We chat with author Josh Duboff about Early Thirties, which is a hilarious and painfully relatable debut novel about two thirtysomething best friends’ messy search for connection and love in New York, perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle, Gabrielle Zevin, and Dolly Alderton.
Hi, Josh! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
My iPhone background is a photograph of Rihanna, and has been for about a decade now. I was a senior writer at Vanity Fair for about six years, where I covered culture and entertainment. I had the chance to meet a variety of very interesting people while I was working there, and profiled a number of them for the magazine. I left Condé Nast in 2019, and have been freelancing since. Early Thirties is my first novel.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
From a very young age! I distinctly remember writing (ridiculous) plays when I was 8 or 9 and forcing my two younger brothers to act in them. I was obsessed with journalism as a pre-teen, as well; I started a newspaper when I was in sixth grade that I distributed to the entire lower school each month—this newspaper became my entire reason for living as a 12-year-old. And—I know, this is about as cool as it gets—I attended a five-week “journalism camp” after my junior year of high school. All to say, I have always identified as a writer.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: the Hardy Boys books
- The one that made you want to become an author: Jennifer Egan’s A Visit From The Goon Squad
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Elena Ferrente’s Brilliant Friendseries
Your debut novel, Early Thirties, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
My friends say it’s funny
What can readers expect?
The novel centers on two best friends, Zoey and Victor, at a turning point in their relationship. Zoey is engaged and at something of a career crossroads. Victor, meanwhile, is coming off a tough breakup and, at the same time, is starting a seemingly glamorous new job. As time goes on, though, Victor and Zoey feel themselves growing distant from each other, for both reasons they can identify and reasons they can’t. We also get glimpses into other characters in their orbit, who intersect with Victor and Zoey in unexpected ways and who similarly struggle to feel seen and understood.
Where did the inspiration for Early Thirties come from?
I had always wanted to write a book about friendship and the way friendships shift in the “early thirties” period, as people’s lives start to diverge in all sorts of ways. In your twenties, everyone is more or less in a similar boat—but things start to really change dramatically (or, at least, it feels that way) when you hit your thirties. I used Victor and Zoey’s relationship as a way to explore these thoughts and ideas, based on some of the experiences I was having.
I also always knew that I wanted to set my novel in the world of social media and influencers and the larger “New York City media world,” as I wanted to explore some of the ways in which all of us now, to varying degrees, struggle with how to present ourselves in the “public sphere.”
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I know this probably feels like a cop-out answer, but I honestly did enjoy writing for all of them! In a way, all of the characters represent a different facet of my personality, so it was almost like getting to channel different parts of myself as I shifted between them.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
At the risk of coming across as corny, I think the challenge is really to just completely believe in what you’re doing. It’s such a wild undertaking to write a novel, and it’s a lonely pursuit in a lot of ways—so you have to just be totally dementedly obsessed with your characters and the story you’re telling and feel like you have no choice but to finish writing this book. That belief helps to temper many of the other anxieties.
Alright, as someone who is turning the 3-0 this year, any words of wisdom?
Say yes to everything! I have found so often in my life that the best things come from pushing myself out of my comfort zone—going to that party I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to, DMing that person I thought might never write back to me, posting something publicly I felt unsure if I wanted to share, etc.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
It was a very long process! I worked on the book for about three years (which included revision periods) before we sold it in the fall of 2023. I am so thankful for my agent, who guided me through it all.
What’s next for you?
I am starting work on another novel; I’m feeling really psyched about getting into it. I’m also working on a play.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
I just finished the galley of Rob Franklin’s Great Black Hope, which will be out on June 10. It’s so excellent: his descriptions are spectacular, the characters indelible, and it’s completely immersive and special.
