<p>Host <strong>Vedant Akhauri</strong> welcomes author <strong>Lindsey Goldstein</strong> to discuss her debut novel, <strong>Gap Year</strong> (releasing February 3, 2026).</p><p>This novel explored the journey of Jane, a 46-year-old CPA who faces the perfect storm when her husband leaves, her daughter goes abroad for a gap year, and she is offered a promotion she doesn't want. Instead of leaning in, Jane quits her job to climb the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador - an adult gap year to reclaim the adventurous spirit she put on pause decades ago.</p><p><strong>We discuss: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>The Pivot from Non-Fiction:</strong> Lindsey discusses transitioning from writing personal essays for <strong>The New York Times Modern Love</strong> column to constructing a 320-page novel, and what she learned about the craft along the way.</li><li><strong>Indie vs. Big Five:</strong> An honest look at the realities of publishing. Lindsey shares why she chose the independent route with <strong>Egret Lake Books</strong> after navigating the agent query trenches, highlighting the creative control she retained over her title and cover. </li><li><strong>Second Chapters: </strong>The reality of figuring out what to do with your time and exploring forgotten parts of yourself as an empty nester.</li><li><strong>Career Burnout: </strong>Vedant doesn't claim to represent accounting or adjacent fields, but felt connected to the story after the surprise reveal that Jane's a CPA. Him and Lindsey dive into how the burnout common among CPAs compelled Jane's decision to take a gap year.</li><li><strong>Finding Levity in Loss:</strong> How to balance the heavy themes of divorce and empty nesting with humor. </li></ul><p>Lindsey and Vedant discuss the heartfelt comedy of a Gen X woman navigating hostel life with travelers twenty years her junior.</p><p>Ultimately, it's a story about the psychology of second chapters and why Jane’s story is about self-discovery rather than just romance, despite the presence of a charming tour guide named Mark.</p><p>Lindsey also teases her next project, described as <strong>Sliding Doors meets Stranger Than Fiction</strong>.</p><p><strong>Gap Year</strong> is available for <strong>presale now</strong> and releases officially on <strong>February 3, 2026</strong>.</p><ul><li><a href="https://egretlakebooks.com/gap-year-a-novel/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Pre-order the Paperback from Egret Lake Books</strong></a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gap-Year-Novel-Lindsey-Goldstein-ebook/dp/B0FCH7YVJ9" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>Pre-order the Ebook on Amazon</strong></a></li></ul><p><strong>Website:</strong> <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=E&amp;q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lindseygoldsteinauthor.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">lindseygoldsteinauthor.com</a></p><p><strong>Socials:</strong> </p><ul><li>Instagram @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/goldsteinlindsey/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">goldsteinlindsey </a></li><li>TikTok @<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lindseygoldsteinauthor" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">lindseygoldsteinauthor </a></li><li>Substack: <a href="lindseygoldstein.substack.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">lindseygoldstein.substack.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>If you like what you hear, please subscribe and leave a rating to be notified of future episodes. You can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow us on Instagram @</strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/letstalkmediava/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><strong>letstalkmediava</strong></a>.</p>