Category Mommy Man – the book

Jun 19 2014

Our Today Show Segment

I hear from people all the time who say they like the blog, but they don’t know the whole story about my family. So, in honor of Throwback Thursday, I’m reposting the segment the Today Show did on us. Those of you who’ve been reading for a while may have already seen it, but for plenty of new followers, it’ll give you a good introduction to my funny bunch. Warning: Get your Kleenex ready.

Of course, there’s lots more to the story. Funny stuff and stuff you’ll need Kleenex for, too. You can read it all in my book, “Mommy Man: How I Went From Mild-Mannered Geek to Gay Superdad,” which you can buy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or pretty much anywhere you like to buy books.

… and if you’re in the Northern suburbs of NYC, you can come see me read from it tonight, June 19, 2014, at Anderson’s Book Shop in Larchmont, NY. If it’s anything like my other readings, it should be a really fun night… and tonight only, you can meet us all. Me, Drew, Sutton, Bennett… plus Susie and Grace, too! You may even get Sutton & Bennett to autograph your book!

May 30 2014

Another Rave Review — And a Contest Update!!!

Me at BookExpo America 2014

Me at BookExpo America, May 29, 2014

Nobody tells you this about your book’s release, but much like growing up gay, it gets better.

Much.

Sure, it was fun when that box of books arrived in the mail and when people started sending me selfies*, but now that the book has been out for 3 weeks, the good times have really begun.

Promoting a book is awesome!

It helps that my publisher has been setting up some great events for me. Earlier this week, I got to go to SiriusXM headquarters and chat with Larry Flick of OutQ. (I’ll post the audio here soon.) Then, yesterday, I attended Book Expo America as an author. I sat at a table in the same (giant convention) room as bajillions of big-name celebrities like Anjelica Huston, Neil Patrick Harris and my buddy Tim Carvell. (I even scored an advance copy of Tim’s upcoming book, Return to Planet Tad.)

I signed copies of “Mommy Man” for conventioneers and met some really wonderful and enthusiastic people. And I felt like a big shot, which was the best part.

The other thing I wasn’t expecting to enjoy so much about having a book in print? The reviews. You know how when you’re writing something, you’re constantly imagining the reviews you’ll someday get? (What? Just me?) And they’re all crazy, over-the-top glowing? (Again, maybe that’s just me.) Well, the actual reviews I’ve read are almost as good as anything my bloated ego could conjure up. I expected raves from my friends and family, but people I don’t even know have been saying the nicest things.

If you want a good sense of what “Mommy Man” is about and why you’ll enjoy it, read this review which was just posted at the Good Men Project. Tom Burns, a straight dad and a fellow dad blogger (Did I mention my book makes a great Father’s Day gift?) said a lot of nice things, but I want to highlight this part:

“Mommy Man is a spectacularly well-told story. More than once, Jerry’s handling of his both hilarious and occasionally sobering subject matter reminded me of the deft storytelling chops that you can find in comedic one-man shows like Mike Birbiglia’s My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend or Sleepwalk with Me. It’s just an epic birth story, the kind that, if encountered at a dinner party, would make you cancel your plans for later and open another bottle of wine. Even if you know nothing about surrogacy, being a mild-mannered geek, or being a gay superdad, Mommy Man is a book that anyone can enjoy. It’s well worth your time.” – Tom Burns, Good Men Project

If that doesn’t convince you to read my book, I don’t know what will. (That doesn’t mean I’m not going to keep trying, though.)

Given what a blast this has all been so far, I’m really looking forward to my upcoming in-store events, so if you’re anywhere near Los Angeles, New York or Rochester, I hope you’ll come to one.

* I haven’t been great about promoting my selfie contest, so I’m going to extend the deadline a week, until Friday, June 6 at 9pm EST. You have until then to buy my book, snap a selfie (technically, it can also be a picture someone else takes of you) and upload it to my Facebook page with yourself tagged in it. By doing so, you grant me the right to repost it, but I’ll probably only do that 0-1 times. Whoever posts the best, most creative selfie will win a copy of Mommy Man autographed by me and creatively decorated by my kids somehow.

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Need just a tiny bit more convincing that “Mommy Man” is the “uproarious”, “touching”, “fascinating” read the reviews are saying it is? You’re in luck! Download the sample chapter from your favorite ebook retailer (i.e., Amazon Kindle or iBooks) and see if it doesn’t leave you hungry for more. Or crack a copy open in Barnes & Noble or your other favorite bookstore, open to a random page and see how long it takes you to find something funny. Trust me, this works much better with my book than it does with “I Am Malala.”

