In the eight years since my graphic novel on death published, I’ve learned readers of all ages want to talk about loss and preserve their family’s stories

Becoming an author in my late 50s was unexpected, the result of my daughter Hallie’s own existential anxiety in her early 20s.

Fearing my untimely demise, she begged me to write down advice that would cover all of life’s bases going forward. I agreed, but put the project off for years; it wasn’t until she cornered me with a laptop on vacation that I gave in. She asked countless questions, and I found, to my surprise, that I had plenty to say. Hallie helped shape the manuscript, and then spent a year painting its warmly emotional gouache illustrations.

I lost a parent (or other loved one, including spouse or beloved pet) and your book helped me through.

I gave the book to my kids and wrote my own notes in the margins.

I can’t bear the thought of my mom or dad dying, but they don’t want to talk about it. I’m hoping that sharing the book with them will start some conversations.

With record numbers of adult children living at home with their parents, how can this arrangement work for everyone? Set ground rules from the off, respect each other’s privacy, and don’t revert to type, say the experts

Whether they are fresh out of university and looking for a job, have recently been made redundant, are saving to buy a home or newly divorced, it’s becoming increasingly common for adult children to live at home with their parents. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 35% of men and 22% of women aged between 20 and 34 were living with their parents in 2025.

I speak from experience: my younger sister lived at home with my mother for two years while she did her PhD, and I moved home for almost three years after becoming a single mother postpartum. In both of our situations, it would have been good to have some practical advice to make it work, with tensions sometimes running high and arguments inevitable.