Things my children will never be able to say about me at my funeral
“She would’ve loved to see each and every one of you here today”
I’ll occasionally be sharing brand new humor pieces in this newsletter, as a li’l treat.
Things my children will never be able to say about me at my funeral
“She would’ve loved to see each and every one of you here today”
“She lit up every room she walked into”
“She didn’t have a single enemy”
“She never wanted to be the center of attention”
“She was grateful for everything she had”
“She never had a bad word to say about anyone”
“She was an eternal optimist”
“She was loved and respected by all”
“She only saw the good in people”
“She would do anything for anyone without even needing to be asked”
“She never complained”
“She left this world with no regrets”
“She will be missed by all who knew her”
💥 NEW REVIEW FOR BUT YOU SEEMED SO HAPPY! 💥
I’m incredibly grateful for this warm review from Booklist [What’s Booklist? I’m adding this context not because I know everything or even some things but because it might be helpful for non-publishing folks. Booklist is one of the big trade reviews. Trade reviews are the earliest reviews (coming before media or literary reviews), and help get books noticed by booksellers, library book buyers, editors, and/or film and TV people.] An excerpt:
"[Readers] will be rewarded with chronological essays brimming with witty observations, biting humor, and thoughtful commentary on courtship, marriage, parenting, happiness, inertia, and yes, divorce. This is neither a bitter screed nor a heartbreaking sob story, but rather a brutally honest, revealing account of how two people came together, followed an expected path, consciously evaluated their relationship, and decided to end their marriage. Like many, Harrington wonders what the post-pandemic future will bring. Readers will be rooting for her, and hope that she has truly found contentment and happiness.” You can preorder BUT YOU SEEMED SO HAPPY here.
THINGS FROM ELSEWHERE:
• “How Ty Burrell became one of TV's most beloved dads” from Entertainment Weekly. Over the past few months my son and I watched Modern Family from pilot to season finale, all eleven seasons, and it was the perfect el-oh-el parent/teenager watch. We’re huge (obsessive?) fans of Ty Burrell so I found this history of his uphill battle to secure the role super interesting.
• As someone who never wants to live with another human being ever again (current immediate family excepted … for now), I found this really inspiring: “Older Singles Have Found a New Way to Partner Up: Living Apart” in The New York Times. “I think it’s important for women to know it is OK to not want to serve as a caregiver and to still hold value as women in society.”
• Related to my previous newsletter, “How Much Do Authors Make Per Book?” from Book Riot.
• 🦒“Giraffes May Be as Socially Complex as Chimps and Elephants”🦒 in The New York Times. “Female giraffes are now known to enjoy yearslong bonds. They have lunch buddies, stand guard over dead calves and stay close with their mothers and grandmothers. Females even form shared day care-like arrangements, called crèches, in which they take turns babysitting and feeding each others young.”
• “A Brief History of People’s Sexiest Man Alive” 👀 in The Gossip Reading Club newsletter. Come for the historical framing and informational tidbits, stay to linger over that pic of [Elaine Benes voice] John F Kennedy, Joonyaaah.
• For kicks I looked up a piece of jewelry that I saw in a fancy ad in the Sunday NYT and that’s how I found out we live on a planet where an almost $100k squirrel bracelet exists. Asteroids can’t take us out soon enough.
Preorder BUT YOU SEEMED SO HAPPY here. Preorder a SIGNED copy of BUT YOU SEEMED SO HAPPY here. You can find my copywriting and creative direction work here. You can find my writing-writing work here. You can find me on Twitter. You can find me on Instagram. Please do not find me in real life, unless you want to talk some shit at a funeral then … maybe.