Meet Esme Cahill, the spirited protagonist of my newly released novel, Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly. She’s determined to rebuild her life after a series of personal and professional setbacks, and her story is as funny as it is heartfelt. Below are selected excerpts from an interview with Esme that highlight her voice, struggles, and the charm that makes her impossible not to root for.
Fresh Fiction invited me to share a conversation with Esme, and they kindly allowed me to publish a portion of that dialogue here. The exchange reveals Esme’s history, her strengths, and the messy, poignant ways she navigates change. Read on to get to know her—then consider meeting her fully in the novel.
How would you describe your family or childhood?
My mother, Robyn, was a teenage mother with a restless streak. She struggled with steady work and moved us frequently, and there was always someone new in our lives—some boyfriends were kinder than others. One of them, Zip, taught me to read before he vanished, taking money from my mother’s purse but leaving me with books—the small escape that would shape me.
Things changed when Robyn was arrested for drug distribution. That’s when George and Adele, my grandparents I’d never met, stepped in and brought me to live at their lakeside resort near Asheville, North Carolina. It felt like a refuge—suddenly I had the freedom of a childhood I’d never known. But even that haven felt suffocating at times. I loved them, but staying meant being dependent in a way that made me uneasy. Eventually I left the lake and moved to New York at nineteen, craving independence and the life I imagined for myself.
What is your greatest talent?
At nineteen I would have said writing. After two hundred and sixty-eight rejection letters, though, I began to doubt that claim and started looking for any job I could find. Fortunately, I landed an entry-level position in publishing and worked my way up. I became an editor—something I took pride in and was good at. Even after losing that job, I still recognize editing as my true skill: helping authors shape their stories and bring them to life. It’s the thing I do best, my quiet superpower.
Significant other?
If only. I was married for four years—an odd, mostly passionless time—and I didn’t discover the truth about my husband until the day we were supposed to see my dream apartment. He gripped my sleeve and said, “Esme, there’s something I need to tell you…” and, well, you know how those sentences go. That revelation ended the marriage and taught me how little I’d been seeing the signals all around me.
What’s the biggest challenge in your relationships?
Reading the room, or more accurately, reading people. I seem to miss important signs and put my faith in the wrong places. Learning to notice, to trust my instincts, and to accept that other people’s patterns aren’t mine to fix—that’s been the hard part.
Where do you live?
I lived in New York for many years, but after losing my job, my marriage, and my apartment, I returned to North Carolina and moved back into my grandparents’ resort. I plan to seek work in publishing again and hope to return to the city, but coming home has given me a chance to reassess and regroup. Sometimes a step back is what allows you to move forward more clearly.
This excerpt captures only a portion of the full interview. Fresh Fiction’s conversation with Esme explores more of her relationships, her fears, and the small triumphs that make her story resonate. For the complete interview, look for the full Fresh Fiction piece.
Of course, the fullest introduction to Esme Cahill is on the pages of her story: Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly. If you enjoy characters who are imperfect, witty, and fiercely human, you’ll find her company both entertaining and moving. Find a copy at your local bookstore or from your preferred retailer to follow Esme as she navigates the mess and magic of getting her life back on track.
