Dedicating your new book to a family member is very common amongst authors. Every once in a while, one is so sweet and funny that many take notice.
That was the case with Ben Philippe, a young author who just released his debut young-adult novel The Field Guide To The North American Teenager last week. Philippe dedicated the book to his mother, Belzie. But it’s what Philippe wrote next that got people’s attention.
Image Via Forbes
In an interview with Forbes, Philippe said that the humorous message was a nod to how many parents like to prioritize financial security amongst their kids and how a career in the arts doesn’t make them feel better.
“I think some parents see the arts as a state of permanent unrest for their kids. Financial safety doesn’t look like multiple part-time jobs, ‘gigs,’ or chugging coffee working on a manuscript at 2 a.m.”
Nevertheless, Philippe said that his mother liked the dedication.
And so did many others. Once the book was talked about on a podcast from BookRiot, several people on Twitter began sharing photos of the dedication on Twitter, with thousands of likes following each post. Here are two of them:
New favorite book dedication. pic.twitter.com/QGDF1ZaF2o
— kelly jensen ?? (@veronikellymars) November 23, 2018
I’ve seen a few folks post about this, but now that I have a copy, it’s my turn.
And this is the funniest dedication I’ve ever seen. pic.twitter.com/w8wkZNIDNt
— Eric Smith (@ericsmithrocks) January 12, 2019
I guess that’s one way to get the word out about your new book.
Featured Image Via Forbes