The Journal
Thank You for Our Second Successful Season
We just wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude to all of you who have purchased our little book over the past two years. 2023 was our second graduation season and we were very excited by the momentum this year. It’s not easy self-publishing these days with thousands of new titles being released daily! But with your support and kind words, we’re hoping to bring Dear Graduate to an even wider audience next year.
If you have a spare minute and are so inclined, we’d love to hear what you and/or your graduate thought of the book. Below are a few links to places where you can leave a quick review of Dear Graduate. And again, thank you for your support!
DearGraduateBook.com
Scroll to the bottom of the page and leave your review right here on our site.
Thank you.
First, we have to say congratulations to the graduate(s) in your life! We hope the ceremony was beautiful, the speeches were inspiring, the party full of laughter, and the dinner delicious at every bite. Second, we’d like to say thank you! We had this idea last winter, worked on it and had it printed, and put it out into the world, and ever since we have been hearing positive feedback from so many!
First, we have to say congratulations to the graduate(s) in your life! We hope the ceremony was beautiful, the speeches were inspiring, the party full of laughter, and the dinner delicious at every bite.
Second, we’d like to say thank you! We had this idea last winter, worked on it and had it printed, and put it out into the world, and ever since we have been hearing positive feedback from so many!
You took a chance and bought a book from two strangers, or maybe you know us and supported us through a purchase. Either way, we can’t quite fully explain how much your support means to us.
Another amazing part of this experience has been working with more than 25 indie booksellers and gift shops across the country, from New England to as far away as Gilbert, Arizona! Each time we heard from another shop that wanted to carry copies, it was further affirmation that we were onto something meaningful.
It’s been a real treat to hear stories about the gifting aspect of the book and what kind of response it elicited. Photos are also welcome, and we’ll only share with your permission. Or share online and use the hashtag #deargraduatebook so we can find them there, too. A photo of the graduate in our life is below!
Should you (or your graduate) care to leave us a review on our site (on Amazonor your favorite book reading app, e.g., GoodReads, etc.), that would be greatly appreciated. Or leave comment on our site and we’ll add them to our growing Reviews page.
We’re working on another new project, which has evolved as organically as “Dear Graduate” did. It’s titled “Dear Citizen” and it’s about a very different topic that has long been important to us: campaign finance reform and political corruption. We are hoping to spark some conversations about how we can all come together to address some of America’s political issues.
We’re working towards a print version this fall. In the meantime, you can read an early, still-evolving edition of it at dearcitizenbook.com. Check it out and let us know your thoughts if you'd like.
We hope that the graduate in your life was inspired by “Dear Graduate.” And we hope it continues to move them, helping to navigate their life to find satisfaction, pride, and happiness in whatever they do.
Thank you again and we hope you have a great summer!
—Charles McEnerney & Adam Larson
“A Jamaica Plain-born book called Dear Graduate.”
We wanted to express gratitude to our local online news source, Jamaica Plain News, for running a little ditty about Dear Graduate!
We wanted to express gratitude to our local online news source, Jamaica Plain News, for running a little ditty about Dear Graduate! You can read the full piece here:
Jamaica Plain Author Asks: What Do You Want to Do When You Grow Up?
A little excerpt from the piece:
“…We wanted to give any graduate a moment to think deliberately about the road ahead and what they want to accomplish. The book asks questions of the reader—about what they hope to use their time to do and what values they’ll develop, evolving to bigger questions about how they act in the world and who they want to become and what they will achieve.
Adam Larson and Charles McEnerney
It also connected with the sense that a lot of people look down on other people because of the type of work they do or the education they’ve received. As a society, we’ve become more than a little obsessed with where you go to school, if you go to college and less about helping each person find the right jobs or careers that suit them and will give them satisfaction, pride, and dignity. “
Read the full piece here.
The Raves Keep Coming In for Dear Graduate
When I first read Charlie’s initial draft of Dear Graduate, it brought tears to my eyes, almost immediately. (It still does.) I was touched by the simplicity, the sentiment and the impact it had on me emotionally. For me, it was like having a conversation with a compassionate friend about the abstract possibilities of what my value could be in this world as a contributor, abiding by my own values, rather than a degree recipient, employee, or ladder climber fulfilling the imposed aspirations of others. Well, it turns out, it’s having a similar effect on others as well…
When I first read Charlie’s initial draft of Dear Graduate, it brought tears to my eyes, almost immediately. (It still does.) I was touched by the simplicity, the sentiment and the impact it had on me emotionally. For me, it was like having a conversation with a compassionate friend about the abstract possibilities of what my value could be in this world as a contributor, abiding by my own values, rather than a degree recipient, employee, or ladder climber fulfilling the imposed aspirations of others.
Well, it turns out, it’s having a similar effect on others as well. We’ve been overwhelmed by the positive responses we’ve been getting from friends and strangers alike upon reading the book. You can read a bit of what folks are saying below. A big thank you to all who have shared their thoughts with us, and if you have yet to, we would love to hear what you think as well! Check out more reviews HERE.
"A non-interrogation, subtle & sweet guiding system for any recent graduate."
— Laura Albert (JT LeRoy), Author
“Tears started to well about a third of the way through. By the end, they were streaming down my face. It’s so uplifting it makes you cry.”
— Juli
"A wonderfully uplifting book for anyone starting out on their journey."
— Jennifer, Bear Pond Books, Stowe, VT
"It's a lovely little reminder to not get so overwhelmed with the pressure society puts on us to be these super achievers and to just slow down and remember to be kind to yourself and trust yourself and your path will eventually appear. <3"
— Sarah
"Your book is beautiful! It asks all the questions we should pose to our kids and to ourselves. Thank you, for that!"
— ‘Lin
"I received my 'Dear Graduate' book today. Love what you did with the colors and great paper. Perfect gift for a graduate or others moving through phases of life. A stand out!"
— Marion
"Can't wait to gift my daughters your lovely, helpful, and thoughtful book. You did a wonderful job."
— Chris
"Love this little book and will definitely be adding it to my graduate gift list! So nicely done."
— Betty
"This book comes at exactly the right time as my son is about to graduate high school and doesn’t fit into any pre-fab scheme. Thank you, Charlie & Adam!"
— Jefferson
Dear Graduate Now Available at Indie Bookstores Across the U.S.
Charlie and I often spend our downtime exploring independent bookstores, no matter where we are. In fact, we usually plan road trips just to find new shops to visit. Over the past few months we’ve been so grateful to have been welcomed into the doors, and onto the shelves at some of our favorite indie booksellers throughout New England, and just in time for graduation season.
Charlie and I often spend our downtime exploring independent bookstores, no matter where we are. In fact, we usually plan road trips just to find new shops to visit. Over the past few months we’ve been so grateful to have been welcomed into the doors, and onto the shelves at some of our favorite indie booksellers throughout New England, and just in time for graduation season.
We are now up to 30 doors!!! And expanding beyond New England with shops in Arizona, Delaware, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Thank you to all of the amazing shops who have believed in us. You can see a full list HERE.
If you’ve got a favorite indie bookstore local to your area, we’d more than welcome a friendly introduction.
