Is There Life After College? Won The NYC Big Book Award for Young Adult Fiction

Although the book has only been out for a few weeks, Is There Life After College? won its first award, specifically The 2026 NYC Big Book Award in the category of Young Adult Fiction. You can view the award announcement on this page. This is the same award The Electric God and Other Shorts won last year, in its own category of Short Stories. For those with fantastic memories, I attended their awards dinner and ceremony earlier this year. I was also invited to the ceremony taking place next April, but I’m still on the fence about going. It helps that it’s located just over the river in New Jersey. I’ve already updated the book’s homepage with the award seal. Thanks once again to Ted, Gabby, and the judges of The NYC Big Book Awards for having such fine taste in literature. I kid.

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In other MTP news: Long time, no blog. The reason why I only had one blog last month is because I’ve been insanely busy, but that’s what happens when you have a new novel to promote. Among other things, I was interviewed on another T.V. show, The Author Corner, a literary talk show hosted by Stephanie Larkin. If you live on Long Island, you’ll be able to view it on Cablevision in November, and it will air repeatedly in the following year. In the meantime, it will be available online in a few weeks (or so I’m told). Here’s a shot from the set:

I was also interviewed by Fire Island News, a local paper near me. Being a former newspaperman (and boy—when I used to deliver Newsday on my bike as a kid), I always enjoy showing love to old-school news. If you don’t live on Long Island, fear not! You can read the article at the link below on page 46.

If you don’t want to flip through the whole issue to find my article, I’ve posted a pic below (though it’s hard to read):

Lastly, I’ve been setting up a bunch of upcoming signings. I’m not going to list them all, but you can see them at the bottom of my homepage. A few highlights:

—I have my first book launch party for Is There Life After College? at the Published bookstore and bar in Huntington, NY, on Sunday, September 20^th at 2 p.m. Yes, I said (well, wrote) “bookstore and bar.” Published has everything: books, booze, and…well, that’s pretty much it. But what more do you need? Come for the discounted books; stay for the drink specials.

—Tiny Racoon Books in Sayville, NY, will be hosting a Meet & Greet (and signing) for me on Saturday, October 10^th at 12 p.m. This is my first appearance at their fine bookstore, though my books have been sold there for almost 2 years.

—The Jericho Public Library in (where else?) Jericho, NY, will host me and a few other authors at their Annual Local Author Showcase on Sunday, October 18^th at a time TBD. Here, I’ll give a brief speech about my writing “journey,” as they say, and also read a short excerpt of one of my books for the first time in public. Which book and which part? You’ll have to come to find out!

—The Dark Horse Tavern in Massapequa Park, NY, will be hosting me for a signing party on Wednesday, October 21^st at 7 p.m. Half-price bottles of wine will be available, so come and get your drink (and read) on.

Hope you guys can make it to at least one of these appearances. Until next time!

MTP

P.S.: The Danger Peak audiobook is available!

P.P.S.: Is There Life After College? is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble: