The 'Hot Nerd' Renaissance and How It Has Inspired Me.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or avoiding social media because you just can’t take anymore political posts—I hear you there) you’ve probably heard about the new Netflix show, “Nobody Wants This” and, related, Adam Brody’s resurgence as a “nerdy” heartthrob.

I was a big O.C. fan, and yes, I was team Seth. I love a good, cute nerd. Don’t even get me started on my love for Pacey Witter (aka Joshua Jackson in Dawson’s Creek).

The point is:

I recently signed my first book deal with a small press, Love N. Books Press and, with my first book releasing in March, I started thinking about what I could give away as a reader magnet to encourage readers to sign up for this newsletter. I wondered if I should try to resurrect an old drawer draft, or write an epilogue for my first book.

But then I noticed just how much I was seeing photos and mentions of both Adam Brody and Joshua Jackson on my social media feeds and I became super intrigued by the idea of what it might feel like for either of these guys, twenty years after they were first made popular, suddenly being seen as the ‘Hot Rabbi’ (in Adam Brody’s case). Then there is the power that Joshua Jackson holds over elder millennials (like me).

And that’s when an idea hit me. I immediately picked up my phone, clicked over to my trusty Notes app, and wrote the following:

At 40, Alex Grayson, once a teen heartthrob from a wildly popular ‘90s sitcom, has been out of the public eye for years. After a string of forgettable indie films and a few failed pilots, he’s resigned himself to bit roles and the occasional convention signing. He lives a quiet, somewhat lonely life, haunted by the faded glory of his youth. Then he lands a leading role in a hit new romantic comedy TV show, and his life is turned upside down once more. Overnight, Alex finds himself back in the spotlight—only this time, he’s not the young heartbreaker; he’s the dashing, middle-aged star women are swooning over again.

A short story about an Adam Brody/Joshua Jackson type character? Sign. Me. Up.

I have been having a ball working on my newest book, which is the first of a women’s fiction series set in La Jolla, CA set somewhat adjacent to the world of reality TV. So I’m not taking too big of a leap into the world of forty-something heartthrobs.

So it’s official. The 'Hot Nerd' renaissance has inspired me to pen a little something of my own. I can’t think of anything that could be more fun to write.