Out 2 July 2026, DAD HAD A BAD DAY by Ashton Politanoff (@apolitanoff ) 🎾 An exhilaratingly comic and disturbing spiral into a sad dad’s obsession with tennis.
When recently unemployed Ned comes across his old Slazenger racquet in the garage, he also unearths a part of his former self. Rejoining his local club, he’s soon gripped by an all-consuming hunger for victory - and puts everything else on the line.
Darkly funny and increasingly unhinged, DAD HAD A BAD DAY is it once a meditation on male friendship and fatherhood and a bottling of the intoxicating thrill of tennis. Limited proofs available 📚
Brilliant cover by @lookbird . Out in the US with @astrahousebooks
🎾Cover reveal 🎾 Design by @rodrigocorral_
DAD HAD A BAD DAY by Ashton Politanoff is a darkly funny, deeply moving portrait of what happens when a “sad dad” reconnects with a passion from his past.
When Ned finds his old Slazenger tennis racquet buried in the garage, he unearths a part of his former self. Having recently lost his job, his sole duty is to watch over their six-year-old son while his wife works. On a whim—and without his wife’s knowledge—Ned joins his childhood tennis club with a secret credit card, where he finds life outside the realm of “sad dad” domesticity. He becomes the captain of a local men’s rec league team, reconnects with his old hitting partner and former tennis prodigy, Roland, and commits his whole sad self to building a winning team. But when Roland disappears, Ned’s search for his friend threatens to consume the path to glory, the relationship with his son, his marriage, and his mind.
Publishing May 19, 2026
#coverreveal #books #newbook #bookdesign #bookstagram #design #conceptualart #usopen #tennisnovel
✨ ACQUISITION ANNOUNCEMENT ✨
Author of YOU’LL LIKE IT HERE Ashton Politanoff’s DAD HAD A BAD DAY, follows a child tennis prodigy who, unbeknownst to his wife, resurrects his passion after losing his job and becoming the caregiver for their six-year-old son, finding life outside the realm of “sad dad”.
@fishmpls
Thank you @patrickjsauer for this thoughtful reading and amazing review of DAD HAD A BAD DAY for @the2ndserve link in bio, a few snapshots shared here.
DHABD is out in the US with @astrahousebooks Tuesday, May 19th. Preorder and be the first to get it! 🎾
🎾 Ashton Politanoff, author of the upcoming novel DAD HAD A BAD DAY, and Editor Emily Bell took some time to celebrate the upcoming release at the Indian Wells Open in Indian Wells, CA.
DAD HAD A BAD DAY is publishing May 19, 2026.
Preorder your copy TODAY!
🎾 DAD HAD A BAD DAY by Ashton Politanoff is a meditation on fathers and sons, male friendship, and the psychic pressures of an individual sport.
See what early readers are saying about the next great tennis novel.
Publishing May 19, 2026
PREORDER TODAY!
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Received my contributor copies of the latest @southwest_review
Thank you to @bobby_rea@gregbrownderville for publishing my short story “Something Else” accompanied by this wonderful illustration from @calumheath_
For the price of a large latte, grab a copy here:
