Lauren Kuhl ’10 is not pretentious, although her debut novel, The Art of Pretend, was released by Harper-Collins in July. The book chronicles a young woman named Ren living in New York and her increasingly precarious romance with her best friend’s wealthy older brother. 

Contrary to the choices and machinations of her colorful characters, Kuhl has worked long hours, paid her dues in the fast-paced world of Public Relations, and worked diligently with agents and editors to fine-tune her manuscript and prepare it for publication. Getting the novel to print took four years and is just another example of the rigor she has sought and valued her whole life.

“I joined Oak Knoll in the ninth grade,” she explained. “I wanted a challenging academic environment. I was reflecting on it recently. As students, we were not competitive with each other. We were competitive with ourselves.”

That support of self-discipline made a significant impression on Kuhl. She recalls her junior high school before Oak Knoll and the feeling that girls should downplay their achievements. “I remember I was in a math class,” she explained. “I had the best grades in the class and almost felt embarrassed that I was doing so well. I remember getting to Oak Knoll and thinking, wow, it is not like that here. Oak Knoll played a big part in shaping who I am, my work ethic, and how I carry myself in the world.”

Kuhl went on to attend Lafayette College, where her communication skills were praised, and a career counselor encouraged her to enter the field of public relations. She moved to New York City and had a very successful stint serving major clients and meeting individuals who would later inspire some of the plotlines and characters in her novel.

The PR field inspired a budding storyline, but she attributes her young age, fresh out of college, to her inability to take her tale to the finish line. “I think I always hoped to write in some professional capacity. I would read novels and be mystified at how authors begin to craft a story of such length and magnitude. But I was 22, working long hours, and I don’t think I had enough time. I also hadn’t really lived. I know that there are 22-year-olds that write novels, and I’m sure some of them are good, but I wasn’t ready.”

Years later, she revisited the project as her 20s drew to a close and the pandemic sent her home to New Jersey to stay with family. She had had life experiences by now, and the coronavirus had forced everyone to slow down.

“I just ripped the Band-Aid off and said, let’s see if I still got it,” she related. By the end of the shutdown, she had the bulk of a novel. A dear college friend worked as an entertainment agent and always wanted to collaborate. Off went the manuscript, and in came the positive reviews. This led to a literary agent who got the book to professional readers at the publisher. After more hard work fine-tuning and incorporating feedback, Harper Collins optioned the book, which hit bookstands on July 9, 2014.

Former Oak Knoll English Teacher Harriet Marcus was integral in helping Kuhl identify as a writer. “She instilled the belief that writing wasn’t just something I found enjoyable. It was a gift. Having a teacher like Mrs. Marcus and finding sanctity in her classes was a dream. I loved writing, English, and reading. She was a true highlight at Oak Knoll for me.“

Kuhl says people frequently ask if her main character, Ren, is a variation of her own personality.

“The main character in the novel is not me. Writing her character was often very challenging because I’d question her behavior and wonder why she would do that. Funnily enough, she is a public relations person who wants to be a writer, which was me. That was who I am, but like all her other dynamics, I just made them up.”

Through her persistence, tenacity, hard work, and remarkable talent, Kuhl has learned, through plumbing her imagination, the art “to” pretend rather than “of” pretend.

Order the novel now on her website.