May 12 2014

The “Mommy Man” eBook is now available!

MommyManEbook

Big news! Sometime over the weekend, the eBook version of my book “Mommy Man: How I Went From Mild-Mannered Geek to Gay Superdad” magically began appearing on eBook services like Kindle and iBooks. Want to make crazy laughing faces like that goon in the picture above? Download it now! Is it on your favorite service yet? Now’s a great time to check! It’ll be on all of them soon!

I also want to thank everyone who participated in my Chart Twerk 2. It was a big success, with the book again reaching #1 in 3 different Amazon categories, including all of Gay & Lesbian nonfiction. It bested that heavily hyped “Forcing the Spring” book about the gay marriage movement, and it smacked down a bunch of creepy anti-gay screeds, too. As a result, it was featured under “Hot New Releases,” which ensured that people who’ve never heard of me or my blog learned about the book.

It even cracked the top 1,000 overall. That’s pretty impressive considering that I didn’t focus just on Amazon this time. I know people bought the book at Barnes & Noble and other local bookstores, too, and I’m grateful to everyone who took part.

Now you people who prefer to read digitally can get your screen-swiping fingers on my book, too… for under $10 from some vendors! There will be no twerking this time, so don’t delay. Buy it now! (And if you want to check it out first, download the free sample chapters. I’m sure you’ll be back for more!)

To those of you who already bought your copy, thank you again for making this launch so incredible. I’ve heard from many people who’ve already finished the book, and if that’s you, I could use your help spreading the word.

If you have a “Mommy Man” rave bubbling up inside you, share it! Tell your Facebook and Twitter friends. Write a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and/or GoodReads. I already have seven 5-star reviews on Amazon, but the more opinions there are, the more people will take notice.

And if you can make it to one of my upcoming author events, I’d love to see you there.

May 8 2014

Happy Mommy Man Day!

pubdaycupcakes2Publication Day cupcakes are totally a thing, right?

Baking isn’t the only way I’m celebrating today. I have a new post up at Scary Mommy! It’s called “The B-Plus Parent: 5 Perfectly Acceptable Reasons to Shout at Your Kids”, because frankly, I got tired of all the shout-shaming out there. Sometimes, it happens. Big whoop. (Though I promise I don’t look as scary when I shout as the guy in the picture.)

Want more? Read Inside the Author’s Studio With Jerry Mahoney. This is a feature my agent, Laurie Abkemeier, runs on her website, and I’ve been reading it and admiring her other authors for ages now. I feel so honored it’s finally my turn to get the Author’s Studio treatment. At the risk of having Laurie get flooded with queries, I should mention that she’s the smartest, coolest, hardest-working agent in the business and I owe this all to her.

That’s it. Twerk at noon! Share, tweet, Facebook, review, you know the drill. I’ve heard from so many people already who plan to participate. This is going to be big!

And thanks. Cupcakes at my place!

May 7 2014

Mommy Man Day!

releasedayIt was January, 2013 when my agent emailed to tell me we had an offer on my manuscript. It was two and a half years earlier that I first started writing it, and I guess you could say 41 1/2 years before that when I first started living it.

And tomorrow, my book officially comes out.

I know this might not mean quite as much to anyone who’s not me (i.e., you), but I’m pretty excited… and nervous… and incredibly grateful.

For the last few years, I’ve been blogging here and asking you to subscribe, like me, follow me, reblog me, share my posts and comment, and I’ve been overwhelmed by how many of you have done just that. You helped me get jobs at Lifetime Moms and even a big-shot on-air job at HLN. You brought me to the attention of Mom superbloggers like Scary Mommy and Baby Sideburns, who reposted me and brought me even more followers and who were then kind enough to blurb my book. You helped me get featured on “The Today Show” and on “Huffington Post Live”. You helped me get named one of Babble’s Top 10 Humor Blogs for 2013. I’ve made friends through this site, both on Facebook and in real life.

Most importantly, you helped me sell my book.

Honestly, it wouldn’t have happened without all of your support. And I’m not just saying that. Publishers want someone with an online platform and lots of followers who will help them spread the word about their book, and that’s you. Confession time: That’s mostly why I started this blog, to impress publishers, but (cue sappy music) it’s become much more to me along the way than just a promotional tool.

