Nothing is quite as immersive as a good book. Novels provide an incredible gateway into people’s lives(and sometimes, those of other beings) we will never meet. They allow us to think differently, learn something new, find a moment of quiet, or even have a laugh. Whether you find yourself a five-star read or wind up with a one-star rating, it is undeniable that finishing a book will leave you with something you did not have before. But nothing is as life-changing, challenging, and rewarding as creating a novel of your own.
For Birukti Tsige, a member of the Malden High School graduating class of 2019, that dream has become reality. Her debut novel, Too Pretty To Lie, though it doesn’t have an official release date, will be published sometime around late 2026 to early 2027 through Viking Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Random House, one of the most widely respected publishing groups.
Too Pretty to Lie centers around an Ethiopian-American college dropout who, after her overachieving sister fails to get accepted into Harvard and tragically takes her own life, decides to infiltrate Harvard, pose as a student, and embark on the ultimate heist–––stealing from “the sons and daughters of the rich and powerful.”
Going on to graduate from Harvard University in 2023 and currently being enrolled at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, Too Pretty to Lie draws heavily on Tsige’s experiences in prestigious academic institutions. “Usually, the stories I write are very particular to the places that I have lived in. I like for the setting to be a character on its own,” she affirmed.
Tsige’s writing journey began on an accessible platform many are familiar with: Wattpad. Wattpad is a popular website intended for reading and/or writing general fiction, as well as connecting with fellow writers and readers. “I was writing under a pen name, which, in hindsight, was a very good choice; there are a lot of things you write when you’re 12 and don’t necessarily want to be associated with when you’re older,” Tsige jokingly recalled.
In high school, Tsige furthered her passion for all things literary, engaging in the creative writing club and representing Malden High at the Poetry Out Loud finals in 2019. She also thrived in advocacy, participating in Mock Trial competitions and successfully overturning a former dress code restriction on cultural head wraps in 10th grade. Read more about her advocacy efforts here: https://www.maldenblueandgold.com/2016/11/mhs-students-tsige-missamou-bilimo-overturn-headwrap-ban/
“There were a lot of resources at Malden High to take advantage of,” she commented. “I loved all my teachers…they supported me.”
Mock Trial and government teacher Richard Tivnan reflected on working with Tsige, stating: “Academically, she was one of the best students I’ve seen in 20 years…one of the best mock trial participants we’ve ever had. She used to do our closing arguments and it was just unbelievable.”
Jennifer Clapp, an English teacher at Malden High, expressed how “she is a great thinker; she enjoyed intellectual discourse and challenging her own beliefs, thinking about the right thing to do or the right interpretation, and making sure that she was informed so that she could criticize what was going on with the world around her.”
After graduating and being in the process of editing her first novel, Tsige reached out to Clapp, to which she responded with a complete edit letter––a front-to-back markup of the entire novel.
Although the novel did not get published, Tsige still gained valuable insight from the feedback and attained a sense of validation. “Having that support system was very lovely…I know she’s read wonderful books, but she didn’t read mine and say, ‘No, you shouldn’t publish this,’ but instead said, ‘Let me give you my notes.’ That was encouraging,” Tsige highlighted.
Receiving guidance from a professional agent also allowed Tsige to build confidence. “You know they believe in it and think it’s going to sell…[my agent] supported me every step of the way.”
To anyone hoping to embark upon a creative writing journey, Tsige urges you to “read a lot and write a lot. In terms of writing for traditional publishing, there’s no space for ego. Your first book is likely going to be bad, and so is your second, and so is your third. It’s fine to really believe in it, but also know how to move on and write different things.”
Crafting, editing, and selling a novel is far from an easy feat. It requires skillful work-life balance, hours spent in front of a computer, and a hardcore passion for the art. That said, it continues to be an experience that allows one to make a true mark on both the lives of readers and the world. Achieving ‘success’ in the rejection-abundant industry may be daunting, but Tsige’s story proves that it is not impossible. Whether you are composing Wattpad fanfictions that take an hour, or carefully crafted novels that take eight years, writing and consuming literature continues to hold immense value, serving as the backbone of an educated and empathetic society.
For those interested, add Too Pretty To Lie to Goodreads using this link https://goodreads.com/book/show/221555415-too-pretty-to-lie and follow Birukti on Instagram @biruktiwrites for more updates.
