Professional Writing MA alumna set to release debut novel with HarperCollins imprint

After writing freelance for Devon Life, BBC Countryfile Magazine, and as a host blogger for The Huffington Post UK, Professional Writing MA graduate Claire Frances is now preparing for the next chapter of her writing career: the release of her debut novel, To Hell With It. 

The book, set for release on 19 June, comes as the first of a two-book deal with HarperCollins UK’s imprint, One More Chapter, and follows the story of 27-year-old Pearl, a girl living with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) who decides to challenge herself to experience life outside of her comforting, yet life-limiting, routines.  

Drawing on her own experience, Claire depicts the reality of day-to-day life with OCD in a way that is both relatable yet heart-warming, balancing the difficult topic with humour and romance with a flair that has evoked high praise from bestselling authors such as Beth O’Leary (The Flatshare, The No-Show). From garnering four and five-star early reviews from bloggers, the novel’s translation into Dutch, and becoming an audiobook, To Hell With It has already made its mark in the book community.  

We chatted with Claire this Mental Health Awareness Week to learn more about her debut novel, the experience of writing what she knows, and how studying on Falmouth’s Professional Writing MA played its part in helping her fulfil her life dream of becoming a published novelist. 

Your book explores the story of a heroine who lives with severe OCD, the debilitating impact it has on her life, and how she chooses to fight against its hold. What can you tell us about writing a character who struggles with their mental health while keeping its tone light and feel-good?  

When writing To Hell With It, I drew on my own experiences of living with OCD and turned them into fiction. It was important to me that Pearl wasn’t ‘cured’ – that’s not realistic – but that she could still push herself outside of her comfort zone and live her life.  

I wanted to share the reality of living with this condition, from feeling the need to sanitise to struggling with intrusive thoughts. Sometimes it might not even be a coherent thought, and there needs to be a ritual, word, number or repetitive saying to keep it at bay. Most people don’t realise how bad OCD can be, and how it has many levels – it’s not just a case of checking plugs and light switches or cleaning; it’s so much more than that.  

It was also important for me to bring humour to the story for many reasons, with one being that I needed to keep a heavy subject light in parts. It was confronting to write about OCD; it’s a complex condition that affects people differently, and there were times I found it hard to put into words. I have lived with OCD for most of my life, and writing this book meant I had to face it head-on in a way I hadn’t before. 

Ultimately, I wanted to educate people who didn’t know about OCD while still supporting those who suffer with it and help them feel less alone. I wanted the reader to connect with Pearl, understand and accept her wholeheartedly, and root for her along the way.