About the Book
ROMP: An Intoxicated Journey Through Grief is a wild, unfiltered plunge into the chaotic aftermath of loss. When 23-year-old Sam’s obese, neglectful father dies—followed by the deaths of his idols, Hunter S. Thompson and Mitch Hedberg—he abandons the only thing he ever loved: stand-up comedy.
Determined to outrun the grief swallowing him whole, Sam bolts from New York City and rockets across Europe in search of what he calls his “glow.” Fueled by drugs, booze, and the invincibility of youth, his travels spiral into a chaotic string of misadventures, dangerous highs, and raw self-revelations.
Told through journal entries and letters from the road, ROMP follows Sam as he battles the lingering shadow of an emotionally abusive father, wrestling with the question that haunts him in every bar, bed, bus station, and bathroom stall: Can he transform his trauma into fuel before it destroys him?
Equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, and unflinchingly honest, ROMP is a coming-of-age memoir for anyone who has ever tried to outdrink their demons—or dared to chase their own glow.
About Sam
Sam was born and raised in Northbrook, Illinois, where his early love of storytelling first began to take shape. After relocating to New York City, he spent years navigating two demanding and seemingly unrelated worlds—stand-up comedy and the professional kitchen.
Though his path was anything but linear, writing remained a constant undercurrent. With his debut memoir, ROMP, Sam returns to those literary roots, weaving together humor and vulnerability to reflect on experience, identity, and the strange, often chaotic pursuit of meaning.
He now lives in Long Beach, California, where life has slowed just enough to make room for reflection, writing, and the everyday rituals he once rushed past. He shares his home with his partner and their dog, Lopez, who—unlike most audiences—requires neither punchlines nor plating to be impressed.
Blogs and Articles
My aging dog
How I met Nuni
I can finally say it. “Author”
Mise en Place
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