The Ghost Mom's Guide to the Afterlife

A helicopter mom comes back as a ghost to parent her children from the beyond and scare off the cute young babysitter moving in with her husband in this hilarious debut novel for fans of The Husbands and Sandwich.

Tess is a professional mother. Not just because she spends her days caring for her teenager and toddler—all organic food! The best school! Constant supervision!—but because she’s made a career of writing parenting books, most recently a defense of helicopter moms that the internet greeted with a giant snort of derision. But when Tess dies in a freak accident, swept away by a rogue wave, she can’t stand to leave her children behind. Instead, Tess remains on earth as a ghost, determined to protect her family from everything, processed sugar to overdue homework.

Together with a support group of other ghost moms, a motley crew that includes an over-sharing succubus, a hollow-eyed water wraith, and their chain-smoking ghost nun sponsor, Tess learns the rules of haunting (writing in the steam of bathroom mirrors: Easy! Possessing the living: Hard!) and begins to hone her spectral powers. But when her husband hires a new babysitter, a pretty twenty-something named Rosie with dangerous secrets of her own, Tess must move heaven and earth to save her family.

An uproarious comedy that bursts with tenderness and yearning, The Ghost Mom's Guide to the Afterlife is a triumphant tale of love, death, and the everlasting bonds of motherhood.

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs