By Tommy Wallach

I plan to do a blog post about writers' second books in the near future, as that second book often proves the most challenging, frustrating, and/or terrifying experience for the writer. 

Tommy will not be asked to contribute to that post as his second book, the delicious Thanks for the Trouble, didn't seem particularly problematic for him. Yes, he did a major overhaul between the first and second draft, but he pretty much nailed it with that revision, and he had no issues with the deadlines I set. If memory serves, he beat them. 

I'll admit, I was a little nervous after he pitched the story idea to me: a young man, who hasn't spoken since watching his father die, meets a young woman who claims to be immortal. Over the course of a weekend, they'll both learn to see the world a bit differently. So, I have a character study in which one of the characters doesn't talk and the other has some paranormal qualities. Uh...

I shouldn't have worried. Parker, our young man, and Zelda, our heroine, have some of the most delightful and compelling conversations I've ever read. Their weekend stomping around San Francisco is packed with laughs, light, and beauty. I'm in love with this book.

Think of Thanks for the Trouble as Before Sunrise with a bit of Nick & Norah's and a dash of Let the Right One In. Even though the book feels and reads so differently from We All Looked Up, it's wonderfully apparent that it's a Tommy Wallach novel.

Lizzy Bromley designed the beautiful package.

For more information and to buy the book, click here. 

★ "The author of We All Looked Up manages to bypass the sophomore slump with this fascinating and romantic tales that's...about the power of sharing stories. An absorbing coming-of-age narrative about the power of connection."- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

★ "Wallach delivers well-rounded, witty characters...all contemplating whether living a full life is better than living a long one. Bittersweet moments intersect with the intricate fairy tales Parker writes, compelling readers to judge what is real and what is make-believe." - Publishers Weekly  (starred review)

★ "A unique and compelling tale. The narrator’s hilariously crass but poignant voice is sure to intrigue even the most reluctant of readers." - School Library Journal (starred review)

A Junior Library Guild Selection