Meg Waite Clayton

Author of the international bestsellers The Postmistress of Paris, The Last Train to London, and 6 other novels

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If My Story is Paper

Stumble Gorgeous by Paula McLainI read a poem last night that was both lovely and inspiring, reminding me where to search for story, and how to write it. “Ark” by Paula McLain (author of Paris Wife) begins:

If my story is paper, so is yours—
single sheet folded variously, damp
in the creases, perishable as sleep.

The poem isn’t about writing, but the emotional depth it mines is what I should be mining as I write, if I can find the courage to do so. I’d love to share the whole poem, but I wasn’t able to find on any copyright-respecting online source, and I’d rather commend you to the volume of poems it comes from anyway, which is Stumble, Gorgeous.
Happy Writing! – Meg

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Meg Waite Clayton


Meg Waite Clayton is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of nine novels, including the forthcoming TYPEWRITER BEACH (Harper, July 1, 2025), the Good Morning America Buzz pick and New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS, the National Jewish Book Award finalist THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON, the Langum-Prize honored THE RACE FOR PARIS, and THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS, one of Entertainment Weekly’s 25 Essential Best Friend Novels of all time. Her novels have been published in 23 languages. She has also written more than 100 pieces for major newspapers, magazines, and public radio, mentors in the OpEd Project, and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the California bar. megwaiteclayton.com