Ella Dawson is an NYC-based sex and culture critic whose work has been published by Elle, Vox, and Women’s Health, among others. She was once internet famous for having herpes, but that’s a whole other story. Ella is proudly bisexual, very anxious, and aspires to adopt a kitten. Follow her on social media and on Patreon as @brosandprose.
SESSION INFO:
Saturday, October 5, 3:30pm at Saratoga Arts: Fiction: LGBTQ+ Voices in Contemporary Rom Com with Jennifer Dugan and Ella Dawson
Books
About But How Are You Really?
Sex and culture critic Ella Dawson has been fearlessly examining the complexities of romantic relationships, STI stigma, queerness, and desire in places like the Washington Post, New York Magazine, Elle, Vox, and Teen Vogue for years. In her debut novel, But How Are You Really? Dawson is more boldly relatable than ever, drawing on her sparkling wit to investigate the joys and heartaches of college—and how reunions force us not only to confront past choices, but to better understand our present selves.
Whether it’s the ghost of relationship trauma, burnout from a problematic work culture, or mental health issues, Dawson combines thoughtful commentary with a generous, sensitive portrayal to make readers feel seen.
But How Are You Really? is about the difficult yet liberating journey to self acceptance—and the difference between growing up and being a grown-up. Fans of Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel Khong and Ghosts by Dolly Alderton will be drawn to Dawson’s critical eye for the trials of adulthood, burnout culture, sexuality, and feminism, while readers of second chance romances will find a new couple to root for. While the book never succumbs to the blindness of nostalgia, it hangs onto the fun and sweetness: thrumming all along with the timeless, exhilarating, steamy rush of reuniting with the one that got away. In her shining debut, Dawson is as joyous as she is honest, and readers can’t help but find a piece of themselves in Charlotte. Coming-of-age is fraught with universal heartaches, but Dawson has the unique ability to capture that kaleidoscope of familiar feelings with effortless charm. Standing up for yourself at work, coming to terms with how you were harmed in a past relationship, and realizing that pretending to be okay isn’t the same thing as being okay are all vital lessons in adulthood that Dawson reminds us, we should never stop learning. Like a college reunion, But How Are You Really? is the sort of book you return to after a few years, just to smile and remember what’s possible.