Jen Beagin

Jen Beagin
Born1971 (age 54–55)
Education
Occupations
  • Novelist
  • writer
Writing career
Genres
  • Fiction
  • essays
Notable works
Notable awardsWhiting Award

Jen Beagin (born 1971) is an American novelist and writer.

Life and career

Early life and education

Beagin grew up in Torrance, California, and moved to Lowell, Massachusetts, in her youth.[1] She returned to college in her mid-30s,[2] and attended the University of Massachusetts Boston.[1] She earned an MFA in Writing from the University of California, Irvine.[3][4]

Professional life

Among other jobs, Beagin was a long time housecleaner. This inspired the character of Mona, who is the housecleaner protagonist of her first two books.[5] Additionally, ike the character Greta in the novel Big Swiss, Beagin also transcribed therapy sessions briefly.[6]

Published works

Pretend I'm Dead (2015)

Pretend I'm Dead, her first novel, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, which also noted it among the best fiction of 2018.[7] Pretend I'm Dead was shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.[8] The website Emily Books gave an early positive review of the book,[9] the first edition of which was published by Northwestern University Press in 2015.[10] The novel was reissued as a hardcover in 2018 by Simon & Schuster.[11]

Vacuum in the Dark (2019)

Vacuum in the Dark, a sequel to Pretend I'm Dead, received a starred Kirkus review and was named a best book for February 2019 by Oprah Magazine.[12] Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review, calling it "a sharp and superb novel" that "pulls no punches—this novel is viciously smart and morbidly funny."[13]

Big Swiss (2023)

Big Swiss concerns a woman who, while transcribing sex therapy sessions, falls for a client named Flavia, the titular "Big Swiss".

Publishers Weekly Tip Sheet noted: "This unconventional love story has a surplus of appeal from page one."[14]

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly said: "Beagin stands out among fiction's fresh crop of promising voices."[15] NPR Books said that "Beagin is a wonderfully funny writer who also happens to tackle serious subjects."[16]

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Award Category Result Ref.
2017 Pretend I'm Dead Whiting Award Fiction Winner [17][18]
2018 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize — Shortlisted [8]
2019 Vacuum in the Dark Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize — [19]

Publications

Novels

  • — (2018). Pretend I'm Dead. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1501183935.
  • — (2019). Vacuum in the Dark. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1501182143.
  • — (2023). Big Swiss. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1982153083.

Short fiction

Essays

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 Gutman, Jennifer (2017-07-02). "Hole In One: Jen Beagin". Chronogram Magazine. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
  2. ↑ Ragsdale, Melissa (2015-12-17). "Somewhere on the Path Towards Self-Awareness: An Interview with Jen Beagin". Electric Literature. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
  3. ↑ "UCI M.F.A. alumna Jen Beagin '11 receives Whiting Award in fiction". UCI School of Humanities. April 11, 2017. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  4. ↑ "Fiction Publications". UC Irvine MFA Alumni Publications. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  5. ↑ Simon & Schuster Books (2019-01-28). VACUUM IN THE DARK and PRETEND I'M DEAD author Jen Beagin on How She Began to Write Fiction. Retrieved 2026-08-23 – via YouTube.
  6. ↑ The Shift with Sam Baker (2023-06-21). The Shift bookclub with Jen Beagin, author of Big Swiss. Retrieved 2025-09-04 – via YouTube.
  7. ↑ "Pretend I'm Dead by Jen Beagin". Kirkus Reviews. 15 May 2018.
  8. 1 2 "2018 Short List for Fiction First Novel Prize". The Center for Fiction. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  9. ↑ "Pretend I'm Dead". Emily Books. Archived from the original on 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  10. ↑ "Pretend I'm Dead". Northwestern University Press. Archived from the original on 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  11. ↑ Takahama, Valerie (2018-03-26). "Literary Resurrection: Jen Beagin's funny and frank debut novel, 'Pretend I'm Dead'". Orange Coast. Retrieved 2026-08-23.
  12. ↑ Burlock, Charley (2019-02-12). "These 4 Newly-Released Books Will Give You Plenty to Talk About at the Dinner Table". Oprah Magazine. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  13. ↑ "Fiction Book Review: Vacuum in the Dark by Jen Beagin". Publishers Weekly. 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  14. ↑ "Big Swiss by Jen Beagin". Publishers Weekly. 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2022-10-15.
  15. ↑ Canfield, David (2019-02-26). "Jen Beagin on writing bad boyfriends, worse behavior, and a hilarious new literary hero". EW.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  16. ↑ Schaub, Michael (2019-02-26). "'Vacuum In The Dark' Is Fun, Funny — But Never Frivolous". NPR.org. NBR Books. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  17. ↑ "Jen Beagin, 2017 Winner in Fiction". Whiting Foundation. Retrieved 2019-03-01.
  18. ↑ "Jen Beagin, Fiction". The Paris Review. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  19. ↑ "Wodehouse prize for comic fiction returns with six nominees". The Irish News. 2019-04-17. Retrieved 2026-08-23.

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