I’ve appreciated all your thoughtful and hilarious responses to things I’ve written. I’ve loved hearing from other non-traditional families, from young LGBTQ people who found some hope here that they might have their own family someday, from fellow dads and moms who’ve related to something I’ve been through with my kids and from people who just got a good laugh out of something I wrote. You encouraged me as a writer and as a dad, and you helped me find my voice.

There’s a reason I start my book off talking about what it was like being in the closet as a teenager — because that kid I was then would’ve been blown away by reading all the later chapters in the book, by getting a glimpse of all the joy I was yet to experience in life not in spite of the fact that I was different, but because of it.

You know what else would’ve made that kid happy? Seeing photos of complete strangers holding up copies of my book and telling me how excited they were to read it.

“It gets better” doesn’t begin to cover it.

Now, I’m asking for your support one more time. Tomorrow is my book’s official publication day, and I want to make a big splash. The last time we did this, the book went to #1 in its category, and #260 overall! It made Amazon’s Movers and Shakers chart and gained tons of attention. Since then, I’ve gained thousands of new followers, and I know I can do even better.

Here’s what I ask: I’ve been over all the reasons you should buy “Mommy Man.” If you have any intention of doing so, don’t put it off indefinitely. PLEASE buy your copy tomorrow, Thursday, May 8 at 12pm EST (or as close to that time as you can). The more people who do so, the bigger the impact the book will make, and the bigger the impact, the more potential the book will have from there.

If you’ve already bought “Mommy Man,” thank you. Hopefully, you laughed your ass off and cried your eyes out in all the right spots, and if so, I’d love your help, too. Write a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, GoodReads or [insert your favorite site here]. Tell your friends about it on Facebook, Twitter and [insert your favorite social network here]. Share this post, or share one of my old posts that you really liked. Upload a selfie of you holding the book to my Facebook page. Do something else so hip and new that I don’t even know about it yet. Help me make this a super big deal.

I promise I won’t keep pestering you to do this. Tomorrow’s the big day. If you want to help me give my book a launch that will rattle the publishing industry and get it lots of atention, now’s the time.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone for putting up with all this self-promotion. As I said, this is what publishers are looking for. They want to see that you can mobilize your readers when the time comes. And the time has come.

I promise I’ll be back with a regular post next week.

Until then, help me celebrate Mommy Man Day.

Thanks.

May 6 2014

More Mommy Man Selfies!

I’m getting more and more selfies on my Facebook page. If you haven’t posted yours yet, please do. I’d love to see you holding my book, and at the end of May, I’ll send out an autographed copy to whoever did the most fun picture. (It doesn’t technically have to be a selfie, but it doesn’t hurt.)

In the meantime, here are some more of the people in “Mommy Man” holding “Mommy Man”. If you were wondering what some of the people I talk about look like, now you know! (See some others in this post from last week.)

And don’t forget. “Mommy Man” makes a great Mother’s Day gift. And Amazing Chart Twerk 2 takes place this Thursday, May 8, the book’s official release day. Buy your copy as close to 12pm EST as you can, so we can sit back and watch it zoom up the charts.

Now, on to the selfies!

First up, one of the main players in the book, our surrogate Tiffany (a/k/a What’s-Her-Womb). Here she is with her no-longer-so-little son Gavin.

tiffanygavinbookNext up, the guy who was totally cool with us borrowing his wife’s ladyparts for 9 months, Tiffany’s husband Eric (also with Gavin).

ericgavinbook

My sister, Kathy, flew out from across the country to be part of our baby shower, and she was with me the next day when I got a very disturbing phone call. Kathy was tired of waiting for her online order to arrive, so as soon as she saw that Barnes & Noble had them in stock, she ran out with two of her daughters, Bridget and Megan, to pick one up.

kathymommyman

If you’ve read my book, you may remember my friend Adam. He’s mentioned briefly on page 47, after my rotten April Fool’s prank, saying that he would never be happy for me again. Well, Adam is a man of his word, apparently. Here he is not being happy for me while reading the book.

adam1

If you haven’t ordered your copy of “Mommy Man” yet, mark your calendar for Thursday, May 8, 12pm EST and twerk with the rest of us! Then post your own selfie to my Facebook wall!

