The Bucket List by Georgia Clark
A deeply funny and thoughtful story of a young woman who, after discovering she has the breast cancer gene, embarks on an unforgettable bucket list adventure.
Twenty-five-old Lacey Whitman is blindsided when she’s diagnosed with the BRCA1 gene mutation: the “breast cancer” gene. Her high hereditary risk forces a decision: increased surveillance or the more radical step of a preventative double mastectomy.
Lacey doesn't want to lose her breasts. For one, she’s juggling two career paths; her work with the prestigious New York trend forecaster Hoffman House, and her role on the founding team of a sustainable fashion app with friend/mentor, Vivian Chang. Secondly, small-town Lacey’s not so in touch with her sexuality: she doesn’t want to sacrifice her breasts before she’s had the chance to give them their hey-day. To help her make her choice, she (and her friends) creates a “boob bucket list”: everything she wants do with and for her boobs before a possible surgery. This kicks off a year of sensual exploration and sexual entertainment for the quick-witted Lacey Whitman.
“Emotional, hilarious, and thought-provoking.”
“The Bucket List is the sweet, sexy, and sex positive women’s fiction book you need to read before summer is over.”
“Smart, funny, sexy and undeniably brilliant, Georgia Clark’s THE BUCKET LIST is the perfect summer read.”
“A compelling, thoughtful take on a very real women’s health issue; both confidently sexy and lighthearted at the same time.”
“The Bucket List is a touching read women everywhere can find a way to relate to.”
Pre-launch party
Soho, 6/26/18
The Bucket List launch
Books are Magic 8/9/18
“A year-long journey of self-discovery, sexual exploration, and total transformation which author Georgia Clark masterfully chronicles in this hilarious and heartwarming novel.”
“Georgia Clark creates a compelling, likable narrator, and sheds light on an important issue. You’ll be staying up past your bedtime to follow Lacey’s journey of the heart and body.”
“A crowd-pleaser; Clark (The Regulars) navigates the reality that comes along with this type of diagnosis with sensitivity and wit.”
“Wonderfully eye-opening, clearly well researched, and handled delicately, this is sure to make summer a little hotter.”
“A heartwarming and hilarious look at the life of a determined and strong young woman.”
Diary of a Book Launch
10/30/18: I was on the Public Library pod with Helen Little.
10/18/18: Moms Don’t Have Time to Read podcast luckily had time to read and interview me.
10/5/18: Bustle thinks I’m perfect Fall reading. Not mad about it.
9/12/18: I wrote about the Eight Best Sex Party Tips for my pals at Marie Claire.
9/10/18: Parade knows The Bold Type pairs well with The Bucket List.
8/22/18: Look who's Number One on Working Mother's End of Summer books list!
8/20/18: Bucket was featured in US Weekly's Summer's Best Send-Offs!
8/14/18: I wrote about falling for gay men in my 20s for Elite Daily.
8/13/18: AMNY think you should take me poolside. Not complaining.
8/10/18: "Smart, funny, sexy and undeniably brilliant, Georgia Clark’s THE BUCKET LIST is the perfect summer read." Wow, thank you BookReporter!
8/8/18: My review in People magazine came out today!
8/8/18: I found the perfect sleep mask and wrote about it for NY Magazine.
8/7/18: I wrote about my Queeriversary for Curve magazine.
8/7/18: ***PUB DAY! CELEBRATING ALL THE THINGS!***
8/6/18: "The Bucket List is the sweet, sexy, and sex positive women’s fiction book you need to read before summer is over.” Thank you Hello Giggles!
8/2/18: I was on my fave podcast Throwing Shade, with Erin Gibson and Bryan Safi.
8/1/18: Featured in Refinery 29's Best Books for August: "Georgia Clark creates a compelling, likable narrator, and sheds light on an important issue. You’ll be staying up past your bedtime to follow Lacey’s journey of the heart and body."
7/23/18: Great review in Publisher's Weekly: "Heartfelt and sexy."
7/11/18: Incredible support in August Cosmo! ("Poignant")
6/22/18: One of seven books you need to read this summer, says the Daily Blast Live.
6/20/18: Another positive trade review! Thanks Library Journal Review. "Wonderfully eye opening, clearly well researched, and handled delicately, this is sure to make summer a little hotter".
6/18/18: AH-MAZING Kirkus Review! “A compelling, thoughtful take on a very real women's health issue; both confidently sexy and lighthearted at the same time."
6/12/18: NUMBER ONE! Thanks for letting me top the Best New Summer Books, Cosmo!
6/3/18: Featured in the Philadelphia Enquirer summer book round-up.
6/2/18: "Witty, sexy" -- LA Times! First critical review is a great one.
5/22/18: Bustle thinks you should put me in your travel bag.
5/7/18: PureWow think I'm one of the best beach reads of the summer. Pass the SPF50+.
5/6/18: Book Bub think I'm funny. Damn straight.
5/3/18: Happy to be in SheReads' Must-Read Books of Summer roundup.
3/22/18: I’m in PopSugar's Summer's Hottest New Books For Every Type of Reader list.
12/27/17: The Bucket List cover reveal and interview on US Weekly.
FAQ about The Bucket List
Q. Do you have the BRCA mutation?
I do not. The inspiration for this story started with a cancer scare of my own. I was in Sydney, on book tour for my last book (The Regulars). While getting a routine Pap smear, my doctor felt a lump. I was scheduled for a diagnostic ultrasound on the same day I was doing my first live TV appearance, a meet-and-greet at Simon & Schuster Australia, radio interviews, and my book launch. Ultimately, the lump was benign, but the stress, fear, and “what ifs” stayed with me.
I was aware of preventive mastectomies, and the concept intrigued me: it felt feminist and raw and emotional; all the things I like in a story. In the first outline, the action was focused around a woman who’d had a mastectomy and was starting to date again. But as I started my research, it quickly became clear that this was not the most dramatic part of a previvor’s journey; that would be the time beforethe decision. Switching the focus added a ticking clock (always good for fiction!), and then the question of the bucket list naturally arose; what would you want to do with your breasts if you were thinking about losing them? What hadn’t you done? Were you meeting your own sexual needs? This created the story.
Q. How did you research this book?
I did extensive research to bring Lacey's story to life, through in-person or phone interviews with women who'd had mastectomies and women with the BRCA gene mutation who were still deciding what to do; with various medical professionals including surgeons and genetic counsellors; in-person visits to support groups; and, of course, a lot of reading on the subject, mostly memoirs and essays. I also looked at how other authors who undertook similar projects (e.g. John Green for The Fault in Our Stars) conducted their research, and drew inspiration from their techniques.
Through writing this book, I have been introduced to the previvor community; women who have had preventative surgeries to mitigate hereditary risk. I am in awe of these women, many of them young women. I felt strongly called to bring this uniquely female story to the page in a way that was emotional, authentic, and sexy, with plenty of room for humor. I love writing about strong women who make tough choices. I hope you enjoy my new novel; please share your thoughts with me.