I'M NOT MISSING

The debut contemporary YA novel follows what happens when half-Latina Miranda's best friend, Frankie, runs away in the middle of senior year, and how Miranda is forced out from behind Frankie's shadow, stumbles into first love, and and learns what it means to be finally not missing in her own life.

Set in the desert city of Las Cruces, New Mexico, I’m Not Missing is a story about the complications of best friendship. When Miranda Black’s mother abandoned her at a young age, she took everything—the sun, moon and stars—and Miranda found shelter in her friendship with brilliant and acerbic Frankie, founder of the MC (Momless Club, membership: 2), who wore her own motherlessness like a badge of honor. When Frankie runs away suddenly and inexplicably in the middle of their senior year, Miranda is abandoned once again, left to untangle the questions of why Frankie left, where she is—and if she’s even a friend worth saving. Her only clue along the way is Frankie’s discarded pink leopard print cellphone and a single text contained there from the mysterious HIM.Along the way, forced to step out from Frankie’s enormous shadow, Miranda finds herself stumbling into first love with Nick Richardson of all people and learning what it means to be truly seen, to be finally not missing in her own life. Carrie Fountain is a funny and poised woman who would make a great ambassador to young readers. Born and raised in Mesilla, NM, her debut collection of poems, Burn Lake, was a National Poetry Series winner and was published in 2010 by Penguin. Her second collection, Instant Winner, was published by Penguin in 2014. Her work has been featured on The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor. She received her MFA from the James A. Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently writer-in-residence at St. Edward’s University, she lives in Austin with her husband, playwright Kirk Lynn, and their two children. You can read more about her at www.carriefountain.com.