GIRLFRIENDING is best enjoyed with coffee, on vacation, in the bath, or anywhere else.
Girlfriending: A Novel
After a brief, head-spinning affair leaves her heartbroken, a divorced, perimenopausal mother sets out to date ten women in exploration of what she calls her lesbian adolescence, a quest she takes on with the ride-or-die support of her best friend and the community she gathers along the way.
24 July 2026
Readers,
I have a big apology to make. In my book Girlfriending, I included a one-sentence description of a real-life person, someone I don’t know personally but who is well-known locally, and in it I misidentified their racial identity. I’d heard something and I repeated it. An avoidable and thoughtless mistake. Not just inaccurate, but also hurtful.
Most people would not have reached out to ask me to sit down, as this person did. Most people would not have bothered to explain how what I did pressed on a wound, something I should have considered when writing. What an act of grace and what an offering.
As a white woman, I know that good intentions don’t prevent me from screwing up and causing harm. As a writer and a human, I have the responsibility to question the assumptions I make about people, especially when it comes to someone’s identity.
The sentence will be eliminated from all printings of the book/ebook going forward, but the truth is that authors have to take responsibility for what we publish in any medium. Language is so powerful. I’m so sorry for having used it thoughtlessly and hurtfully. I’ll make other mistakes in the future, I’m sure, but I will do my best not to repeat this one again, in print or life.
XO,
Susanna
My Books
let’s work together
We start in January and, month by month, wrap up a first draft in December, using deadlines, cheerleading, practical feedback, and a tight circle of trust. For writers of memoir or novels with any level of experience.
A self-paced support program designed to help you write a stellar first draft, plus community forums, office hours with me, writing exercises, accountability check-ins, and more.
EDITING + COACHING
One-on-one feedback as you write or rewrite your novel or memoir. Meant for writers who want personalized feedback, deadlines, and encouragement.
Sign up for my newsletter. I don’t make much noise, I promise.
