What does a yellow light mean?

Maybe it's time to spend a few of your 525,600 minutes at a slower pace.

I’ve never even seen a full episode of Taxi, the classic sitcom, but I can recite this whole scene to you by heart.

Iconic joke aside, “slow down” is the energy I’m bringing into 2026. The last year flew by. Someone’s Gotta Give was released 5 months ago and (I mean this in the best possible way) I’ve felt like I’ve been inside one of those funhouse swirling vortices ever since: 30+ in-person events, countless virtual ones, and so many flights that I now have a Pavlovian response to any sort of ding sound where I reach down to my lap to buckle a seatbelt.

I know I have a pathological need to always be moving. I consistently feel like I’m not doing enough, not working enough, writing enough, selling enough. Type-A eldest daughters of immigrants, do you feel me? Slowing down is hard for me. But I can see when it’s necessary.

So here’s to resting, recharging, sleeping in, lingering over coffee and reading novels (current obsession: The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai, soon to be followed by As a Last Resort by my new friend Kristin Wollett). What If you spent this year seeking small moments of peace, joy and restoration, alongside adventure? I know I need it for the year ahead, and maybe you do too.

With that said…

Yes, my plan is for sure to take things slower, but sheesh, I’m not dead yet and I’m still super psyched for things to come in 2026.

I’m currently doing some intense wintering but can’t wait to gear back up for some super fun events: Galentine’s day fun online with one of my favorite book clubs, taking the stage at Mom 2.0 in Austin in April AND a few ridiculously exciting soon-to-be announced appearances in LA and Greece, plus more. Keep an eye on my events page for updates and remember I’m always happy to pop in to your book club and say hey, online or off.

Stay tuned for more news about some other bits I’m cooking up including offering book coaching to a small number of writers who need some feedback + pumping up (I wasn’t a cheerleader for 10 years for nothing) as well as another Scotland retreat and new ways to access my Pitch, Please content. If you want to be the first to know about any of those developments, email me!

And finally…

I passed most of my holidays in warmer climes sprawled out like an iguana trying to capture a year’s worth of Vitamin D before heading back to cold, dark (lovely!) Edinburgh. But an (upright) highlight was the chance to spend some time in Tampa. In between TV spots and a visit to Maggie and the Moms, I had the a chance to address the audience at the Tampa JCC’s and Federation’s Women of Distinction awards ceremony and tell them about my other mantra for 2026 - in the spirit of Lucia, to do something great.

As part of endearing the crowd to me, I shared my two favorite photos from the last day of 2025, which truly sum up the year for me: a collection of moments, some spectacular, some mortifying, sometimes all in the same breath.

As a thank you for all your love and support over 2025, which I know pushed Someone’s Gotta Give to be a 4x national bestseller, please enjoy the side-by-side best/most embarrassing photos of me ever taken.

With love and solidarity for the stingray hugs and the stingray slaps alike in 2026,

Alisha