Exeter DPhil student Clementine Collett publishes her debut novel

The debut novel of final year Exeter doctoral student Clementine Collett (2020, DPhil Information, Communication & Social Sciences) will be published on 7 November by Putnam (PRH) with a launch party in Blackwell’s later this month.

Clementine, who uses the nom de plume Clementine Taylor, completed an undergraduate degree in theology and religious studies at the University of Oxford as well as a Master’s degree in gender studies at the University of Cambridge. After a few years working as a researcher in Cambridge and London, she is now studying for a doctorate on AI and gender at Exeter College, where she has published her first novel, Something About Her.

Something About Her follows two young women on their unexpected and entrancing love story. After meeting at the University of Edinburgh’s Poetry Society, Aisling and Maya find themselves entangled in one another as everything around them begins to change. And so begins what PrideSource calls a ‘rich, intimate queer coming-of-age story’, as Clementine’s novel untangles the vulnerability and life-changing power of modern love.

The novel has received considerable praise, with Lauren McBrayer, author of Like a House on Fire, writing that Clementine Taylor ‘captures the beautiful ache of desire and the complexity of queerness in this raw and tender story of first love’.

Clementine is having a book launch for Something About Her on 21 November from 5-7pm at Blackwell’s in Oxford. There will be free drinks and books for sale throughout, plus a short reading at 6pm. Click here to register for the book launch.

Something About Her will be available to purchase from 7 November. Congratulations to Clementine for her remarkable achievement!