Why Can't Everything Just Stay the Same?: And Other Things I Shout When I Can't Cope

'Honest, witty and poignant observations on life that are both heart breaking and heartwarming' Amy HubermanAs a child, being in new places made Stefanie Preissner ill, which is why her family holidayed in the same apartment on the same island off the Spanish coast for nine years in a row. And why, at Christmas, she wrote lengthy letters to Santa ( letters, plural) begging him not to bring any surprises. Change was the enemy. But, as it turns out, one Stefanie hasn't been able to avoid. And, in spite of herself, one she has sometimes invited into her life.Here, in her first book, Stefanie looks at the ways in which her life has changed. From birthdays, friendships and how she celebrates the festive season, to social media (no FOMO here), the importance of asking WWNSD? (What Would Nicole Scherzinger Do?) when faced with big decisions, and her career as a writer, Why Can't Everything Just Stay the Same? is the hilarious and honest account of one woman's journey to and through adulthood, coping (sort of) with the terror, inevitability and beauty of change.'It's Stefanie's life, but her struggles are universal. Insecurity? Check. Anger? Check. Weight issues? Big fat check. Stefanie shines a light on human frailty and human strength, proving they are not opposites, but often walk hand-in-hand ... an inspiring, thoroughly enjoyable book.' Nell Scovell, creator of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and author of Just the Funny Parts

At twenty-eight, writer and actor Stefanie Preissner is blazing a trail as one of the most influential voices of her generation. Her six-part comedy-drama series Can't Cope/Won't Cope hit RTE2 screens in September 2016 and heralded a new era in Irish TV with its sharp observations on youth culture. It has been bought for broadcast by BBC Three and recommissioned by RTE for a second series. Her one-woman theatre show, Solpadeine is My Boyfriend, enjoyed sell-out runs in Dublin before touring internationally to Bucharest, Edinburgh and Australia and - as a radio play - it became RTE's most downloaded podcast. Alongside her career as a screenwriter and playwright, she has been nominated for several awards as an actor. Stefanie graduated from University College Cork with a BA in Drama and Theatre Studies and Spanish. Her work has also been explored in a chapter of Radical Contemporary Theatre Practices by Women in Ireland (Carysfort Press, 2015) With support from the Irish Film Board, Stefanie's next project is a screenplay in development with Parallel Films (Brooklyn, The Clinic, Intermission). She is also developing a TV pilot with Channel 4 and has a series of short documentaries in production with RTE.