My Parents Are Dead: What Now?

@deadparentswhatnow.com

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Demystifying the bureaucracy of death & dying with a sense of humor. Find your niche in The Columbarium newsletter. BUY THE BOOK NOW!đź’€ https://linktr.ee/deadparentswhatnow

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A cartoon piece of notebook paper sits on a lime green background. At the top is scrawled: WELCOME TO HELL! Below, in black text, it reads: A Substack of tiny hells and more by my Emmy-nominated Bitching & Mourning podcast co-host, Alison Zeidman. A scribbled arrow points to the right, indicating the viewer should swipe to read more. Below is scrawled a URL: deadparentswhatnow.com/friends
A cartoon piece of notebook paper sits on a lime green background. At the top is scrawled: THE TERMINAL. Below, in black text, it reads: Jane Callahan's monthly roundup of death worker news, plus extra interviews and more for paying subscribers. A scribbled arrow points to the right, indicating the viewer should swipe to read more. Below is scrawled a URL: deadparentswhatnow.com/friends
A cartoon piece of notebook paper sits on a lime green background. At the top is scrawled: IN THE MARGINS & FOOTNOTES. Below, in black text, it reads: A Substack by Amy Shea, the author of Too Poor to Die: The Hidden Realities of Dying In the Margins. A scribbled arrow points to the right, indicating the viewer should swipe to read more. Below is scrawled a URL: deadparentswhatnow.com/friends
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A cartoon piece of notebook paper sits on a lime green background. At the top is scrawled: GRAVESITE. Below, in black text, it reads: Forthcoming independent media source reporting on death, dying, and grief by Delaney Rebernik & Alexis Haut. A scribbled arrow points to the right, indicating the viewer should swipe to read more. Below is scrawled a URL: deadparentswhatnow.com/friends
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A cartoon piece of notebook paper sits on a lime green background. At the top is scrawled: BLOGROLL! Below, in black text, it reads: Here are some of my favorite blogs, newsletters, and other publications about death, dying and grief. A scribbled arrow points to the right, indicating the viewer should swipe to read more. Below is scrawled a URL: deadparentswhatnow.com/friends
Old-fashioned white and green text on a dark gray background reads: "Many of our most prominent cemeteries were not only built with the dead in mind. They were designed for recreation." The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in New Hampshire? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (X); Human composting (X); deadparentswhatnow.com
On a creamy white background with black corners, black text reads: Send your bitchiest death and grief stories to bitchingandmourning@gmail.com. (The email address is highlighted in pink.) Below is the logo for the Bitching & Mourning podcast, which features a simple illustration of a cracked headstone with the title engraved on it. Next to the logo, black text reads: A grief grievances podcast hosted by Alison Zeidman & Becky Robison. New episodes every two weeks.
Two women sit in the grass of a cemetery on a sunny day and explosion what an indigent burial cemetery is before they pitch their event on July 15 at MaybeItsFate in Louisville. You can see wind chimes over a grave behind them. Later the camera pans around the sparse cemetery so you can get a better look.
On a blue speckled background are the covers for Amy Shea's book "Too Poor to Die" and Becky Robison's book "My Parents Are Dead: What Now?" Above and below, black text reads: Too Poor to Die? Authors Amy Shea and Becky Robison discuss rising death costs and laying the indigent dead to rest. Wednesday, July 15 at 6pm. MaybeItsFate. 1425 Story Ave. Louisville KY 40206.
Old-fashioned black text on a lime green background reads: "As you may have noticed, the French Revolution was kind of messy." The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Nevada? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (check); Human composting (check); deadparentswhatnow.com
The white lines of a soccer pitch are printed on a dark gray background. In the center of the pitch is the logo for My Parents Are Dead: What Now? featuring a cartoon skull with heart eyes atop a lime green heptagon. Above and below the logo, lime green text reads: I'm glad World Cup tourists are enjoying our ranch dressing. But do they realize we don't have federally-mandated bereavement leave?
At the center of a black background is a faded image of an old-fashioned library borrowing card. On top, white and lime green typewriter text reads: Reduce your carbon footprint from beyond the grave. Dying Green. For much of human history, we buried our dead directly in the ground—no fancy caskets, no embalming. Nowadays, the green burial or natural burial movement is bringing back no-frills funerals. We’ll learn about the environmental—and financial—benefits of green burial, plus our options in Kentucky. Due Date: A Library Death Salon. Mashup Food Hall. July 23, 2026 at 7 p.m. At the bottom is the logo for My Parents Are Dead: What Now? featuring a cartoon skull with heart eyes atop a lime green heptagon.
On the top is a small picture of the cover of the book MY PARENTS ARE DEAD: WHAT NOW? next to a play button and sound waves, suggesting that you can play an audio file. Below is a headline that reads: You asked for a parental death prep episode. We got the perfect guest. Below that is the logo of the Culture Study podcast.
