'Do You Think Your College Boyfriend Has Any Hair Left?'
and other questions people ask about my memoir.
Hi! Happy spring and welcome, new subscribers!
April was a fun, busy month for me and I hope it was a great one for you too. I attended the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop in Ohio and had the opportunity to spend time with my brilliant pals
and and lots of other smart and hilarious writers. I made new friends and ate gorgeous desserts that alone were enough to make me mark my calendar for the next conference in 2026.I also had a chance to read wonderful soon-to-be-released books (more on those below) and visit some of New Jersey’s more picturesque places.
On the business-y side of things, I’ve been attempting (somewhat awkwardly) to promote my memoir Sad Sacked, which comes out June 11. If you’d like to read an early copy for free, you can request it on Book Sirens. If you’d like to pre-order it, you can do that here. Either way, thank you! If you purchase it, I’d be happy to send you a bookmark and/or the cookies you’ll read about in Chapter 10, “Bake It ‘Til You Make It.”
Thank you to
and Women Writers, Women(’s) Books for sharing excerpts, which you can read here and here.I’ve received a few questions about the book. The most common is this: “Wait, is this another memoir?” Followed by, “Didn’t this come out already?”
Fair questions! So, no, it’s not another memoir. And, yes, it was released in November 2021 but as an audiobook only with Audible. I retained the print rights (as well as the film & TV rights in case anyone reading this is clamoring to produce a show about an unemployed couple bickering over joining the YMCA and buying organic produce). I was fortunate to receive an offer from Vine Leaves Press (VLP) to publish it in paperback and ebook.
The next question I get is: “Why is the cover different?”
Another good one! Vine Leaves could’ve licensed the artwork from Audible but VLP publisher Jessica Bell is not only a talented musician but also a top-notch cover designer. So she created a new one.
I received a few early copies and gave one to my mom, who, at 81, says whatever she’s thinking. (God love her.) She hadn’t listened to the audio when it came out because she finds technology exasperating. Don’t believe me? Try reading her texts which typically begin with, “What the devil is this thing doing now? Oh hi sweetie, it’s your mom…” followed by a wall of nonsense as the microphone bungles her monologue.
The memoir, for anyone new here, chronicles the period that came after my husband and I lost our jobs within weeks of each other in 2013-2014.
“I don’t know whether to laugh or cry,” was my mom’s initial take-away, which was strikingly similar to the blurb I received from the wonderful New York Times bestselling author of "You're Leaving When?"
who said, “Liz Alterman will have you laughing and crying, more laughter than tears, but if you've ever tried to put on a brave face when someone tells you ‘it's all going to work out,’ you need this book, I know I did! Five stars for Alterman's skillful writing and storytelling.”(Thank you again, Annabelle!)
My mom followed her testimonial with this question: “Do you think (name of my college boyfriend redacted) has any hair left?”
I should mention that while my college boyfriend makes a brief cameo toward the end of the story, his hair never factors in. (To find out more about my mom’s thoughts on my college boyfriend, you’ll have to read the book.) Also by “college boyfriend,” I mean the guy I dated in the early ‘90s. If I had a college boyfriend now, that would be a different memoir—one that would likely garner far more press coverage.
There’s been a lot of back-and-forth about the publishing industry lately: Are people still buying books? Is Substack the future of publishing? (Please read the always-hilarious
piece for more on that.)While I’m not going to weigh in, I bring it up and share the above memoir questions to say this: You can write tens of thousands of words hoping you’ve crafted an honest and insightful take on a subject (in my case, the impact of job loss) and your reader may come away with something else entirely (like, say, musings on hair loss). In sum, you can only write to the best of your ability and then try to accept the fact that so much—the business of publishing, the opinions of readers—is out of your hands.
But I will say that I think there’s a bit of magic in this endeavor too. Every time I feel like hiding in my shed, I receive a lovely email from a reader. Last week’s came from someone via LinkedIn who told me she read an article I’d written about job loss that led her to the memoir and listening to it helped her feel less alone following a “brutal layoff.”
And that is exactly why I wrote it.
If you’re thinking of starting a memoir, I’m offering a presentation: Ready to Write Your Memoir? Here's How to Begin on the following dates:
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 1:45 p.m. at NJALA Conference at the Mercer County Conference Center
and
Tuesday, June 18, 2024 7 to 8 p.m. at Library of the Chathams (and virtually).
I’ve also been trying to promote my next suspense novel The House on Cold Creek Lane out Aug. 6. If you’d like to read an early ebook copy for free, you can request it from NetGalley. If you’d like to pre-order it, you can do that here. Thank you again!
I hope to run giveaways for both books leading up to their publication dates. Stay tuned!
If you’re in a book club and choose either or both of these, I’d love to send you bookmarks and Zoom in for your meeting—or, if you’re in central NJ, I’d be happy to come by in person. I promise not to eat all your cheese.
What I’ve been reading:
A Friend Indeed by Elka Ray
Twisty and ingenious, A Friend Indeed is an engrossing psychological thriller perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Ruth Ware. This one will definitely have you wondering how far you’d go to help a friend in need. Out May 14, you can pre-order it here.
This second chance romance took me right back to some of my favorite John Cusack movies like High Fidelity and Say Anything. You can pre-order it here.
The Widow on Dwyer Court by Lisa Kusel
Perfect for fans of Kiersten Modglin's The Arrangement, The Widow on Dwyer Court is a sexy psychological thriller that will leave you breathless. It’s so much fun to read Lisa’s crisp, smart dialogue. This one comes out July 16. Pre-order here.
Do the Next New Thing by Pamela Lamp
Pam is the founder of Who I Met Today and anyone who subscribes to her newsletter knows what an engaging voice she has as well as an uncanny ability to find the most interesting things. In her book, she shares how she found passion and purpose following a move to Nashville. I’m so inspired by Pam’s “make each day count” mentality. Out Aug. 6, you can pre-order it here.
Dear Eliza by Andrea J. Stein (
)Ten years after her mother’s death, Eliza never imagined she’d hear from her mom again. Then the letter arrived. This timely tale brims with humor and heart. Out Oct. 8, pre-order it here.
Events I’m looking forward to:
My dear friend, Melissa Elder, poet and author of The Mundane and Nostalgia, will be at The Book House in Millburn, NJ Thursday, May 2 at 6 p.m. Warm, witty, and wise, Melissa could give an author talk once a week and I’d never miss it.
, together with the New York Public Library, is hosting an official #1000Words of Summer launch Saturday, June 1, 2024, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. This author talk and write along is a hybrid event so if you can’t attend in person, Zoom in.Time for my gratuitous cat photo. Boots, Bubbles, and I appreciate you indulging us.
As always, thanks for reading! I wish you all the best.
I love a good gratuitous cat photo and appreciated the FAQ about Sad Sacked. It was so great to see you at Erma too, I also already have 2026 dates on my calendar :)
Great hanging out at EBWW! You were not kidding about the cake. I totally agree that those notes from readers is really what sustains an author, sometimes. Glad you got such a nice lift from it and hope it lasts a while!