Maggie Shipstead is an American novelist, short story author, essayist, and travel writer born in 1983 in Mission Viejo, Orange County, California. She has published several novels and collections that have established her as a significant voice in contemporary American fiction. Her published works include Seating Arrangements (2012), Astonish Me (2014), Great Circle (2021), and the short story collection You Have a Friend in 10A (2022). In addition to her novels and stories, Shipstead has also worked as an essayist and travel writer.