On Monday, August 25 my debut novel, “Shithead” was released to the world!
Selecting a release date turned out to be the single best thing I could’ve done for myself. It held me accountable to my self imposed deadline and forced me to get my act together to get this book published! Now this date wasn’t just selected at random. I knew I wanted a late August or early September release and rediscovering that my late Grandma DeShon’s birthday fell on August 25, it just felt like the perfect fit.
The stories that take place in “Shithead” are all long after my Grandma DeShon’s passing, but her husband, my late Grandpa DeShon is heavily featured in two of the fifteen short stories on display. For those who may not know, the stories in “Shithead” are all my brother’s. He lived these antics, I wrote about them.
After countless interviews with Chris, my brother, I had assembled a menagerie of roughly forty short stories from which I could select from. I chose to highlight those that took place during his high school and college years. Knowing good and well that this would better situate me to create further cohesive volumes. One thing I didn’t know when selecting these stories is that I would have ended up writing some of them three times over…
The first time I hated what I had written and deleted nearly all of it. The second time my computer crashed and all my saved files were lost. The third time was a charm and I finished writing “Shithead” back in October of 2019. I spent early 2020 sending my manuscript to literary agents. Well, the pandemic derailed that train – for a half decade. Around twentyFINE I decided I needed to make a decision with “Shithead.” Either try finding a literary agent once more or just self publish.
I self published and “Shithead” is available on Amazon in either ebook or paperback. You can purchase your own copy at the link provided. I thank you greatly for your support! Means the world to me!
Now speaking of support, I had to support this momentous occasion with a true book launch and needless to say, it was THE BEST time ever! So many of my favorite people in the whole world showed up to support me and “Shithead” and I’ll be forever grateful. I’m a writer and even I stress about finding the right words to show thanks to everyone who has supported me in this endeavor. This day was the accumulation of years and years of story-telling, work, and eventually education. Self-publishing turned out to be no walk in the park, but it has become a road I’m blessed to be traveling down with so many clearly walking alongside me.
Now let’s take a look at some of my favorite photos from my “Shithead” Signing & Release Party held at Novel Idea’s Bookstore and Boardgamery on Saturday, September 13 in wondrous Cutesville, USA.
Wasn’t about to have an event without themed drinks! The Blueberry Dream was a fan favorite. My sinuses were KILLING me that day, so it was just three Float Trips for me.
In what was a full circle kind of moment. Angie here used to work at the Boardgamery way back when and we also knew her before that when she was a friend of another friend of ours. She was the first person that afternoon I signed a book for and it was an incredibly special moment.
I really love this picture despite the fact my Signature Smile isn’t in it.
Darlene and Chris are simply the best! I’ve been blessed to know them since my Trinity Lutheran days when Melissa and I went to school with their daughter! We all share a profound love for 80’s power balladeers and if you know me, you know that’s my true musical sweet spot.
Abbi is forever my #1 fan and her husband Brett compliments her amazingness so well. You will be hard pressed to find a more hilarious couple than these two. Abbi delivers some of the best one-liners you’ll ever hear in your entire life. She is the life of the party.
Melissa baked and decorated these cute cookies for the occasion and the flowers were from my near and dear friend, Chevon, at The Flower Emporium.
Lisa works at the Granite City Library, which I believe I’m going to try my hand at being on the board for. Her husband Mike’s shirt hails from Montauk State Park, which is a family favorite destination for us all. Granted I haven’t been there in over two decades, but because of Mike’s shirt, Melissa and I decided we’re heading that way in 2026!
My Uncle Joe and his wonderful wife Mary. Mary read the book in record time and gave me some of the best praise I’ve ever received! Mary, I think you’re onto something with making this the first book in a series! Chris is living a life faster than I could ever write it though, so I better get to work now!
Cortni, who you’ll remember from our joint birthday party twentyFINE earlier in the year. She was mine and Chris’s first cousin. Her man LJ compliments her incredibleness so very well. She is so funny without even trying to be and just makes every occasion and experience that much better because she and her wit, wonder, and wisdom are apart of it.
Chevon is my Soul Sister. We connect on just about every level there is to connect on. It was an absolute joy to see her and her husband, Jeremy. While we didn’t even work together a year at Kohl’s, I’m most confident that we’ve built a friendship that will last for all time. She’s just simply the best.
As you’ll read in the Acknowledgments of “Shithead,” the book wouldn’t exist in the capacity in which it does if it weren’t for my near and dear friend, Cody here. He’s simply the best! His graphic design skills are second to none and he just knows the best questions to ask. I’m forever in his debt for his incredible skillset. His girlfriend, Lexie, is also the best and I pray one day I can make enough money off my literary endeavors to employ her for her accounting services!
Lydia was my boss at The Men’s Wearhouse way back when and has been a friend for nearly a decade now. She has a larger than life personality that radiates happiness as soon as she steps into the room. This is positive energy in a person. I love her forever and seeing her just lit up my whole world.
RoRoMoMo also stems from my Men’s Wearhouse days and is another one of my nearest and dearest friends. This man is every bit as entertaining as I am. He’s so full of stories that he may want to watch out, I might write a book about him one day!
