Katherine Pickett
Author and Editor
In 2022 I said to my husband, “What if I’m secretly a novelist?”
We both laughed.
The lesson? It’s never too late to follow your passion.
A Reckoning Awaits
Debra Lee’s life is overflowing—widowed at 38, raising a son, supporting a daughter in college, and caring for a mother with dementia, all while managing her multiple sclerosis. Determined to seize the moment, she sets out to conquer the 150-mile Chesapeake Challenge bike ride before her MS slows her down.
But just as she gathers the courage to push forward, ghosts from her past resurface. Caroline Cook—the friend who once betrayed her—wants back in her life. And the man who shattered her world as a teenager is suddenly appearing in unexpected places.
As old wounds reopen, will she find the strength to cross the finish line, or will the past derail her journey?
Fans of Bonnie Garmus, Michelle Brafman, and Gail Honeyman will be rooting for Debra Lee!
Reading Guide inside!
“Pickett’s novel promises the kind of emotional depth and grit I crave. No toxic positivity, just a woman pushing through real life with all the accompanying, and highly relatable, mess and heart. Debra Lee Won’t Break is high on my summer list.”
—Hannah Grieco, Washington City Paper
Reviews for Debra Lee Won’t Break
“An electrifying tale of grit, heart, and unshakable resolve. . . . Katherine Pickett is a masterful storyteller whose words don’t just tell a story—they pull you in, wrap around your heart, and linger long after the last page.”
—Suzie Housley, Midwest Book Review
“Heartwarming. . . . An inspiring tale of an unlikely heroine who discovers a wellspring of strength within herself, encouraging us all to push past our limits with persistence and grit.”
—Lisa Doggett, MD, author of Up the Down Escalator: Medicine, Motherhood, and Multiple Sclerosis
“Moving, inspiring, gorgeously written . . . Debra Lee Won’t Break is the ride of a lifetime!”
—New York Times bestselling author Michael Levin
“Hooked me from the first page. . . . [Pickett] has created a protagonist with grit, resilience, and a heart so big that it beats through every page of this well-crafted novel.”
—Michelle Brafman, author of Swimming with Ghosts and Draw Near to Me
“Debra Lee Won’t Break will have you rooting for its eponymous heroine from page one. Written with warmth and sensitivity and notable for its realistic portrayal of a life with multiple sclerosis, this heartening story of family and friendship suggests it just may be possible to go home again after all.”
—Hillary Adrienne Stern, author of The Garment Maker’s Daughter
“Debra Lee Won’t Break . . . sheds light on the true importance of friends, family, and perseverance. Like the bike race at its center, this book is a journey well worth taking.”
—Jennifer Savran Kelly, author of Endpapers
“It is amazing how you took the time to listen to us in our chats. Thank you for making MS an actual disease. I’m still having problems with people who give me a sympathetic nod and have NO idea what I’m going through.”
–Jenny Barbieri, blogger at A Girl with MS and a Dream
More Books by Katherine Pickett
Carla, Lola, and friends are overjoyed to start third grade with Mrs. Quimby, but when they arrive on their first day, they discover Mrs. Quimby isn’t at school. Miss Scarlett, the evil substitute, has taken over her class. Now the gang is on a mission to track down their beloved teacher.
In the companion to Debra Lee Won’t Break, Caroline Cook has just learned that she is pregnant with her second child when she receives a life-changing diagnosis. Now every decision is life and death. Will she ever find the peace she craves?
News and Events (Blog)
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With 25 years in publishing, I’m passionate about books. Ask me about my workshops, book club visits, and more.
Contact me today!
Katherine Pickett 