catherine

We are delighted that Soon Wiley’s highly anticipated debut novel, When We Fell Apart publishes in the US today from Dutton. Named one of the “Best New Books of 2022” from Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, When We Fell Apart is a moving and unforgettable read.

North American rights were acquired in a ‘major’ deal at auction by Lindsey Rose at Dutton and UK rights were acquired at auction by Bethan Jones at Simon & Schuster.

When We Fell Apart has received some incredible praise. Kirkus describes it as: “Fueled by deep feeling and a powerful sense of place, the book gains real emotional traction in capturing the despair of striving individuals pushed to the margins by conformist norms…A dark coming-of-age tale in the form of a mystery.”

In a starred review from Booklist: “Wiley’s tale is a knockout, its assured narrative ebbing and flowing with grace while painting a haunting and anguished portrait of youth in all its quiet desperation.”

It has received numerous early endorsements, including:

“A marvelous debut novel, moving and suspenseful, a reminder that the greatest mysteries are those of being and belonging. Soon Wiley is a young writer to watch.”

—Jess Walter, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins and The Cold Millions

“A lyrical exposition on what it’s like to be biracial, with one foot firmly planted in two distinct worlds, never completely fitting in, but capable of seeing what others do not. A lonely, heartbreaking, spellbinding story of love, self-discovery, and belonging.”

—Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

“When We Fell Apart explores the tender and chaotic intersections of culture, community and the search for self. Rich with philosophical nuance, heart-stopping and exquisitely plotted, this is a novel to get lost in.”

—Patricia Engel, New York Times bestselling author of Infinite Country

We are very excited to welcome Melissa Pimentel, our new editorial consultant. Melissa brings so much knowledge and multi-faceted experience in publishing, we are excited to have her join the team.

From Melissa:

I’m really delighted to be joining Paper Literary as an editorial consultant.

I worked in publishing for over fifteen years, first in publishing houses in New York and London and then at Curtis Brown Literary Agency, where I spent most of my career. For ten years, I worked as a Translation Rights Agent, selling the rights to authors’ work across the globe and negotiating six-and-seven-figure deals. One of my favorite aspects of my role involved working closely with Primary Agents, offering editorial feedback that would help shape clients’ work for submission.

In addition to my work as an Agent, I’m also a published author, having written three novels under my own name and two under the pseudonym Jessica Barry.  After several years of juggling both careers, I left publishing to write full-time.

As if that wasn’t a big enough adjustment, my husband and I moved back to my native New England after fifteen years in London, and we now live in a drafty Victorian in Mid-Coast Maine with an overgrown yard filled with squirrels.

Writing full-time is a privilege, and I know how lucky I am, but a couple years into just me and my laptop, I found I missed the buzz that comes from collaborating with clever, creative people.

When I saw that Paper Literary was looking for a freelance reader and editor, I jumped at the chance.  I had the pleasure of working with both Catherine and Katie during my years at Curtis Brown and know that they are both whip-smart and genuinely nice people, so I’m thrilled that I’ll be working with them again in this new role.