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I know this might not be the best post to share with people who are unfamiliar with this blog, but if you like what you’ve read here, now would be a great time to share one of my old posts. The scroll bar at the top of the screen shows some of my favorite posts from the past. Anything that helps bring people to the page helps sell books, so if you’re in a sharing mood, share away!

Also, if you’ve already read “Mommy Man”, I hope you’ll consider writing a review. I already have one 5-star review on Amazon, a 4.62 rating on GoodReads (7 out of 9 ratings have been 5-star), and you could be the first to review me on Barnes & Noble.

May 5 2014

WOW! 10 Shocking Revelations You Can Read Only in “Mommy Man: The Book”!!!

OK, maybe my book isn’t quite tabloid fodder deserving of a headline like that, but if you think it’s some dry how-to guide about surrogacy or gay daddyhood, you’re way off. Publisher’s Weekly called it “uproarious” and “touching,” and Tim Carvell of “The Daily Show” and “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” said, “Mommy Man belongs on the same shelf with Dan Savage and David Sedaris, unless you’re one of those weirdos who sort your books alphabetically.”

Maybe you think because you read this blog that you already know my whole story? I promise, you don’t, and if you like what you read here, you’ll love the book even more.

I spent two years of my life writing this book, because I knew I had a great story to tell, full of surprises, sweetness and humor, and I wanted to share it with people (and someday, when they’re older, with my kids).

What’s now hitting bookstore shelves near you is a comedic memoir about my life, starting when I was a closeted gay kid who never thought he’d be a dad and ending over 20 years later when (spoiler alert!) I’m a dad. Along the way, it’s full of funny stories, awkward confessions and tons of unexpected little tidbits. Here are just a few topics you’ll read about in my book:

1. Which popular and beloved 80s teen films shoved me further back into the closet as a kid.

2. How MTV’s The Real World brought Drew and me together.

realworldmedrew_edited-1

3. How American Idol almost caused us to break up.

4. Which shocking celebrity scandal I predicted two years before the news actually broke.

5. How you could kinda say this guy was my first:

colormebadd

6. Which celebrity left a weepy voicemail on Drew’s phone that we played over and over for laughs.

wrestling

sarahpalin27. Why I will always associate Sarah Palin with homoerotic wrestling videos.

8. The worst thing you can possibly say to a woman who’s just donated eggs, and which completely unexpected person said it to Susie.

9. How a trip to Disneyland found us a surrogate, and how another trip there almost got our kids lifetime passes.

10. The absolutely astounding and even more selfless thing Susie has done since donating eggs for me and Drew.

“Mommy Man” is the fun, feel-good read everyone always says they’re looking for and can never find. Don’t take my word for it. Read the endorsements from Scary Mommy, Baby Sideburns, Stefanie-Wilder Taylor of “Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay” and more!

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Mother’s Day is less than one week away, but Mommy Man Day is even closer! This Thursday, May 8, is the official release day of my book, “Mommy Man: How I Went From Mild-Mannered Geek to Gay Superdad.” Hmmm… have I mentioned that already? To celebrate, I’m orchestrating my official Chart Twerk 2. If you haven’t already bought your copy, I ask that you buy one on Thursday, as close to 12pm EST as possible. It can be online or at your favorite bookstore. If a bunch of people buy at the same time, the book has a good chance of making an impact on the sales charts. How high can it go? Top 1,000? Top 100? I can’t wait to find out!

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I’ll be tweeting a bunch around the book’s release, so now’s a great time to make sure you’re following me on Twitter and Facebook!

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Do you really want to help me out? Share this post (or one of your favorite Mommy Man posts from the past) on your social networks using the handy share buttons below. Post a selfie of you holding your copy of “Mommy Man” to my Facebook wall, and you could win an autographed copy. If you’ve already read the book, write a review on Amazon, GoodReads, Barnes & Noble or wherever you prefer to review books.

May 3 2014

“Mommy Man” at Barnes & Noble!

bn1

When you sell a book, there are a thousand little deal points your agent has to hammer out with the publisher. Will it be a hardcover or a paperback? What kind of publicity will they commit to? What will the royalty rates be? The only thing I wanted to know, though, was this:

“Will I be able to find my book in Barnes & Noble?”

That’s what would make it real to me, to go into a bookstore and see my book on the shelf, along with “Eat Pray Love” and “The Ultimate Player’s Guide to Minecraft” and a bunch of other real, published books other people had written.

