Happy Last Day of School (to all those who observe).
On the hope and possibility of summer, Zohran, and the Zed Moonstein audiobook.
Friends. Hello! Here in NYC, it’s the Last Day of School, so whether you live here or not, whether you have kids or not, let’s all revel in those school’s-out-for-summer vibes. Mmm. That feeling of hope and possibility, the summer stretched out wide before us.
And speaking of hope and possibility, I’m still so delighted and energized by Mamdani’s win Tuesday. I couldn’t walk more than two blocks in Park Slope that day without encountering an enthusiastic twenty- or thirtysomething trying to hand me a Zohran flyer. When I said, “Already voted for him!” they cheered, and I cheered, and seeing all these engaged young people, I started to wonder: Can Zohran actually win this thing?
HE COULD.
It’s a beautiful reminder that, even in a national moment of astounding political cruelty, a smart, earnest, authentic candidate fighting to enact real change to make the city more affordable can still—in spite of being young and previously unknown— cut through, inspiring and moving people on a scale no one could have predicted.
And it’s also a reminder that impossible-seeming shitty things (e.g. that a convicted felon who led an insurrection can become president again) are often followed by impossible-seeming amazing things.
No, this doesn’t solve our nation’s current predicament or even guarantee a win for Mamdani in the general election (billionaire donors are already pouring money into the re-election campaign of the embarrassingly corrupt, and now independent, Eric Adams), but it’s much-needed evidence that change can happen.
I’ve said this before, but the work of activism and civic engagement so often reminds me of the work we do on long-term creative projects. The leap that’s required every day, the temptation to give in, to feel hopeless, like your book will never be published, or your musical will never make it to Broadway, or your movie will never get funded.
And, always, the antidote is to keep working. One day at a time. Bird by bird. Forming new habits and routines that guarantee you’ll show up even when you don’t feel like it, even on those crappy days when you think what you’re working on will never be worthy of public consumption.
It’s easy to feel cynical, to want to throw our hands up and say, Fuck it.
But activism and creativity are long-term endeavors. Slow endeavors. Hopefully our efforts bear fruit. It’s impossible to know when and if they will. Instead we focus on process over outcome, on the fulfillment that comes from taking action. From doing the work.
If those victories eventually come, we celebrate them. We savor them. And then use that energy to propel us back into the work.
Recording the Zed Moonstein Audiobook
It’s been a busy June for me—which is why I haven’t posted yet this month—including recording the audiobook for Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend.
The last time I recorded one of my own books was Denton Little’s Still Not Dead, which came out in early 2017, soon after the Women’s March, before our younger son was even born.
Man, it was so fun. Some of my favorite characters to voice included digital assistant Mary-Beth, AI best friend Matt, and Zed’s grumpy tech-skeptic Grandpa Jerry (AKA me).
Here’s me in the booth reading a minute of the first chapter. (Full disclosure: the terrific sound engineer, Jack Vellon, filmed this right after I recorded the book. But this is pretty much how I read the first chapter! Jack provided some stellar cinematography if you watch till the end.)
An added bonus of reading the book aloud was the discovery that I still love what’s inside it. Phew. I’m very proud of this one, and even though I started writing it in 2019, it’s somehow more timely than ever.
It comes out in EXACTLY 2 MONTHS, on August 26th, and I would LOVE for you to pre-order! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who already has.
If you pre-order from my local indie, Community Bookstore, and ask for a personalized copy in the notes, I will go there and sign your book and likely insert some swag too (in the process of being designed by the talented Jess Andree). So please do!
ALSO: If you pre-order 10 or more copies of ZED for your book club—this could be a group of kids, kids and parents together, or even all adults—let me know, and I will do a virtual 45-minute visit/Q&A with your group for free! If interested, hit me up at: lancerubinparty@gmail.com and put ZED BOOK CLUB in the subject line.
I’m in the process of organizing live events now, so stay tuned for those. And if you need further nudging on any of this, some positive reviews have come in! Here are some highlights:
“Rubin skillfully balances humor, suspense, and emotional insights into the angst and isolation of adolescence, especially in a world where technology is always a tap away. A fast-paced plot, quirky characters, and timely themes address friendship and identity in the digital age.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Rubin reflects and magnifies contemporary readers’ experiences navigating the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence in their everyday lives. At the heart of this fast-paced adventure is Zed’s desire to connect with others; his drive to establish and maintain genuine friendships makes this an enjoyable and profound cautionary tale.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Inviting consideration of what it really means to live without privacy, Rubin doesn’t hold back about what our near-future IT and AI overlords have in store for us and how much closer and more real friendships can be when the phones are put away.”
— Booklist
T-Recs!
Here are some more things I love this month:
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First of all, MAJOR NEWS: Katie Schorr, my brilliant wife who has been off social media for over three years, HAS STARTED A SUBSTACK. Yes, she will exist on the internet again, and this is where to find her. Katie is one of my favorite writers—she is so insightful and funny and profound, and she does things with sentences I could only dream of doing—so I highly recommend you go subscribe for free right now. Her first post is up, and it’s superb. (So superb, in fact, that I’ll also be sending it to all of you next week.)
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I was disturbed by this piece in Time about an MIT study showing how bad ChatGPT is for brains—especially young, developing ones—but I did love the confirmation of how terrible ChatGPT is for our ability to think. Please join me in NOT USING IT.
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I was completely bowled over by the 2-part HBO Max documentary, Pee-Wee as Himself. I mean, I am the target audience, seeing as I watched Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure probably 80 times as a kid which, along with Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, helped form me as a person, writer, and actor, but I think it would land for anyone. It’s a gorgeous portrait of Paul Reubens, a brilliant, complicated artist, whose massive rise to success as Pee-Wee Herman is simultaneously thrilling and devastating to witness.
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If you love Haim as much as Katie and I do, go listen to their new album, I Quit. My current favorite tracks are “All Over Me,” “Take Me Back,” and “Love You Right.”
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ARE YOU IN THE DC AREA? Please get yourself over to the Signature Theater to see Joe Iconis’s Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, starring Eric William Morris, Jason SweetTooth Williams, Lorinda Lisitza, George Salazar, and other stunningly talented folks. It will knock your socks off.
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Have a super weekend. Call your senators and tell them to vote HELL NO to the Big Stupid (Very Dangerous) Bill. And lean into those summer vibes. (ARNOLD PALMER TIME) See you sooooon.
Pre-ordered! 🥰