We’re looking forward to introducing you to Gabi Coatsworth. Check out our conversation below.
Gabi, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’d have to say that I’m proud of building a writing community here in Connecticut. Writing is a lonely business, and giving people the chance to hang out with other writers seems to have been successful. We gather once a month to talk about writing, set a few goals, and get or give information about where to submit, writing contests, author events, and more. I run an open mic for writers once a month too, and a weekly write-in where people can show up and write in the company of other writers. We don’t read or critique, but the work gets done!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I was born in Britain, but have spent most of my life trying to figure out how America works by living there. So, if you find a British flavor in my books, don’t be surprised.
Atmosphere Press published my first novel, A Beginner’s Guide to Starting Over, in 2023. My second novel, set in the same imaginary small town, A Field Guide to Library Ghosts, came out in October 2025. My first memoir, Love’s Journey Home, was published in 2022, and there’s a second one in the works.
My work has appeared in several anthologies too, including the Connecticut Literary Journal (2024) and a book of historical fiction: Feisty Deeds, Volume 2 (2025).
Unlike many writers, I can’t write in coffee shops – they’re too distracting and I only drink coffee as a last resort. I live in Connecticut in a cottage that’s American on the outside, and English inside. If I’m not reading, writing, or traveling, you’ll find me in my flower garden holding a cup of my preferred beverage, strong English tea, and wondering whether to do some weeding.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
This may seem like an odd reply, but it goes along with the next question: what did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I was bullied by a girl in school when I was about nine. She was taller than me and intimidating, so I never felt I could stop her doing it, and often wished her dead. One day, the teacher made us sit in silence while he told us that she’d been killed when a swing in the park had caught her under the chin and broken her neck. I believed her death was my fault for a long time.
It took quite a while before I could believe that I wasn’t to blame. Nowadays, I know that sometimes things happen for no apparent reason.
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
My father was ill for most of my childhood and died when I was twelve. Reading saved me. Some books took me somewhere completely different, where things always turned out right. Some, like Little Women, gave me permission to cry over the death of Beth, which allowed me to express some of my feelings about losing my father. I tried not to cry in front of my mother, because I didn’t want her to be sad.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I’m a writer, and the biggest lie in the writing and publishing world is that anyone can be a success if they just try hard enough. Millions of books are published/self-published every year, and becoming a success only happens to a few. As for making a living as a writer, that, too, is very difficult.
And being a success comes with its own drawbacks. Having to write at least one book a year, whether you feel like it or not, having to make appearances whenever your publicist says you need to, and not having time to write are some of them.
But I write anyway!
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Saying yes to things I don’t really feel like doing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/gabicoatsworth
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