SHOWING UP is a funny, heartfelt novel about poker, grief, and the unexpected friendships that get us through. Mason DuPont isn't exactly thriving. His once-distant mother is slipping into dementia, his creative spark is long buried, and peace feels like a foreign concept. Then he stumbles into a neighborhood poker group-where the bets are low, but the stakes are real. Between absurd game variations, relentless teasing, and midnight heart-to-hearts, Mason finds more than distraction; he finds a tribe. And when a group member falls seriously ill, those friendships force Mason to confront old scars and rediscover parts of himself he thought were long gone. Add in a fiercely independent artist who challenges everything he thinks he knows about love, and Mason's quiet unraveling becomes a journey of rediscovery. Touching, laugh-out-loud funny, and full of grit and grace, SHOWING UP is a story about showing up for others, and ultimately, yourself.
