Award-winning writer brings humor, magical realism, and sharp social commentary to a timely story about identity, belonging, and the pressures of conformity
BOULDER, CO, UNITED STATES, July 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — At now 100 days, the countdown is on to the release of the book, “The Peccadilloes of Filamena Phipps,” by award-winning author and poet Linda Drattell. Following a children’s book she co-authored and then two poetry books she penned, the October 15, 2026, release marks her first full-length adult novel. Published by Stairwell Books, the story is a satirical work of magical realism that explores the challenges of individuality in a community obsessed with fitting in.
Set in the affluent neighborhood of North Chelsea, the novel follows Filamena Phipps, an immigrant woman who finds herself at odds with neighbors determined to preserve their carefully curated social order. Despite her efforts to adapt, Filamena remains an outsider. Viewed as different—and therefore threatening—she becomes the target of subtle exclusion and mounting pressure to conform.
Rather than surrender her identity, Filamena charts her own path. After dismissing her unfaithful husband, she launches a campaign for mayor, setting off a chain of events that unsettles the community’s power structure. Meanwhile, her untamed garden grows alongside her political ambitions, becoming a symbol of change that her neighbors find increasingly difficult to control.
Told through the perspectives of Filamena, her chief antagonist Livia, and the town’s incumbent mayor, “The Peccadilloes of Filamena Phipps” combines wit, satire, and magical realism to examine social division, cultural acceptance, and the human desire to belong.
Early readers have praised the novel’s humor and originality.
“The interaction is often hilarious and reveals how kowtowing social climbers can be. This book kept me laughing and turning pages: I highly recommend this unique novel.” — John G. Bluck
The novel is expected to appeal to readers who enjoyed “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” and “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” offering a similarly memorable protagonist alongside incisive observations about modern society.
Drattell is an award-winning poet whose work has been recognized by Writer’s Digest and the Atlanta Review Poetry International Grand Prize. Her previous books include the poetry collections “Remember This Day,” recipient of a Reader Views Bronze Award, and “The Lighter Side of Horse Manure.” She also co-authored the children’s book “Who Wants to Be Friends With a Dragon?”, a Distinguished Favorite Award winner in the Independent Press Awards.
“The Peccadilloes of Filamena Phipps” will be promoted in the United States and United Kingdom through advance review copies, media outreach, and appearances at EasterCon, FantasyCon 2026, and other literary and speculative fiction events.
Book Information
Title: The Peccadilloes of Filamena Phipps
Author: Linda Drattell
Category: Adult Upmarket/Literary Fiction
Genre: Magical Realism, Satire
Format: Paperback (216mm x 139mm)
Length: 357 pages
Price: £14.00 / $20.00
Publication Date: October 15, 2026
ISBN: 978-1-917334-33-4
Rights: World English Language
About the Author
Linda Drattell divides her time between Boulder, Colorado, and Barcelona, Spain. Having lived and worked in three world capitals on three continents, she draws upon a lifetime of international experiences to inform her writing. Her poetry and prose have appeared in literary magazines and anthologies, earning awards and accolades. “The Peccadilloes of Filamena Phipps” is her debut novel. Find more on her official website, www.LindaDrattell.com.
Bruce Wawrzyniak
Now Hear This, Inc.
+1 813-854-8000
bruce@now-hear-this.net
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