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Claire Jentsch

@claire_jentsch

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Writer | Food enthusiast | Patchogue, NY
Ghostess Hostess @katieshauntedbookclub
Typewriting terrors @ms_menace

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NOVEMBER 14-Saville, NY
Join Claire Jentsch in Conversation with
Meryl Branch-McTiernan as they discuss the new book, “What You Should Worry About.”
Tiny Raccoon Books
7PM
277 Railroad Ave
Sayville, NY 11782 by @claire_jentsch

Join author Meryl Branch-McTiernan for a reading from her book, 'What you Should Worry About'. Friend of the store Claire Jentsch will moderate a Q&A with the author.

November 14th
7pm
277 Railroad Avenue, Sayville, NY 11782
Free.
Author will be selling and signing their book

About the book
It's January of 2020 and thirty-seven-year-old Layla Moody is trying to worm her way into a party at the Sundance Film Festival. When she’s not picking up other people’s abandoned drinks or skinny-dipping in the hot tub, she’s trying to gain access to someone who can jump-start her stymied career as a Hollywood television writer. After a run-in with one of her creative heroines, she lands an opportunity to get her show produced. The only catch is, she has to return to New York, which she’s been avoiding since her father’s death.

But soon all is thwarted when COVID-19 shuts down the entertainment industry and any opportunity to propel her life forward. While quarantining alone in her parents’ apartment in Queens, Layla wrestles with the ghost of an ex-boyfriend who disappeared unexpectedly, the grief of processing the loss of her father, and the notion that she just might be the one responsible for her current state of solitude.

Meryl Branch-McTiernan is a novelist, essayist, and screenwriter. She cowrote and produced the comedy feature, Katie’s Mom, which won the Audience Award for Fusion Features at the 2023 Dances with Films festival. Her short fiction has appeared in The Brooklyn Rail and The Southampton Review.

Her debut novel, What You Should Worry About was released by Akashic Books in June of 2026. She received her BS in Television, Radio, and Film from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and her MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Stony Brook University, where she teaches creative writing to undergraduates.

Parking for Tiny Raccoon Books is behind the store or across the street at the free LIRR lot.
See less by @claire_jentsch

Go Stony Brook CWMFAers: Just a terrific gathering at B Scene bar in the East Village. Thank you, @outerboroqn! Such wonderful readings from our gaggle of writers!
@stonybrookmfacreative_writing
#writersspeak by @claire_jentsch

Stony Brook Creative Writing students, alums, faculty and friends! The party's getting started again with Meryl Branch-McTiernan's Stony Brook in the City. Join us on Saturday, October 24 @ 1 pm at @bscenenyc for an afternoon with writers Rob Taylor, Claire Jentsch, Salvatore Juliano, and Christopher Schepp. by @claire_jentsch

Update on Impa, the terrified shadow cat who lived under our bed for the first few months of her adoption. This is her hanging out in the wide open right next to my desk. 🖤

#adoptdontshop by @claire_jentsch

I had some time before I went to see Practical Magic 2 last night, so I took some photos of my outfit using a tripod that wasn’t meant to hold a phone, hence the wonky angles. We’ll call it fun. 🖤 Details on thrifted and gifted items in the photos because fast fashion is bad.

Re: the movie itself - It was cute! It was fine! Drink a margarita while you watch and you’ll have a good time. by @claire_jentsch

And on day (????) of the slow collapse of democracy, society, the environment, etc. , she took to arranging flowers. 🌺
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#zinniasofinstagram #zinnias #zinniaflowers #dohashtagsdoanythinganymore #idontcare by @claire_jentsch

Happy birthday to the best animal dad in the history of the world. @jentsch.alex’s gentleness with our furry babies is an example of his deep love and care for the world. He inspires me to be a more patient, curious, and hopeful human being every day, and I couldn’t be prouder to be his spouse/lover/the agent of chaos in his otherwise orderly world.

For context on the last photo of just Impa: 1) Impa seldom likes to be held 2) Alex is the only person she will let hold her, a testament to his magical animal companion powers. 🐈‍⬛ by @claire_jentsch

Life has been too chaotic lately to take many aesthetically pleasing pictures in my house, but today our handsome marshmallow cat took up residence on our nicest chair. 📸 by @claire_jentsch

Breakfast down south visiting family.

Toasted jalapeño cheese beer bread from Czech Stop. Scrambled eggs with Crystal. Investigative cat. by @claire_jentsch

A little late to the party but these are my Oscars snacks and you have to clap for my silly pun names:

THE SECRET ALGAENT - Chimichurri trout, avocado, seaweed, rice paper bundle

BRIEGONIA - brie, fig jam, fried onions

MARTINI SUPREME -Vodka marinated olives and herbed goat cheese

SMOKE AND STACK - smoked oyster pâté with green onions

There were more planned but I am just one woman with only one stomach. 😭 by @claire_jentsch

The Jentsch Haus has been keeping a secret for the past few weeks, which isn’t hard because she’s so shy and sneaky that the only pictures (mug shots) we have of her are through our nanny cam.

World, meet Impa! Named after the nursemaid/badass warrior in Legend of Zelda, she’s fast, agile, and not afraid to use your face as a launch pad to claw her way out of your arms. We weren’t sure if our landlord would allow a third animal, but he quickly agreed when it became clear that this cat takes up about as much space as a shadow. (In contrast to Korben, who is a gigantic sentient squishmallow pillow.)

After a rough start to life that included watching all of her kitten babies be adopted, Impa isn’t keen on being around people and doesn’t seem to care about other animals one way or the other. Still, she’s been exploring her section of our apartment a little more each day and seems to appreciate the treats we leave her as offerings. We’re in love with our little Lady of Shadows and will try to share pictures of her when we can get them. Welcome home, Impa 🖤 by @claire_jentsch