October 2021 Newsletter | Julie Vick

Hello,

Welcome to October! This month has been busy with parenting/teaching/book-related stuff for me. But I have also had not one but two in-person coffee dates with other local writers, which has been really nice. Turns out even introverts need to talk to people in person sometimes.

One upside to having a book out this year is I've had a chance to connect more with some other authors, one of who is Shannon Carpenter, whose book The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad came out this month. Keep reading for a Q&A with Shannon and to find out about an upcoming virtual event I'm doing with him and another hilarious parenting book author, Jenny True.

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Books, humor, and other distractions:

• Movie: This month I enjoyed watching the Hulu movie Palm Springs, which is a sort of Ground Hog Day/Russian Doll-style quirky comedy. (Shout out to newsletter reader Alyson Shelton who recommended it, I am always here for any other funny movie recs -- feel free to reply with them!)
• Book: Happy release month to Jennie Egerdie whose funny Frog and Toad parody based on her very popular McSweeney's pieces came out this month. (I know it's funny and great because I read an advance copy and blurbed it!) Look out for next month's newsletter, which will have a Q&A with Jennie.
• Kid's book: We checked out Binky the Space Cat from our local library and my kids and I have enjoyed the story of an indoor cat pondering a trip to outer space (which turns out is just going outside). I'm always looking out for other good early reader graphic novels so feel free to send recs my way.

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Writing-related roundup:

• This post from Zibby Owens has some good insider book publishing tips as well as info on how to submit to her new publishing company.
• The Belladonna posted their content calls for November and some helpful tips about punching down vs up when writing humor. Check it out here.
• Speaking of Belladonna, this satire piece outlining fake lit journal guidelines ran in The Belladonna a while back but it still makes me laugh. Polydactyl Typewriter as a lit journal name is gold.
• October is the new December for buying gift books because there is talk of a book supply shortage. This New York Times piece talks about why.

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Q&A with Shannon Carpenter

This month I talked to Shannon Carpenter, author of The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad who you may have seen on Good Morning America this month! Shannon's book has tons of great advice and jokes, my favorite combination.

What is your book's origin story?

My book was born, as many are, through blood, sweat, and hiding in the bathroom as my kids screamed at me. It was written on dark and stormy nights while I thought of a man named Ishmael. From soccer practice fields and volleyball gyms, I wrote my book.

All I wanted to do was to give dads the advice I felt they never got. The advice that I never got. Advice that was not condescending or empty platitudes. I’ve rubbed dirt on things, and I’ve walked things off—none of that works and I have left a bad review for toxic masculinity on Yelp. So hopefully I wrote a book that actually gives dads the help they need to be a day to day part of their children’s lives. Whether a working dad or a stay-at-home dad, we don’t care. It’s the time we spend with our kids that matters and dads deserve to know how to make the physical tasks of parenting easier while not losing the person that they are in parenting.

How much of a role does humor play in your life and or writing?

To the point that if I stop telling a joke, someone should call a doctor. But honestly, I use humor to help explain the world around me. I use it to show my kids that what can be scary, can also be funny. And when something is funny, when you find the absurdity, then it’s a bit easier to deal with and understand. That’s why satire feels so comfortable to me. It’s a way to teach a lesson or send a message wrapped in the security blanket of a laugh. And when I do it right, the message sticks longer and the universal truth can come out.

What is something you can recommend to readers that makes you laugh?

Being a dad, you would expect me to name some other dad writers. Well, you’re right. Anything by Jared Bilski and Andrew Knott will make me laugh. And so many of the joke parts of The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad were workshopped through them. Here’s a piece that the three of us wrote at the beginning of the pandemic that I still makes me laugh out loud.

From the moms, obviously Julie Vick’s work and in no way is she paying me to say that. On a side note, everyone should buy Babies Don’t Make Small Talk (So why should I?). I read that book and it’s awesome. Also, the work of Jen Mann hits home for me as a dad. My supreme laugh, the thing that will always get me, is The Jerk by Steve Martin and the First Muppet Movie. The joke “A bear in his natural habitat, a Studebaker!” is about the most perfect joke ever.

Thanks for that completely unpaid plug Shannon! Get Shannon's book here.

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News from me:

• Event: Jenny True, Shannon Carpenter and I will be doing a free virtual event with Old Firehouse Books on November 3rd at 6pm mountain time. Check out the details on their web page and RSVP/view it on their Facebook event listing.
• Interview: I was excited to recently have an interview with Sarah Garfinkel go up on the Brevity blog.
• Short Humor: I collaborated with Marissa Maciel on this short humor piece giving underloved Halloween candies interesting backstories.
• Review: There was a lovely review of my book (that also mentions a couple other books I've mentioned in this newsletter) in this roundup of unconventional parenting books.
• Class: Coming up on January 22 -- I'm teaching a virtual class on parenting writing. Get the details here.
• Free Stuff: Bought my book for yourself or a friend (hint: it makes a great baby gift) and want me to send you or your gift recipient a signed bookplate and/or fun bookmark? Fill out this form. Or if you are looking to send someone a signed copy, you can do so through Boulder Bookstore -- just mention you want a signed copy in the order comment field.
• Request: If you've read my book and have a few minutes to give it a star rating or review on Amazon or Goodreads, that would be awesome. Reviews can help a book get more visibility and the review does not need to be long (and you don't have to have bought it on Amazon to review it). Ideally could be something other than "this book arrived one hour late!" but you know, ultimately up to you.

That's it for this month, see you in November.