What my agent told me this week (it was a lot)

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 — a life-affirming weekend of connection and community with a fabulous group of women writers. It’s always so gratifying to see how thrilled everyone is when they give themselves the gift of time and focus to create new work.

We also had another sold-out show for Gen Women at Joe’s Pub. I love taking the stage with our lineup of storytellers each month, but the hang in the green room beforehand is secretly just as much fun, as you might tell from the backstage selfie above.

I previously mentioned I was working toward a four-day work week. That remains a goal (delusion?) and is sadly in no way close to my reality. One of my toxic traits is overextending myself, which is hard to avoid when you’re an overachieving type A eldest daughter who was raised to equate productivity with value. I’m always trying to find the balance: setting thoughtful boundaries, managing expectations, carving out time to do things well. But the juggle is real — show production, editorial work, long-term planning for Gen Women, marketing and publicity for Play It Again, and all the behind-the-scenes stuff that somehow takes the most time of all. But as I always remind myself: I chose it all!

Next week, our little fam is heading to Montana to visit friends over spring break. Mountain air, here we come!⛰️

I had an intimate chat with my agent, Allison Hunter, this week about where publishing is right now. Here’s what I learned:

1. Self-publishing is (still) having a moment. It goes in and out of vogue in book world, but right now it’s most definitely in. Plenty of writers are self-publishing on Kindle Unlimited, finding an audience, and using that to parlay into either self-publishing success or a traditional deal. Being able to reference an existing, built-in readership is a powerful strategy, and more and more editors are bringing in self-published authors because they come with proof of concept. So even if your dream is a traditionally published book, don’t discount self-publishing as a path to get there.

2. STAKES. Big, soapy, dramatic STAKES! When it comes to commercial fiction, subtly is out, dramatic is in. If it feels like a soap opera, good. If someone killed someone and that’s why a couple can’t be together, even better. Editors want stakes that feel huge and yes, even a little OTT. As you’re developing your story idea, lean into the drama.

3. Romantasy and dark fantasy are still hot hot hot. You only have to look at the bestseller list to see that stories set in worlds other than our own — centering dark magic, otherworldly beings, and those dramatic high stakes — are still working. Romantasy has been a hot subgenre for a few years now, and while most of us assumed it’d be fading by now, it remains hugely popular. Many contemporary romantic authors are pivoting into romantasy to ride the wave. If you’re partial to a sexy, emotionally traumatized fairy, you’re in luck.

4. Keep it sexy, smart, suspenseful. The books that are working right now are upmarket — smart, sophisticated, with strong writing. Allison notes that the sad-girl-in-Brooklyn trend is waning, and in its place, books that deliver on true commercial fiction, especially the kind that leans into suspense (an evergreen genre). Pack your manuscript with secrets, keep the writing polished, and ensure tight pacing keeps readers turning pages. Less moping, more capital-M Moments.

5. Human connection is working. Stories of genuine human connection are breaking out. The success of The Correspondent — a sleeper hit that wasn’t positioned as a breakout but absolutely became one — demonstrates that when we’re not looking for dark magic, we’re looking for real, felt, human stories. The world is off-kilter right now, and empathy feels like a valuable commodity. If soapy stakes or dark fantasy don’t appeal to you, push into stories of human emotion — the things that feel rare right now. That’s where the heart is.

Knowing what's working is half the battle. The other half is having the support to actually execute it. Which is exactly what My Novel Year is designed to do: my year-long mentorship programs for aspiring and revising novelists. Q1 is now in session and my talented writers are already making enormous strides.

Come Summer 2026, I'm opening My Novel Year to a new cohort of writers, and I'd love for you to be one of them. Cohorts are small and carefully curated, and every participant receives a one-on-one pitch session with a real acquiring editor and literary agent. Join the waitlist now for The Draft or The Revision to be the first to hear about openings.

This month's lineup includes someone who embodies everything Gen Women stands for: D'yan Forest, the world's oldest comedienne, still performing in her NINETIES. She is living proof that there is no age limit on excellence, tenacity, or a good punchline.

