Heartbeat Newsletter

August in New York always feels like a month of Sundays and while work hasnā€™t exactly slowed down, my wife Lindsay and Iā€™ve been soaking up as much of that summer-in-the-city magic as possible. We took the kiddos to the Central Park Zoo for the first time. As a vegetarian bleeding-heart liberal, I have Feelings about animals as entertainment, but Iā€™ll admit the zippy sea lion show, the grizzly bears taking a dip, and the snow leopard glaring imperiously at the tourists were kinda delightful.

Lucky for me, I have friends who are exactly that generous. This marks the fifth summer I’ve spent in Fairfield, CT, for the month of July, while our dear friends take their kids to Europe, where they’re from. What started as a one-off week has become one of our most beloved family rituals, made possible by the extraordinary generosity of spirit of people we love. There are many holiday moments I dig. Christmas. Any holiday that involves eating.

When I tell people I’ve published eight novels, the reaction is almost always the same: How? And honestly, when I look at the list of previously published titles in the front matter of my own book, my bewilderment matches theirs. I’ve long maintained that the secret to creative success isn’t talent — although ofc it’s a factor — or luck, which plays a larger role than most people imagine. It’s perseverance. Determination. Grit. Stubbornness, even.

My Novel Year is how someday becomes this year. Twelve months, blank page to finished draft, with me beside you the whole way — monthly one-on-ones, a small cohort of fellow writers, craft masterclasses, and a pitch session with a literary agent and an editor when you’re ready. If you’ve been hovering over this one — reading these emails, nodding along, telling yourself maybe next time — Monday is your last chance to make it this time. Need proof it works?

Plus My Novel Year applications are open, some go-to summer skincare, and a very good hat 👒 Hello, my dudes! The sun is out, the beer is cold, — come over?☀️ May has given me my first real reprieve since the year started. I’m in a calm-before-the-storm moment: June is absolutely stacked — book launch, My Novel Year cohort opening and closing, a close friend’s wedding at the Greenwich Hotel, end of school year — so I’m savoring this window while I have it.

This month, my little family spent a week in Montana visiting friends and taking in buckets of sun and sky. We even glimpsed the last dusting of snow from a gondola up in Big Sky. Back in New York, I also got to record my authorā€™s note for the Play It Again audiobook. A very fun experience at Penguin Random House HQ. But thatā€™s not whatā€™s on my mind right now. Hereā€™s what Iā€™m chewing on: My business is thriving.

March was a bit of a ride, largely ruled by jet lag, followed by some lost days of a mystery illness I picked up from my in-house germ factories aka children. Between all that, I hosted our last writers retreat of the season up in Catskill, New York ā€” a life-affirming weekend of connection and community with a fabulous group of women writers. Itā€™s always so gratifying to see how thrilled everyone is when they give themselves the gift of time and focus to create new work.

Plus, meet the first book I edited for 831 Stories!🏳️‍🌈✨ I’m escaping the blizzardy New York winter with a quick trip to Australia for some Aussie summer sun. I’m celebrating my birthday this week in a beach house my wife and I rented right on the water on New South Wales’ glorious South Coast. We fall asleep to lapping waves under a spread of stars and spend quiet days swimming in the nearby rock pool and cove, eating good food, and hanging out with the kiddos.

Last month, I shared that I am going all in on creating offerings for writers and creative communities, and basically growing a creative empire beyond just my own books. And my dudes, I sure am. I’ve hired my new Ops & Program Manager, Alena Morrissey, who is already helping me get organized and think big. (Fun fact: over 80 people applied for that job! Way more than I expected.) I’m transforming in realtime in not just my identity, but also my own sense of control and power over my own life.

Itā€™s sweater weather in Brooklyn, and the leaves arenā€™t the only things changingā€¦ Iā€™m in production for my soon-to-be-revealed Summer 2026 rom-com which means the book is done and now weā€™re into copy edits and gearing up for all things publicity and marketing. I just sent feedback on the EXTREMELY cute cover design. Think small-town magic, quirky lovable locals, A LOT of gay kissing, and a special sorta world youā€™ll never want to leave. More details coming soon.