The Modern Novel

Biography

Camille Laurens was born Laurence Ruel-Mézières in 1957 in Dijon. After studying literature, she taught in Rouen and Morocco. She moved towards writing autofiction with her novel, Philippe, about the death of her baby. When Marie Darrieussecq published a novel about the death of a baby, Laurens, accused Darrieussecq of psychic plagiarism (plagiat psychique). This led to a dispute between the two writers, both published by the same publisher, P.O.L. The result was that P.O.L. took Darrieussecq’s side, refusing to publish Laurens any more. She replied that she no longer wanted to be published by them. She is now published by Gallimard.

Other sites

Camille Laurens (in French)

On the feud with Marie Darrieussecq

Marie Darrieussecq:”L’accusation de plagiat est une mise à mort” (in French)
Marie Darrieussecq – Camille Laurens / Yannick Haenel – Claude Lanzmann – Annette Wieviorka / Polémique (in French)
Interview about feud with Camille Laurens (in French)
Interview with Camille Laurens about feud with Marie Darrieussecq (in French)