If you love stories, want to feel inspired about aging, and experience a truly vibrant community — come see our show. Starring Natasha Jokic, Pooja Reddy, Esther Mollica, Amy Impellizzeri, Laura Maria Censabella and, of course, D’yan, hosted by yours truly.🤝

We always sell out. This month’s theme: Rebellion. Grab some pals get your tix now.

🎟️BUY LIVE SHOW TICKETS NOW 🎟️

💻BUY LIVESTREAM TICKETS NOW 💻

If you like your romances with a little heartbreak, a lot of wit, and characters who feel like lovable hot messes, Play It Again is the book I wrote for you. It's an ensemble queer rom-com, set in a small Upstate town, about four people who come home for a summer and have to reckon with who they were and what they still want

🐾 🌈 Annie Lightfoot, owner of a dog-grooming salon in her hometown of Rhodes, has a soft spot for anything lonely or unloved, and has never forgiven herself for a lie she told her first love when they were both sixteen. Funny, warm, and wonderfully kooky, Annie is a woman led entirely by her heart. 💕

🎬 🌟 Lola Wilson left Rhodes to become an actress, which she did, with decidedly mixed results. Undervalued, misunderstood, and quietly questioning everything, she returns to Rhodes having never truly gotten over Annie. 🎥

⚖️ 💼 Vicky Fang is a fierce, brilliant Manhattan family lawyer who is definitely on sabbatical and absolutely not hiding anything. (She’s hiding something.) 🔥

🍫 🌙 Dylan Rogers is a Los Angeles chocolatier, nonbinary, completely comfortable in their (sexy) skin, and very specifically curious about what happened to Vicky Fang after all these years... ✨

🎭 ☀️Play It Again follows these four characters over one wet-hot American summer as they reunite to revive the play that first brought them together — Tom Stoppard’s absurdist masterpiece Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead — this time to save the Rhodes Playhouse from closing for good. Joined by a cast of quirky locals and a new crop of teenagers finding their own way, the quartet must reckon with who they were, who they’ve become, and what, and who, they might still choose. Save the date: Play It Again is out June 16, and the launch is at Joe’s Pub that same night.💌 🥂

PRE-ORDER FROM BOOKSHOP.ORG (they’ll send it from your local indie—best way to support authors) 📖

This month’s curated list of faves, finds, and future buys…

1. I took myself to the movies this past weekend (shoutout to my wife for handling the kids for a few hours!). I was excited to see Forbidden Fruits, the new Lili Reinhart-led horror comedy, hoping for a Mean Girls meets The Craft satire that’s fun to look at. Sadly, the film is a vibes-only hot mess, largely due to a lack of coherent story. Key information is withheld in a way that felt confusing rather than intriguing, stakes are soft, POV inconsistent, and the ending entirely unearned. I spent the entire film desperate to develop it. You can skip this one!

2. I *could not put down* the buzzy memoir-of-the-moment, Strangers, by Belle Burden (pictured below). The story is a jaw-dropper, and the writing style feels effortlessly easy to read—simple, yet profound. It’s a deep exploration of the loss and limitations of love, as well as a call-to-arms for women to have more financial and practical power in a marriage. Gwenyth Paltrow has been cast in the film adaption, which feels right.

3. Another reading rec is the new short story collection I Am The Ghost Here by Kim Samek. It was comped to Karen Russell, one of my all-time faves, and you’ll find a similar off kilter surreality in its controlled pages — one story is about a woman with post-partum depression who turns into scrambled egg. That sorta thing.

4. A groovy little burger place called Herbie’s has just popped up in Williamsburg, selling smash vegan burgers, vegan milkshakes, and delish French fries (a recent trip saw me grab all three for under $25). I’ve taken the kids twice already but it’s the kind of place that would save your life at 1am (they close at 3am).

5. I saw the most INCREDIBLE sleight-of-hand magician, Prakash Puru, this month, while he was performing at my friend Jill’s Traitor’s-themed birthday party (HBD, Jill!). I really felt like I was witnessing actual magic—this guy literally had the entire table SCREAMING at the reveals. It was just so fun and so impressive. He’s in residence next month at 69 Atlantic, a tiny magic venue here in BK. I’ll be dragging a group there!

If you liked this, let me know and chat with me in the comments — I love hearing from you.