Brett Grayson Laughs about ‘What Could Go Wrong’ While Parenting

Brett Grayson refers to himself a successful trial attorney who also writes books. But don’t confuse him with John Grisham. In fact, as he notes on his website, he is “John Grisham Without the Success.”

Grayson earlier this year released his first book, What Could Go Wrong?: My Mostly Comedic Journey through Marriage, Parenting and Depression. In this autobiographical tome, the New Jersey resident writes about the trials (pun intended) he and his wife go through trying to conceive and later during her pregnancy, her dealings with postpartum depression, the inevitable comedy in raising a child, and battling his own depression and anxiety.

He discusses all this along with his desire to try to find the funny in the darkest episodes of his life and his decision to use a pen name to protect his law career on the latest edition of the Modern Dads Podcast. This episode features City Dads Group columnist Whit Honea as guest host.

Grayson, a father of two, describes himself in one published story as “a sometimes-depressed/always-lazy parent who preaches discipline, which in reality translates to impatience, yelling, and finally caving to all their desires.” His book is described as one couple’s journey to navigate a 10-month pregnancy (yep, one extra month) “from the always romantic conception, to her water breaking in the most unique way possible” and then “attempt parenthood.” Along the way, they face “pre- and post-natal complications, battles with their own mental health; and those rapidly growing and irrational miniature versions of themselves.”