Daniel M. Lavery: On Writing About Loneliness
In this interview, author Daniel M. Lavery discusses the author he’s paying homage to with his new novel, Meeting New People.
Daniel M. Lavery is a former Dear Prudence advice columnist at Slate, the cofounder of The Toast, and the New York Times bestselling author of Christmas at the Women’s Hotel, Women’s Hotel, Texts from Jane Eyre, The Merry Spinster, Something That May Shock and Discredit You, He also writes the popular newsletter The Chatner. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky.
In this interview, Daniel discusses the author he pays homage to with his new novel, Meeting New People, and more.
Name: Daniel M. Lavery
Literary agent: Kate McKean
Book title: Meeting New People
Publisher: Harper Via
Release date: June 2nd, 2026
Genre/category: Literary fiction
Previous titles: Women’s Hotel; Texts From Jane Eyre; Something That May Shock and Discredit You; The Merry Spinster
Elevator pitch: Barbara Foerster is at the tail end of her 50s when she is abruptly dumped by her best friend Susan while making dinner. She has had nine best friends in her life, none at the same time, and no longer speaks to any of them; the question then becomes whether she’s going to have to overhaul her entire inner life before she can hope to acquire a tenth.
What prompted you to write this book?
I wanted to write something fun about loneliness. I also wanted to write a pastiche of Nora Ephron’s Heartburn, but with a protagonist who maintained the same level of self-righteous indignation without occupying a morally superior position.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
A little less than three years.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
No. Nothing about the process of publishing this book surprised me. That makes it sound like I am very world-weary and blasé, which I don’t think is quite true, but I simply wasn’t very surprised during the experience.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
No. That’s not to say that every single moment of the writing process felt like the direct, predictable outcome of my conscious control, but I set out to write a novel about an older woman reflecting on various friendship breakups, and I did exactly that. I do not relate to writers who claim to be surprised by their own thoughts as they write a book. You never hear an architect say, “I was really surprised by the building I ended up drafting,” for example.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
At least one worthwhile recipe and a shored-up sense of personal dignity.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Read L.P. Hartley’s The Novelist’s Responsibility. If you have already read that, then read Rachel Ferguson’s Evenfield.
