PHOTO: Award-winning author Kirsten Pursell draws from real-life experiences to create compelling, relatable stories that inspire courage and new beginnings.
Exploring Identity, Growth, and the Power of New Beginnings
Kirsten Pursell opens up about her inspirations, writing journey, and personal transformation, revealing how her life experiences, including motherhood and competitive swimming, fuel her emotionally resonant and empowering storytelling.
Kirsten Pursell is an award-winning American author whose writing captures the emotional complexities of personal growth, aging, and reinvention. Her latest novel, Long Enough to Love You, released on January 1, 2023, explores the challenges and triumphs of middle age with candor and heart. The book has earned critical acclaim, winning first place in the Firebird Book Awards for Fiction, Divorce Fiction, and Romance, as well as a Literary Titan Gold Book Award.
Pursell’s writing reflects a life lived with intention and introspection. Her debut memoir, On Becoming Me: Memoir of an 80’s Teenager, became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in the women’s biographies and memoirs category. The memoir, composed of her original diary entries, journals, and letters, offers an unfiltered look at adolescence in the 1980s, capturing the raw emotion of a young girl’s journey into adulthood. Her novels Harvard and Company Clown further showcase her versatility, blending personal insights with fictional narratives that span genres from romance to satire.
Kirsten Pursell is a fearless storyteller, blending vulnerability and strength to create authentic narratives that deeply resonate with readers of all ages.
Drawing from her own life experiences, Pursell writes with authenticity and empathy. In Long Enough to Love You, she channels her reflections on motherhood, marriage, and the daunting yet liberating concept of starting over in midlife. “Starting over in our fifties is a brutal thought for most of us,” she says. “Sometimes, we need reminding that we’re never too old for new beginnings in life and love.”
This willingness to confront life’s transitions is also present in her memoir. “People do not look at me today and think I was ever anything but happy and enthusiastic,” she explains. “But I struggled on so many levels in those years, which is why it resonates.” Pursell hopes the memoir not only evokes nostalgia for a bygone era but also inspires readers to reflect on their own evolution.
Her first novel, Harvard, originated from a vivid image during a drive—two people colliding while running on a mountain trail. That vision grew into a narrative centered around two characters running from their pasts and toward something new. Writing the book became a personal and symbolic milestone, especially since her daughter, Quinne, who was 12 at the time, later graduated from Harvard University.
Pursell’s satirical novel Company Clown draws from her corporate background in product marketing for a major fast-food chain. Originally conceived as a screenplay, the story became a novel when her creativity took over. Its lead character, Jack Carp, was inspired by an actual hand model Pursell met during a commercial shoot. She relished the opportunity to turn such a niche character into a central figure with exaggerated flair.
Outside the literary world, Pursell is also a competitive Master’s swimmer, participating at national and international levels. For her, swimming and writing share more similarities than one might expect. “Loving the process is a must for both,” she says. “Swimming has taught me discipline; writing has given me an outlet for expression. I need both!”
The success of her books, particularly the reception of her latest novel, has strengthened her resolve to continue writing stories that center on middle-aged women—a demographic often underrepresented in fiction. “It’s motivating and encouraging to have readers become fans,” she shares. “I never thought I would be in that position.”
Living in Ocean Beach, California, also plays a role in shaping her creative environment. With views of the Pacific and a neighborhood full of vibrant characters, Pursell finds inspiration daily. “I get new ideas constantly,” she says, though she admits the ocean view can sometimes be more of a distraction than a muse.
Whether she’s writing memoir, poetry, or fiction, Pursell’s motivation is simple: she follows her inspiration. “To limit myself to just women’s fiction or romance means I can’t explore other genres that excite me,” she says. Her diverse body of work stands as a testament to the power of creative freedom, personal truth, and the belief that it’s never too late to begin again.
This article was adapted from an interview with Kirsten Pursell in the latest issue of Reader’s House.