A blonde woman in glasses and a striped halter top walking down a sunny, tree-lined street explains how Mitch McConnell’s mysterious health situation shows our unwillingness to approach death honestly and allow people to age and die with dignity.
Old-fashioned black and green text on a white, papery background reads: "English peasants who keeled over in the fields of their feudal lords didn’t need to know how Medicare works." The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
In a clip from a longer podcast, a blonde woman with glasses and headphones and a brunette person with glasses and headphones discuss how the blonde woman found a bunch of guns after her dad died.
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Nebraska? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (X); Human composting (X); deadparentswhatnow.com
On a dark gray background speckled with black, lime green and white text reads: "I’ve learned over the years that sometimes the instinctual desires we have after a loss are worth heeding, even if they seem far-out. If they’re not going to hurt us or others, why not try them out? Sometimes, because of our avoidant and individualistic society’s view that death isn’t to be talked about over dinner (or anywhere), trusting our instincts toward collective care requires a little rebellion." - Carla Fernandez, Renegade Grief: A Guide to the Wild Ride of Life After Loss
At the top of a black background is the superhero-esque orange and lime green logo for an event called POWER (OF ATTORNEY) HOURS! Below, white text reads: POWER (of attorney) HOURS is taking a break in July! Let me know what days and times you’d prefer I bring them back in August by answering this two-question poll: bit.ly/POAhours
A blonde woman in a floral shirt lists some exceptions to the “there is no wrong way to grieve” rule, including going full normal Bates, investing in meme coins, and starting wildfires.
On a lime green oval hemmed in by curved, black corners, black text reads: No! You don't have to purchase a casket from a funeral home! You can purchase a casket from a local artisan, from a direct-to-consumer site online, or even at wholesale stores like Costco. Funeral homes have to accept delivery of these caskets without a handling fee. deadparentswhatnow.com
Old-fashioned white and green text on a dark gray background reads: "Here’s the story: There are these twins, Hunahpú and Xbalanqué, who go to Xibalba (the underworld) to avenge their relatives. The rulers of Xibalba invite the twins to stay overnight in the House of Bats. Sounds cozy!" The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Montana? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (X); Human composting (X); deadparentswhatnow.com
At the top of a lime green background speckled with darker green, bold black text reads: CHECKLIST FOR BEING NICE TO MY BOOK. Below that is an illustration of notebook paper taped to the background. On that paper is a scrawled checklist: Review on Goodreads, Review on Amazon, Request from library, Ask local bookstore, Post on social media, Tell your friends, Buy a copy. Below the illustration, black and gray text reads: My Parents Are Dead: What Now? A Panic-Free Guide to the Practicalities of Death. deadparentswhatnow.com
In the center of a gray background, a white skeleton leans on a shovel stuck in a pile of dirt. Above, white and green text reads Funeral Fun Fact: You Might Not Be Buried Six Feet Under. Scattered around the image, lime green spiky bubbles with black text read the following: Every state has different requirements for grave depth. 4 feet is closer to average for single graves. Green burials are typically 3-4 feet deep. At the bottom, white text reads: deadparentswhatnow.com
Green lines criss-cross in the corners of a black background. At the top is the logo for My Parents Are Dead: What Now? featuring a cartoon skull with heart eyes atop a lime green heptagon. Below, white text reads: Pre-death planning. Are you dying? (Yes.) Is someone you love dying? (Also yes.) Whether the Grim Reaper is coming in six months or sixty years, it’s never too early to plan for death. I can help you decide what your ideal death looks like and together we’ll do our best to make it a reality. We can’t guarantee when, but how can be arranged. A white arrow indicates to swipe right. At the bottom, black text with lime green highlight reads: deadparentswhatnow.com/death-doula
Old-fashioned black text on a lime green background reads: "We already embalm dead people, so why don’t we display them in artful poses next to the fireplace?" The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
A blonde woman and a brunette woman, both wearing glasses and both with dead dads, announce sympathy cards as the first subject of their new podcast, Bitching & Mourning, and reflect that it’s the perfect topic for Father’s Day.
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Missouri? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (check); Human composting (X); deadparentswhatnow.com
A blonde woman in a blue tank top sits in bed eating blueberries and lists the pros of a fatherless Father’s Day.
