Women Owning Their Lives

Oct 15

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Kirsten Pursell Author Interview

The Unabridged Life of Missy Kinkaid follows a middle-aged woman coping with complicated relationships both past and present. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

Missy was first introduced to readers in my book Finding Scarlet. She radiated such energy that I wanted to explore what her full story might look like. I wanted to write a story of women owning their lives in all their imperfect ways, being unapologetic, which isn’t always easy. 

What experience in your life has had the biggest impact on your writing?

In the last several years, it’s been divorce. But intertwined within those books are stories of family, romance, friendships, and second chances. The recognition that we don’t just roll over and cease to exist as vibrant women has been a big driving force.

What character did you enjoy writing for? Was there one that was more challenging to write for?

I loved writing Missy. She is strong, but flawed. Trying to capture her imperfections in a meaningful way was a joy. I also really loved Scarlet (obviously, she has a whole book!).Margo’s imperfections made her story heartbreaking to write at times, but also deeply rewarding. Writing Charlotte as a ghost who weaves herself into Missy’s thoughts required some creative stretching.

Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?

​I have a couple of other projects I have started. They are not divorce fiction. One is women’s fiction and the other historical fiction with romance. I’ll see which one takes over in the process and go from there. I do hope readers will consider reading Finding Scarlet to get a flavor for the characters in The Unabridged Life of Missy Kinkaid. And the ending will be so much more rewarding that way.

Author Links: GoodReads | X | Facebook | Website

“Life is supposed to challenge us. So many things we wish were different, but the parts to get there were sometimes the greatest moments in our lives.”

Missy Kinkaid has always been the light of Sullivan’s Island—bold, unapologetic, and the beating heart of her family, friends, and Scarlet’s Harlots, the renegade divorced women changing the narrative. But when the death of her estranged mother sends her spiraling into a breakdown in the cereal aisle, Missy is forced to confront the pain of past loves, fractured family ties, and the weight of expectations she’s spent a lifetime defying.
With her closest friends—and a cousin carrying secrets of her own—Missy embarks on a journey of reckoning that tests the limits of forgiveness, resilience, and self-discovery. Along the way, she learns that true empowerment isn’t about posturing but the courage to own your story, scars and all.
Witty, raw, and emotionally layered, The Unabridged Life of Missy Kinkaid is a fiercely uplifting novel about friendship, loss, reinvention, and the strength it takes to become wholly yourself.
First introduced in Kirsten Pursell’s Finding Scarlet, Missy now steps into her own unforgettable story—one of heartbreak and humor, loss and resilience, and the enduring bonds that tether us home.
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About Literary Titan

The Literary Titan is an organization of professional editors, writers, and professors that have a passion for the written word. We review fiction and non-fiction books in many different genres, as well as conduct author interviews, and recognize talented authors with our Literary Book Award. We are privileged to work with so many creative authors around the globe.

Posted on October 15, 2025, in Interviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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