Joan Frank

MAKE IT STAY
In the tree-nestled Northern California town of Mira Flores, writer Rachel ("an aging typist with an unprofitable hobby") and her Scottish husband Neil prepare dinner for a familiar "crew" of guests - among them Neil's best friend, the burly, handomse Mike Spender, an irrepressible hedonist - and Mike's wife, the troubling Tilda Krall, a hard-bitten figure who carries her dark unknowability like an accusation.

Mike and Tilda have produced an enchanting daughter, Addie - who will also appear, unexpectedly, that night. As they ready the meal, Rae begs Neil to retell her the strange, twisted story of the Spenders - to include Mike's secret life, and what happened once Tilda learned of it. Neil and Rae cannot guess how the shock waves from that story will threaten to destroy their own marriage - after a mysterious catastrophe propels all five individuals into uncharted realities.

Advance Praise for MAKE IT STAY:

"Frank’s novel is a meditation on the collision between an enduring friendship and a singular marriage, both of them, in ways, life-saving. Frank breathes life into these relationships through painterly vignettes. Her prose has the impressionistic quality of poetry ... skillfully distill[ing] the zeal and alienation of a midlife love attenuated by distance and grief."
— Publishers' Weekly


Joan Frank is a supple, graceful writer. Make it Stay follows the long sweep of a friendship between two men, and the toll it takes on their families. This novel ponders the mystery of personality, mining our own bewilderment with the actions of friends and lovers. I couldn't put it down.
— Alice Elliott Dark, author of Think of England and In the Gloaming


A beautifully written love story—love between spouses and between friends—for those of us who know that the only story that matters is about the frightening fragility of life.
— Elizabeth Benedict, author of The Joy of Writing Sex; editor of Mentors, Muses & Monsters


Brilliant, moving, and original.
— Jeffrey Levine, author of Rumor of Cortez


A novel in triptych—the love story of Neil and Mike, the best friend who saves his life, and Neil and Rae, the woman who adores him. Gorgeously written.
— Jane Vandenburgh, author of A Pocket History of Sex in the Twentieth Century


A genuine wonder of a book—a deeply moving reflection on the nature of friendship and love, how past informs present, life’s magnificent interconnectivity. An entire world is here, as Joan Frank deftly weaves a tale that illuminates the lives of her characters, their imperfections and desires revealed in least expected moments. Recognition unfolds into something resembling transformation. A story filled with the stuff of life—nothing less than astonishing.
— Matthew Iribarne, author of Astronauts and Other Stories


"I loved this book and happily give it 4 stars, at points I was leaning towards 4.5. I loved the writing style . . . The characters were interesting and imperfect, the love real and flawed. The writing was accessible and lovely. . . highly recommend it."
— Cheryl, Blogger: Confessions from a Rambling Mind

In Envy Country: Stories
"Meticulously observed, with sentences that will make you stop and go back for another look.” — Ehud Havazelet

"A wonderful, intimate feel, as though the narrator is whispering in our ear at the start of each one, ‘You won’t believe what I heard.’ - Elizabeth Strout

"Subtlety, intelligence, and sly wit.” — Brian Morton

"Unusual wit, sophistication and psychological insight; reading these pages is a pleasure.” - Margot Livesey

"The uneasy balance of power between male and female binds this sharp collection . . . Frank works every aspect of these stories with relentless energy, and readers will be sure to pay attention."
- Publishers Weekly

"[B]itingly ironic, provocative scenes of contemporary life, so complete that they will satisfy readers who typically grab 400-page novels . . . The art of these stories is in their telling . . . Frank hits precisely the right note. Often, the stories are funny . . . perceptive . . . wise."
- The Boston Globe:

The Great Far Away
Northern California Book Award in Fiction Nominee. "An exquisitely beautiful--and honest and sad--elegy for a generation ... may well become the accepted memorial to a peculiarly American experiment, yet rises to mirror all our lives."
- Rosa Shand

"Engaging and generous ... lyrical and passionate."
- Chuck Wachtel

"A compact, bittersweet tale capturing the essence of carefree youth and lost innocence."
- Publishers Weekly

"Compassionate and tough wisdom ... brilliantly portrays what disintegrates and what endures."
- Kevin McIlvoy

Miss Kansas City: A Novel
Michigan Literary Fiction Award. “A braided exploration of relationships in our time. With precision, wit, and compassion, Joan Frank provides us with an odyssey into the heart—a gorgeous meditation.”

“An utterly convincing portrait...at once specific, yet also universal.”

“An assured first novel by an irrepressibly talented writer.”