Writing about grif, love, and reinvention in life’s second chapter.
Hi, I’m Debbie Weiss—author of Available As Is, essayist, attorney and recovering overachiever. I write about what happens when the script falls apart.
When dreams don’t turn out as planned.
I lost my husband and high school sweetheart of 32 years in 2013 and set out to create a new life—-with varying results. The good: earning an MFA degree in writing at 56 and writing my book. The bad: trying to date as a grown up.
I write about widowhood, dating at midlife, finding love when you’re pretty stuck in your ways, aging, regret and searching for fulfillment and joy. Recently, I’ve been writing about aging parents and sobriety, and finding them a bit interrelated.
My essays have been published in The New York Times’ Modern Love, HuffPost, Next Avenue, Woman’s Day, Reader’s Digest and other publications.
I hope you’ll explore the site, read a few essays, and join me on Substack.
Winner of the 2024 IPpy Gold Medal
Part memoir.
Part midlife adventure.
Available As Is is a funny, honest, and hopeful story about grief, resilience, reinvention, and the surprising possibility of second chances.
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s possible to begin again after devastating loss, this book is for you.
2024 IPPY
Gold Medal
2024
Reader’s Favorite
Bronze Medal
2024
NIEA Fin alist