{{short description|American novelist}} {{infobox writer |name=Caren Lissner |birth_date={{birth date and age|1973|2|13}} |birth_place=Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. |occupation={{flatlist| *Novelist *essayist *newspaper editor }} |nationality=American |education=Cedar Ridge High School<br>University of Pennsylvania (BA) |website={{URL|https://carenlissner.com/}} }} '''Caren Lissner''' (born February 13, 1973) is an American novelist, essayist, and newspaper editor. Her published novels include ''Carrie Pilby'' (2003) and ''Starting from Square Two'' (2004).
== Early life == Caren Lissner was born on February 13, 1973, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chicklitcentral.com/2016/02/birthdays-in-february.html|title=Birthdays in February|last=Melissa|access-date=2019-07-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/books/local-author-watches-novel-come-life/|title=Local Author Watches Her Novel Come to Life|date=2016-09-14|website=New Jersey Monthly|access-date=2019-07-08}}</ref> She grew up in Freehold Township, New Jersey, and attended Laura Donovan School and Barkalow Middle School.<ref>Celano, Claire Marie (July 30, 2003). [http://newstranscript.gmnews.com/News/2003/0730/Front_page/025.html "Young author offers tips to audience at workshop: Caren Lissner says love of writing should be first ingredient toward success"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060326212044/http://newstranscript.gmnews.com/News/2003/0730/Front_Page/025.html# |date=2006-03-26 }}. ''News Transcript''. Accessed August 25, 2008. "Lissner, 31, grew up in Freehold Township and attended the Laura Donovan School and the Barkalow Middle School.... She later graduated from high school in Old Bridge."</ref> She graduated from Cedar Ridge High School in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey.<ref>Dougher, Jamie. [https://www1.gmnews.com/2003/07/03/local-writer-will-share-her-experiences-advice/ "Local writer will share her experiences, advice"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007020136/http://www1.gmnews.com/2003/07/03/local-writer-will-share-her-experiences-advice/ |date=2019-10-07 }}, ''Suburban News'', July 3, 2003. Accessed November 7, 2017. "Caren Lissner, a former Old Bridge resident and graduate of Cedar Ridge High School, recently wrote what critics are calling 'the anti-chick-lit novel.'"</ref> She holds a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania, which she attended from 1989 to 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-24 |title=Close Your Eyes |url=https://thepenngazette.com/close-your-eyes/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=The Pennsylvania Gazette |language=en-US}}</ref> While there, she wrote for the student newspaper, the ''Daily Pennsylvanian'',<ref>Steinberg, Becki (June 10, 2010). [http://www.thedp.com/article/college-alumnus-re-release-lauded-novel "College alumnus to re-release lauded novel"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100622011036/http://thedp.com/article/college-alumnus-re-release-lauded-novel |date=2010-06-22 }}. ''The Daily Pennsylvanian''. Accessed 13 June 2010.</ref> and was a member of the Philomathean Society.
== Career == Lissner has published essays, articles, and satire in ''The New York Times'', ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', ''The Atlantic'', and McSweeney's Internet Tendency. She served as editor-in-chief of the ''Hudson Reporter'' group of newspapers based in Hudson County, New Jersey. Her novel ''Carrie Pilby'' was re-released July 1, 2010, by Harlequin Teen and was made into an independent film of the same name starring Bel Powley and Nathan Lane.<ref>Ford, Rebecca (December 17, 2015). [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nathan-lane-gabriel-byrne-william-850036 "Nathan Lane, Gabriel Byrne, William Moseley Join Bel Powley in 'Carrie Pilby' (Exclusive)"]. ''Hollywood Reporter"'. Accessed July 24, 2016.''</ref> The film premiered in 2016, was released to theaters in March 2017, and then ran on Netflix from 2018-2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Felber |first=Susie |title=Houdini's Latte Lab |url=https://www.weehawkengazette.com/p/houdinis-latte-lab |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=www.weehawkengazette.com |language=en}}</ref> Lissner is currently a staff reporter for Patch focusing on the news of Hoboken, NJ.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lissner |first=Caren |date=2023-06-30 |title=From Up Here, You Can See Manhattan, and Houses Left to Crumble |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/30/realestate/union-city-new-jersey-houses.html |access-date=2026-02-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> She is also working on a memoir about her experience of being homeless while attending the University of Pennsylvania.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-24 |title=Close Your Eyes |url=https://thepenngazette.com/close-your-eyes/ |access-date=2026-02-04 |website=The Pennsylvania Gazette |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.carenlissner.com}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lissner, Caren}} Category:1973 births Category:21st-century American novelists Category:American chick lit writers Category:American women essayists Category:Novelists from New Jersey Category:The Daily Pennsylvanian people Category:Living people Category:Old Bridge High School alumni Category:People from Freehold Township, New Jersey Category:People from Old Bridge Township, New Jersey Category:University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:21st-century American women novelists Category:Writers from Middlesex County, New Jersey Category:Writers from Monmouth County, New Jersey
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