At the center of a speckled blue background sits the covers of two books: Too Poor to Die by Amy Shea and My Parents Are Dead - What Now? by Becky Robison. Above and below, black text reads: Too Poor to Die? Authors Amy Shea and Becky Robison discuss rising death costs and laying the indigent dead to rest. Wednesday, July 15 at 6pm. MaybeItsFate. 1425 Story Ave. Louisville, KY 40206
Old-fashioned black and green text on a papery white background reads: My friends make fun of me because I start roughly 90% of my sentences with: “I listened to a podcast about this….” The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Mississippi? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (X); Human composting (X); deadparentswhatnow.com
The cover of Kate McIntyre's story collection MAD PRAIRIE, featuring a purple tornado whirling from an orange prairie in front of a deep blue sky, sits in the center of a lime green background. Black text surrounding the book cover reads: EPITAPH - FICTION ABOUT DYING. Mad Prairie by Kate McIntyre. deadparentswhatnow.com
Lime green and black text on a light gray background with rounded, lime green corners reads: No! You don't have to be embalmed when you die! No federal or state law requires embalming. Individual funeral homes can require it, but you are allowed to shop around for a funeral home that doesn’t require it. deadparentswhatnow.com
An old-fashioned library borrowing card sits in the center of a black background. On top, white and green typewriter text reads: Death is hard enough without the sticker shock. The Thrifty Corpse. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with burial in the U.S. is well over $8,000. Yikes! Let's talk tips for keeping death costs down. Due Date: A Library Death Salon. Mashup Food Hall. June 18, 2026 at 7pm. Below is the logo for My Parents Are Dead: What Now? featuring a cartoon skull with heart eyes atop a lime green heptagon. 
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Minnesota? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (check); Human composting (check); deadparentswhatnow.com
A green comic book bubble with orange words over it reads: POWER (of attorney) HOURS! Below, white text reads: June 2026. June 13, 2:30-4:30pm. June 18, 2-4pm. June 25, 2-4pm. June 27, 12:30-2:30pm. I'll bring the forms. You bring ID. $5-$10 suggested tip. MaybeItsFate. 1425 Story Ave. Louisville, KY. In the bottom left corner is the logo for My Parents Are Dead: What Now? featuring a cartoon skull with heart eyes atop a lime green heptagon. 
A cartoon spiral notebook sits on a hot pink background. Text that appears handwritten reads: Dead Letter - Writing into Death & Grief. Free writing workshop at Set & Setting. June 13 from 11am-1pm ET - Donuts will be served. setandsettingshop.com/events
A blonde woman in a colorful tank top walks outside and explains that if you don’t trust your friends to plan your funeral, you should get better friends.
A blonde woman in a floral dress and a woman with a shaved head in a skeleton t-shirt standing before a wall of books
In the center of a black background is jumbled cartoon ball of various New York City iconography, from skyscrapers to the Statue of Liberty to hot dogs to parks, etc. In the center of that cartoon ball is the logo for My Parents Are Dead: What Now? featuring a cartoon skull with heart eyes atop a lime green heptagon. Above and below this image, red and blue text reads: I'm still in NYC. No newsletter June 2. The Columbarium will return June 9!
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Michigan? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (X); Human composting (X); deadparentswhatnow.com
The cover of the book MY PARENTS ARE DEAD: WHAT NOW? sits at the center of a black background with green swirly lines. White, black, and green text reads My Parents Are Dead: What Now? Author Becky Robison in conversation with death & grief doula Lauren Seeley. May 30 | 5pm ET | Morbid Anatomy Library | NYC
Bright green grass rolls in the center of a blue background. A gray stone mausoleum sits above the grass, and a stone arch with caskets inside sits below the grass. Black Gothic text reads: Mausoleum - generally aboveground. Crypt - generally underground. deadparentswhatnow.com
A blonde woman wearing a shirt advertising the fictional band The Juice Fruits from the film “Phantom of the Paradise” announces that the audiobook version of her book MY PARENTS ARE DEAD: WHAT NOW? is available now
Old-fashioned black text on a lime green background reads: "Wait—isn’t the SEC part of the government? Yes. But it has a very cozy relationship with the banks it’s supposed to regulate." The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Massachusetts? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (X); Human composting (X); deadparentswhatnow.com
At the top of a dark gray background, light gray text reads: The Language of Flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems (1857). Grief. Below are illustrations of Marigold, Harebell, and Aloe, with corresponding labels. At the bottom left corner is the logo for My Parents Are Dead: What Now? featuring a cartoon skull with heart eyes atop a lime green heptagon.
A blonde woman in a blue and green shirt says “I’m sorry I can’t today, I have therapy” and then you see her reading the book “My Parents Are Dead: What Now?” in a cemetery. That is the therapy.
White lilies trail diagonally across a light green background. On top, black text reads: The average cost of funeral flowers is $50 to $150 per arrangement. Budget accordingly! deadparentswhatnow.com
A blonde woman in a rainbow halter top walks down the street and explains how voting for progressive representatives can help us achieve more freedoms when it comes to disposition of our bodies.
On a papery white background, old-fashioned black and green text reads: "The World Wars and the Great Depression eased strict Victorian mourning standards—too many dead people, not enough money." The Columbarium. deadparentswhatnow.com/newsletter
An illustration of a ribcage is just visible above a black background. On top of that, green and white text reads: What can you do with a dead body in Maryland? Traditional burial (check); Green burial (check); Fire cremation (check); Water cremation (check); Human composting (check); deadparentswhatnow.com