As I’ve mentioned here a few thousand times, the official release date for “Mommy Man” is this Thursday, May 8, but as I’ve also mentioned, the copies started shipping early. Last night, a friend tipped me off that he had spotted my book at a Barnes & Noble in Manhattan.

WHAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!?

So today, Drew, the kids and I all headed out to our local B&N to see if they had it, too. Spoiler alert! The picture above probably tells you what happened next. There they were, four copies, facing forward so everyone could see them. If you’re looking for my book at your local store, you’ll want to look in the Family & Childcare section.

… unless, of course, you go to a store that Drew has already been to, in which case he’ll totally embarrass me by having me do this…

bn2

If that happens, you may find the book displayed like this instead…

bn4

So that was my morning. A dream fulfilled. And a reminder that next time I have a book published, I should shower and shave before heading to Barnes & Noble.

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Thanks to everyone who’s been ordering the book and posting reviews and ratings on GoodReads, among other places. If you haven’t purchased your copy yet, remember this Thursday, May 8 is my Amazing Chart Twerk 2. To take part, just buy your copy wherever you prefer to buy books as close to 12pm EST on that day. Leave a comment below if you’d like an email reminder on the day of the event. I’m hoping to make a big impact on the charts with this, just like the last time I did this, so I’d love your help.

And if you see a copy of “Mommy Man” at a bookstore near you, please take a picture and upload it to the Mommy Man Facebook page, even if you haven’t shaved.

 

May 1 2014

5 Reasons to Give Your Mother “Mommy Man” this Mother’s Day

MommyManMothersDay1. Because she’s a raging homophobe, and my book will really piss her off.

2. Because you’re gay, and she’s afraid you’re never going to give her any grandkids.

3. Because she’s already laughed her ass off at Scary Mommy’s and Baby Sideburns’ books, and she wants to read something endorsed by both of those awesome ladies.

4. Because families are families, and if she loves her family, she’ll love reading about mine.

5. Because it has “Mommy” in the title, and that’s more thought than most people give to their Mother’s Day gifts.

Want to buy it? It’s not hard! “Mommy Man” is now back in stock on Amazon, as well as Barnes & Noble, IndieBound and pretty much everywhere. See more ordering options here. But hurry! Mother’s Day will be here soon!

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If you don’t mind waiting until the very last minute, then join my Amazing Chart Twerk 2 by ordering or picking up a copy of “Mommy Man” on Thursday, May 8 as close to 12pm Eastern Time as you can.

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Once Mom has the book, upload a picture of her holding it to the official Mommy Man Facebook page and you might win another copy you can keep for yourself!

Apr 29 2014

Upload Yours! (Wait, that didn’t come out right…)

susiebookselfieThe books are coming! The books are coming! People who preordered from Amazon started getting their books yesterday, and they proved it by sending me selfies.

The next best thing to getting my own box of books was seeing other people with their copies. At the top of this post is Susie, sister-in-law extraordinaire and the one who the whole darn book is dedicated to, showing off her Mommy Man. She wasn’t the only one who sent me a selfie…

mattlilybookselfieMeet Matt Tappon and his daughter Lilian! Want to know more about them? You can read their amazing story in my epilogue.

drewzbookselfieThat’s Drew Z. Greenberg, good friend and blurber featured on the back cover. Don’t be confused, though. He’s not my Drew. That would be this guy…

drewbookselfieClassy as always. And while it’s not technically a selfie, here are two more stars of the book with their copy…

suttonbennettbookselfieLet’s just say you find out who they are towards the end of the book.

I’ll post some more pics of people from the book as I get them, so you can see what the main players look like. But I’d love to see your selfie, too!

Did you get your copy Mommy Man? Head over to Facebook and upload your Mommy Man selfie directly to my page. Or tweet it @WhyJerryWhy with the hashtag #MommyManSelfie, and I’ll give you a retweet.

I’ll pick my favorite one on, oh let’s say May 31st, and send the best selfie-er an autographed copy of the book. I know, you’ll already have a copy of the book, but I’ll have my kids write something cute this one to make it extra-special.

Now upload yours!

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Want to get in on the selfie action, not to mention the chance to read a book that Publishers Weekly calls “uproarious” and “touching”? Better hurry! Amazon’s already sold out of theirs! They’ll have more in stock soon, and you can find a bunch of other buying options here. Coming May 8 to bookstores everywhere!