Losing Clementine

In thirty days Clementine Pritchard will be finished with her last painting and her life. World-renowned artist and sharp-tongued wit Clementine Pritchard has decided that she's done. After flushing away a medicine cabinet full of prescriptions, she gives herself thirty days to tie up loose ends—finish one last painting, make nice with her ex-husband, and find a home for her cat. Clementine plans to spend the month she has left in a swirl of art-world parties, manic work sessions, and outrageous acts—but what she doesn't expect is to uncover secrets surrounding the tragedy that befell her mother and sister. In an ending no one sees coming, will we lose Clementine or will we find her? A bold debut from an exciting new voice, Losing Clementine is a wonderfully entertaining and poignant novel about unanticipated self-discovery that features one of the most irresistible, if deeply flawed, characters to grace contemporary fiction in years. Review“A breezy, self-deprecating voice that makes for good company...clever dialogue...It’s tempting to consider [LOSING CLEMENTINE] a Left Coast update of “Bright Lights, Big City” ...although Ream’s Clementine stares down a fate far more dire than that faced by Jay McInerney’s magazine fact-checker.” (Kansas City Star )“This is a novel that allows us to experience how exciting life is, and how fast time can fly, once you truly free yourself to live it.” (Bust Magazine )“An entertaining and moody whirlwind. Whether readers love or hate Clementine, they won’t soon forget her.” (Publishers Weekly )“An unexpectedly fresh and humorous voice. Fans of dark comedy should add Ream to their list of authors to watch.” (Library Journal )“With her razor wit and over-it-all candor, Clementine makes for a fascinating companion, and Ream manages to craft an engaging and impressive debut without soft-pedaling how very sick Clementine is . . . A hip and hilarious portrait of a crazy person.” (Kirkus )“It’s hard not to fall in love with Clementine Pritchard--she’s talented, witty, inventive and suicidal. You won’t want this story to end as you root for the wonderfully lawless and impulsive Clementine.” (Jessica Anya Blau, author of Drinking Closer to Home ) About the AuthorAshley Ream got her first job at a newspaper when she was sixteen. After working in newsrooms across Missouri, Florida, and Texas, she gave up deadlines to pursue fiction. She lives in Los Angeles and works at a nonprofit.