Ashley is one of my oldest friends as we met back in the year 2000 at Collinsville High School! GO KAHOKS! This is her adorable daughter, Emery, who is quite possibly the smiliest child I’ve ever known. She ALWAYS has the most precious little smile on her face. It was just wonderful to see them and I truly hope Ashley starts reading “Shithead” for her next bedtime story.
Notice my girl Megan here with THREE COPIES! This is how it’s done! She’s a real one for that! We suffered through some insane times at TJ Maxx together and came out stronger than yesterday because of it. There are few people in this world I can relate to on just about any given topic more than Megan. She’s simply the best.
Peep Naydelyn’s shirt! She knew the proper dress code: Polo Ralph Lauren! My girl here made me so proud coming around the corner with that cute lil’ polo player on her shirt. Warmed my heart like she does every single time we work together. Few people in this world have a heart as big as hers. Plus, her sense of humor is just about second to none!
My beloved mother-in-law, Jane. She got her copy on Kindle, but was so proud of her Melissa for making this cute little cookies with my crazy face on them. They’re a real keepsake, let me tell you what. Jane’s just the best. One of the purest souls there ever was.
Kim is a mover and shaker in Cutesville with her 62040 LLC Facebook group and all else she does for my beloved city. Brenda, on the right, though is the true Queen of Cutesville! She owns The Speakeasy where we held twentyFINE and she also owns the incredible establishment we celebrated this release. So many of the best places in towns are hers as her eye for detail is truly second to none. Cutesville is often as cute as it is because of her incredible gifts to our city.
Craig is one of the coolest and funniest guys I’ve ever known! His sense of humor is out of this world, which is fitting for someone who is living the retirement life I hope to one day! He’s traveling all around the globe and experiencing all the best life has to offer and there’s nothing I love more than that!
Our neighbor, Brenda. She’s one of the kindest souls and has really made living where we do what it is. She embodies the true nature of neighborly and is just a beautiful individual inside and out. She may not be as young as me – I’m still 29 after all – but she’s riding her motorcycle all over this country and that’s definitely not something I could do even at my youthful age! Brenda’s the best!
Cathy and I developed a friendship that rose from a mutual love of the great food scene that Saint Louis has to offer and evolved into trips to the beautiful and beloved Fox Theatre. Seeing “Come From Away” alongside her was a spiritual journey in the performing arts that I’ll never forget. She’s always down for an adventure and has a great thirst for life.
Katie, immediately next to me, officiated mine and Melissa’s wedding. She’s a real one for that. She had to become an ordained officiant and all! Jon, her husband, arguably had the more important job that day: he played the music we walked down the aisle to and you know how strongly Melissa and I feel about music! Their daughter Pryncess – er, I mean, Paige – is the single funniest child there ever was. She gives me so much sass, it’s amazing. We all found love in a hopeless place, that place being Target when we worked there a lifetime ago.
Jamie, on my right, is my second oldest friend! I was six when we met! She helped shape me into the very individual I am today and I will always be thankful and grateful to her for her never-ending support, friendship, education, and love. She also wrote a book that will soon be published and we traveled down this self-publishing road together. It was so helpful having someone as incredible as her alongside me for that truly unique journey. Her niece, Claire is my all-time favorite American Historian. She knows any answer to any question about U.S. History you might ever have, just ask her.
My cousin, Michelle, who is Craig’s amazing daughter. She’s one of the single kindest and most lovable people I’ve ever known and I’ve been blessed to know her my entire life! She even doubled as Melissa’s personal trainer some time ago and Melissa had no idea she was my cousin when getting paired with her, so like they say, it’s a small world after all!
Ashlie here is the co-owner of Once Upon A Wardrobe, which is a remarkable local business that helps dress you and your family for any and all your vacations! They specialize in Disney, which makes sense since we met her at a High School Musical themed dance class! She and her beautiful family are some of my absolute favorites in town and Melissa and I are better for knowing them!
My parents: Wally and Lynda, who without them, none of this would be possible! They have both always been so supportive of me and my literary endeavors. A fun fact is the title of my book, “Shithead” stems from the moniker my dad coined for my brother a long, long time ago. The ending of that first story was an oft-repeated line in the DeShon household.
2026 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Mother Road: Route 66! Novel Idea’s Bookstore and Boardgamery aren’t just the perfect setting for a book release party, but for any and all wondrous and whimsical Route 66 paraphernalia and photos!
Now I’m sure you’ve noticed one prominent individual missing from the bunch – er, actually three prominent individuals now that I’m putting this into writing – Melissa and Nancy were both there. We just somehow neglected to get photos together, TERRIBLE oversight! My brother though, the shithead himself, Chris, was absent from the day’s festivities. As with all things Chris you must expect the unexpected, so his absence was honestly par for the course.
As always, THANK YOU so much for your support! You’re simply the best! Feel free to leave a comment below as I love reading and responding to them! I have several blog posts that are half-baked, so hopefully I’ll have those heated up soon so I can serve you all another all-new post! Until that time though, I wish you all, all the best!
Working hard everyday towards achieving my goal of becoming an international best-selling author. Wrote the book, just need the agent and publisher. Received the ultimate endorsement when Britney Spears wrote me saying she'd be one of the first in line to buy my book! #FreeBritney
Was a great read! This here blog and the book loved them both nice job.
Thank you, thank you! Appreciate your support, always!