San Francisco - July 15, 2009

Life Aquatic

"Swimming," by Nicola Keegan

Philomena, a.k.a. Pip, is the biggest winner around.

But her story is all about losing.

She’s the Kansas gal gone Olympic champion of Nicola Keegan’s debut novel, Swimming. Ever since her parents tossed colicky Pip into the pool, she’s been unfettered, swift, and swan-like. But on land, she’s anchored down by heartache, growth spurts, Catholic guilt, junk food, and a disconnected web of sisters.

Traumatic events (and super coach Ernest K. Mankovitz) isolate and fortify her training, and as she works her way toward the big win — the rest of us just hope she won’t plunge into the deep end.

All the while Keegan’s medal-worthy prose lingers on the tip of the tongue like a diver on the edge of the platform. It’s fresh and spirited even when our heroine is not.

But if you’re looking for the thrill of victory you won’t find it here — the agony of defeat can be felt the whole way through.

Though surely in its wake you’ll notice the stroke of genius.

Available online at amazon.com or at your local bookstore.

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