborhood, it would be a delight to see you! DM me and I will send you more details. I've loved working with Phébus, and with the translator of the novel, Karine Lalechère! Since I love making up words, she had quite a challenge!